Listeners cycle in and out of attentiveness--mostly out. Twenty percent of your audience will be spaced out at any given time.

Know how to stand (either behind the lectern, where you're half-hidden but feel safer, or out on the open stage) and move in such a way that you communicate the intangibles that motivate others to believe in you. Body language was the first language.

Any communication that you are willing to pay for begins effectively. 

Attention-getting messages are simple, unexpected, and concrete.

When you're speaking, if you're having a good time, inform your face. Your face is the most valuable real estate in any meeting room.

There's no correlation between the length of a talk and its impact. 

Rehearse. An audience doesn't want to see you struggling to say what's on your mind. 

Keep the nature of the occasion in mind as you prepare your message. Every situation and audience is different. 

Good content may be necessary for a successful presentation, but it isn't sufficient: it doesn't guarantee success.