20 Impactful Ways To Become A More Engaging Speaker

Whether you’re presenting to a packed auditorium, recording a podcast or speaking to your team, your ability to truly engage your audience is key to making an impact. Developing strong communication skills can help you build trust, inspire action and amplify your message.

But what does it really take to become a speaker who can captivate listeners and hold their attention? Below, Forbes Business Council members share insights on how to improve your presentation skills and connect with any audience.

1. Record Yourself To Spot Where To Improve

Record yourself and then review it multiple times for repeated phrases or words, “um” and “ah” void fillers, and unnecessary movements or explanations. Once you’ve practiced a couple of times to rein these in, you’ll be surprised how much more engaging your talks will be. – David O’Hara, Improving

2. Listen And Respond In Real Time

Engagement starts with knowing your audience. Tailor your message to their needs and speak to their emotions, not just their intellect. Be authentic—people connect to realness, not perfection. Practice, but don’t over-rehearse; leave room to adapt in the moment. Confidence comes from being prepared, but charisma is about listening and responding in real time. – Rafael Ortiz, BRAC Consulting Group

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3. Spice Things Up With Clean, Moderate Humor

State the facts clearly, in simple language, then add some real and relatable examples. Also, spice things up and sustain audience attention with clean and moderate humor, while making eye contact. Watch your voice tone and speech speed. Finish up with positivity and inspiration. Remember to add some vulnerability by sharing from personal experience, and taking responsibility, where necessary. – Lola Olukuewu, High IQ Designs

4. Speak To, Not At, Your Audience

Speak to your audience, not at them. Your audience is here to listen and learn, not to be preached to. Be your authentic self. And don’t take yourself too seriously. – AJ Ansari, DSWi

5. Include Your Audience By Creating An Open Environment

The best way to engage an audience is to include them. Even as a speaker or subject matter expert, it’s important to make a connection with your audience and make them feel comfortable enough to ask questions. Speak to them and not at them by finding common ground, and then ask questions to begin the engagement process. This will inevitably create an open environment and a memorable experience for participants. – MaryAnn Stauffer, Star Mountain Capital

6. Study Videos Of Yourself To Better Plan Your Speeches

Like a great NFL football player, film study is key to being a more engaging speaker. This unseen evaluation is absolutely critical to consistent improvement and small tweaks that will have a major impact on effectiveness. From facial expressions and strategic pauses to visual cues, watching yourself is a learning lab that can and will take you to another level. – Hugh Breland, U & I

7. Be Passionate About Your Topic

The most engaging speakers are passionate about their topic. If you can’t get excited about your talk, how do you expect your audience to get excited? Pump up the volume. Get animated. Show the audience that this is a talk, and a topic, worth their time! – Bobbie Carlton, Innovation Women

8. Connect To Your Audience On A Deeper Level

Learn how to preempt the questions people have and answer them from the stage so they are never left guessing. Learn how to use tonality in your delivery, and believe in your content and how it can change the lives of the audience. When people feel what you’re saying on a deeper level, rather than just listening to you deliver a speech by rote, you will be more influential. – Goro Gupta, Ethical Property Investments

9. Tell Real Stories With Real Impact

Great communicators know the power of storytelling. Stories connect hearts, inspire action and make complex ideas relatable. To become more engaging, focus on authenticity—share personal experiences that highlight your values. When people see themselves in your story, they’re moved. What works for me? Real stories with real impact. That’s how you lead and leave a legacy. – Paul Getter, The Internet Marketing Nerds

10. Be Genuine And Authentic

My top advice is to be yourself. Understand your audience, the topic and your tone, but don’t force a persona. Be genuine, passionate and informed, but most importantly, be authentic. Authenticity is rare, and people truly appreciate a person who can be knowledgeable, personable and authentic. – Cory McNeley, UHY Consulting

11. Start With Vulnerability, And Make The Subject Matter Relatable

Tell a compelling story to grasp the audience’s attention at the outset of the presentation. This shows some level of vulnerability and helps the audience relate to you and anticipate the rest of the presentation. Other strategies that work are sharing compelling statistics or asking a question that makes the subject matter relatable. – Dr. Cassandra Henderson, Child Action, Inc.

12. Don’t Lecture; Tell Stories

No one wants to be lectured to, but we’ll listen to interesting stories for ages. And when you can mix a good story with vulnerability, you become even more relatable and engaging. – Erin Stafford, Stafford Company

13. Put In The Prep Work Every Time

The key to crushing a public speaking engagement is preparation. Practice, rehearse, study and plan your speech. If it’s a podcast or live media appearance, anticipate questions, prep your answers and even record yourself to get a sense of your cadence and delivery. Putting in the work every single time will help you come across as knowledgeable, confident and engaging—what every audience wants. – Christopher McGowan, True You Weight Loss, PLLC

14. Tailor Your Message To Your Audience

To captivate as a speaker, tailor your message to your audience’s needs and weave enchanting narratives. Use visuals to enhance, not overshadow, and speak with genuine sincerity. Foster interaction with your audience, refine your delivery to flow gracefully and use pauses for reflection. Let your passion inspire, and blend storytelling with keen awareness to craft an unforgettable experience. – Sahit Muja, Albanian Minerals

15. Adapt Your Delivery Based On Audience Reactions

Use storytelling and clear, simple language to connect with your audience. Practice active listening to adapt your delivery based on their reactions. I find being open to cross-talk and feedback helps me improve as I go. It keeps the presentation dynamic and responsive to the audience’s reactions. – Henry Chen, Sapien

16. Make Eye Contact To Foster A Personal Connection

An engaged speaker connects meaningfully with their audience, avoiding reliance on a script or presentation. Make eye contact, as if you’re speaking to each person individually. To keep the audience interested, incorporate current events, share a joke or build on points made by others. Your goal is to get your audience to think and foster a personal connection. – Lihy Teuerstein, IDE Water Assets

17. Visualize A Successful Talk

My biggest trick is visualizing success. Before you speak, visualize a successful talk. This mental rehearsal can boost your confidence and reduce anxiety. – Mark Williams, Brokers International

18. Evoke Emotion In Your Listeners

I enroll my audience into my way of being. People don’t so much remember what you say as how you say it. Who you are when you communicate is what allows people to be touched, moved or inspired. In other words, evoking emotion in your communication will evoke emotion in others. If you aren’t engaged in your own communication and information, you will not have an engaged audience. – Ariya Malek, Educational Awakening Center

19. Practice Key Points To Weave The Broader Narrative

As an introvert, I find that thorough preparation is essential; it helps me feel confident and in control. Practicing key points and crafting a narrative around them allows me to engage the audience more effectively. Ultimately, it’s about creating a connection, not just delivering information. – Ioana Dragomir

20. Be Well-Prepared, But Flexible

To become a more engaging speaker, master your content thoroughly. This deep knowledge allows you to adapt your delivery to the audience’s engagement. Use storytelling to make your points relatable and memorable. Practice active listening to create a dynamic interaction. Being well-prepared, yet flexible, keeps your audience engaged and helps you convey your message effectively. – Raghunandan Gurumurthy, Crossover Solutions