As a public speaking coach, one mistake I see constantly is rote learning, trying tomemorise every single word in the perfect order. Unless you've got hours ofspare time or expert guidance on how to rehearse, that's a recipe for goingcompletely blank on the day.
Here's what to do instead. Say it out loud, over and over, and focus on gettingthe gist, the actual point, right every single time. You'll commit some of itto memory along the way, almost by accident, but that was never the aim, and itshouldn't be your focus.
While you're rehearsing out loud, do your gestures and stand exactly as you willon the day. This embeds good body language habits early in the process, ratherthan bolting them on later as an afterthought.

Great public speakers don't rehearse once or twice and hope for the best. Theyrehearse until they genuinely can't get it wrong.
This is exactly how I teach rehearsal in my corporate presentation skills training.

This is genuinely the most commonly asked question I get as a public speakingcoach: what am I supposed to do with my hands? Good news: it's not ascomplicated as you think!
Option one: talk with your hands naturally. This is called informal gesturing,and it's completely fine, as long as you give your audience a rest every nowand then. Let your hands drop back down by your sides between points, ratherthan gesturing non-stop.
Option two is formal, rehearsed gesturing, built around two simple rules.First, air under your armpits: make sure there's genuine space under your arm,so the gesture sits somewhere your audience can actually see it, not tucked inclose to your body. Second, strong fingers. Weak, floppy fingers make a gesturelook accidental, like you didn't quite mean to do it. Strong fingers make theexact same gesture look deliberate and confident.
That's really it. Talk with your hands, or use formal gestures, just rememberto rest, and keep it visible and intentional.
This is exactly the kind of detail we work on in my corporate presentationskills training.
I'm Michelle Bowden. Corporate Presentation Skills in under 60 seconds.

As a public speaking coach, I get asked all the time: How do you actuallychoose the right course? Here are the three things worth checking before youbook anything.
1. How much practice will you actually get? A great course lets you workon your own real, relevant content, not a generic exercise that has nothing todo with what you'll actually present next week.
2. What's the group size, and how much personal attention will you get fromthe coach? A room of 40 people means you're lucky to get five minutes ofindividual feedback. Small groups mean real, specific coaching, not just theorydelivered at you.
3. What happens after the course ends? Does the trainer just say"see you later," or do they actually stay in touch? This is the onemost people forget to ask, and it's often the difference between skills thatfade and skills that stick.
When I run my corporate presentation skills training, I stay in touchwith every single participant, at no extra cost, forever. That follow-up iswhat actually creates lasting change, not just a good day in the room.
I'm Michelle Bowden. Corporate Presentation Skills in under 60 seconds.

As a public speaking coach, one question I get asked constantly is: howshould I actually stand when I'm presenting? The answer depends on theimpression you want to create.
If you want to come across as relaxed and approachable, try an asymmetricalposture, leaning your weight into one hip. It softens your presence and feelsmore conversational, great for informal talks, team briefings, or when you wantthe room to feel at ease with you.
If you want to be seen as solid, credible and impressive, use what I call thenatural stand. This is a symmetrical stance: feet under your hips, core braced,hands either resting by your sides or moving up to support your point as youspeak. This is the stance I teach most often in corporate presentationskills training, because it signals authority without ever tipping intostiffness.
Neither stance is "correct" on its own, the right one dependsentirely on what you want your audience to think and feel about you beforeyou've said a word.
Try both in the mirror this week and notice the difference for yourself.
I'm Michelle Bowden. Corporate Presentation Skills in under 60 seconds.