If you’ve ever asked for advice on public speaking, chances are you’ve heard some rather absurd responses. True, imagining your audience in their underpants may distract you from your anxiety momentarily. However, effective public speaking requires more than the absence of anxiety. These tips offer up a host of ideas to improve your experience speaking in front of groups.

Make sure that you stay focused once you get out there and start talking. Your message will not be received well if you go too far off topic. Do everything you can to stay on the original topic, or you may risk scaring away a large portion of your audience.

Time your speech. You’ll be able to add or subtract content to keep it in your time limit. If the speech is not long enough, add more time by finding more information. It is important not to rush through your speech.

If you want others to get the most from your speech, make sure to prepare. Have your facts and statements solidly in place. Support as many of your statements as you can with research. Jot down notes on what you would like to say. Practice the speech so that you could say it in your sleep. All of the preparation will come in handy, and you will be more confident when up on stage.

Make eye contact with your audience as much as you can. Never allow yourself to be distracted by anything else that is going on in the room. You want to make your audience see your point, which means they need your complete attention.

Know the crowd makeup before you give the speech. If you can, learn who is going to be in attendance. If possible, greet a couple of them and find out what their names are. Having a feeling of familiarity with some audience members can make the whole presentation or speech feel more friendly.

Use your most powerful voice when you are delivering your message and it will be received much better. People listen harder to people that have confidence, and speaking loud will convey that message. Even if you are not 100% confident, no one will know that if you seem to be while you speak.

Familiarize yourself with the room you are using to give your speech. Learn how loud you need speak before the event. Get a good feel for the room’s acoustics however you can. Learn how to use any visual aids that might be present. Get an idea of how much range of eye contact you need to make.

Take the time to research other important speeches. The internet has a wealth of recorded speeches so that you can observe how they do it. Focus on the qualities that you liked in their speech and emulate them. Look for qualities such as their ease in speaking, their humor and how they capture the attention of the audience.

Experiencing anxiousness before and during your time in the spotlight is normal, but it’s also unproductive. Your best bet is to take a more comprehensive approach to public speaking. Before your next engagement, practice following these important guidelines. You will find that your confidence is improved and that you are better able to communicate your message.