It’s relatively easy to simply get up and speak in front of a group. But to design a meaningful message and then deliver it in a powerful way so that it has the impact you want is far more difficult.

I’ve been a master trainer for years and have learned a lot through my share of mistakes. I’m very comfortable now with my skills in knowing what will work or not with different kinds of audiences, in different venues and with different desired outcomes.

So if your goal is to inspire others to take some kind of action, then think carefully about these three “best practices” as you start to prepare. These three elements will give you an excellent framework for your 18-minute “TED-like” Talk. You will be pleasantly surprised at the impact you can have!

• First, know what is important to your audience! What is meaningful to them?
• Second, speak from your heart – your passion is what will engage your listeners.
• Third, be clear about the action you want them to take and why.