The vocabulary study you’ve been focusing on will help you give better presentations, because you’ll be able to pick exactly the right words to get your points across. You’ll be able to include adjectives and adverbs that add emphasis and interest to your speech. If you take the time to study your audience in advance (see this post for more information), you’ll also be able to adapt your presentation to each occasion you give the speech, and it will have even more impact.

Knowing your topic, and being familiar with all of the vocabulary and terminology associated with it, will give you immediate confidence in your ability to make the presentation, and your confidence will be communicated to your audience. If the audience believes that you know what you’re talking about, they’ll listen more intently, and be more willing to follow any recommendations you might be making for future action.

People are more inclined to listen to friends rather than strangers, so take the opportunity (if you have the time) to interact with your audience before you give your presentation. This is also an excellent time to get an idea of who your audience is, if you didn’t get that information beforehand. By meeting people you can make a personal connection, and you can enhance that connection during your presentation by looking for the individuals you’ve talked to and making eye contact with them. Add personal stories and anecdotes, if it’s appropriate, to increase the connection between you and the audience.

Make sure that your presentation is organized and easy to follow. Even if you have a visual aid such as a handout or a Powerpoint slideshow, if your points aren’t arranged in a logical format, your audience will have a hard time following your train of thought. If you’re too muddled and disorganized in your speech, they may stop listening entirely. Take the time to write an outline for your speech, but don’t read it word-for-word; people probably won’t particularly enjoy watching you read out loud, because they won’t have a sense that you’re talking to them, but rather talking at them. If you’ve provided a handout or are using a slideshow, you absolutely must avoid reading exactly what people are looking at simultaneously.

Finally, remember to relax and enjoy yourself! If you’re cheerful and upbeat (unless, of course, that’s not appropriate to the topic or occasion), your audience is more likely to automatically adjust their own attitudes to match yours, and the positive energy in the room will reinforce the confidence you have in yourself and your ability to give a successful presentation.