An old, oft-repeated statistic posits that an average American's number one fear is public speaking. Supposedly, the same study found that death ranked number two, in essence, implying that people would rather die than speak in public. Whether or not that's reality, the reason for the anecdote is that there is a genuine fear within most people when it comes to speaking to a crowd of people.
Know Your Material
Toastmasters International, a non-profit club that meets and practices speeches, lists ten tips for better public speaking in their advertising materials. Chief on this list is knowledge of your speech topic. Anyone is going to be more comfortable speaking on something with which they're familiar. A vague understanding of a topic will lead to a weak speech when it becomes clear that the speaker has a lack of confidence in their own knowledge and listeners will quickly discount the information as a result.
Understand to Whom You're Speaking
Knowing one's audience seems obvious, but it is a common mistake made by rookie orators. Generally, people understand the appropriate manners expected of them within their environment (think wedding versus kindergarten class), but fail to grasp the level of detail expected. Imagine presenting a new business product to a team of engineers. They will likely want to understand how the product works and how it is manufactured. Engineers will probably ask detailed questions on minute points but not be concerned with topics like cost, marketing plans, or profit margins. Conversely, a group of accounting managers will likely be uninterested in the functions of an item, but will desire financial information and cost sustainability numbers.
Picture another scenario, a team of high-level executives, who may not want details at all. Based on the value of their time, they might want pertinent, strategic level summaries in a condensed form.
Tailoring a speech to the audience is crucial to avoid boring an audience or worse, wasting their time. Ensure the reason for the presentation is clear and that attendees and their expectations are known.
Dress the Part
Again, it would seem obvious to dress appropriately for the occasion and common sense would dictate the type of outfit for most situations. But a pitfall to avoid is wearing something that could distract your audience. Most experts recommend plain, nondescript clothing. Wild patterns or bright colors could get someone in the mindset of thinking about the speaker's clothing rather than their message.
According to presentationhelper.co.uk, "Research shows that 93% of the impact of a first impression is formed on non-verbal communication." Don't devalue your information on the basis of wardrobe.
Finally, Relax Prior to Your Speech and While On-stage
If you're already committed to do a speech, stressing out about it won't add any value. Understand that your calmness will portray confidence and allow the listener to receive the information being presented. Along the lines of wild clothing distracting an audience, nervousness will be obvious and listeners will focus on that.
Armed with insight and these simple preparations, your performance will come across much better than an unrehearsed, nervous execution. Mentally resolve to put forth your best speech and calmly run through a subject with which you've educated yourself.
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