1. Know your stuff
To start, make sure the speech is a good fit. In fact, don’t speak on topics that you are not an expert on or extremely passionate in, says Mike Folino, assistant director of nutrition services at the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. “That enthusiasm and excitement for a topic really comes through, and can’t really be faked,” Folino says.
If you feel intimidated, focus on what you do know, says Larry Altier, system director of food and nutrition services for Lee Health based in Fort Meyers, Fla. “Remember, no matter what the topic is you are speaking on, at that moment, you are the subject matter expert,” he says.