Speakers should project a professional image by dressing in business attire. The audience will have more confidence in what you are saying. When you dress and appear professional, audience members will feel they are getting more value. You will also look and feel more confident.

Wear clothes that are neat and clean. Solid, bright colours that are well coordinated are more flattering to speakers. Flamboyant, wild or busy colours may make you stand out from the crowd, but also distract your audience from the presentation. A V neckline, composed of a white shirt or blouse and a jacket with lapel, draws attention to your face. However, when speaking on television, pale blue or light grey shirts and blouses look better on camera than white.

Avoid distracting jewellery, such as dangling earrings or chains. Avoid distracting noise_makers, such as keys or loose change in your pockets. Avoid unsightly bulges, such as wallets or pens in vest pockets. Avoid "fussy" things near your face such as chunky necklaces or novelty ties that make you look silly.

When wired for sound, make sure the microphone is fastened securely and does not fall off midway through your presentation. Avoid getting tangled in cords and wires. Avoid wearing jewellery, pins, buttons or necklaces near the microphone, which will pick up the smallest sounds and amplify them.

Pay attention to the room lighting. Don’t stand in front of mirrors or too close to sunlit windows. Don’t stand in shadows. Arrange your speaking area so the light illuminates your face. Audiences won’t hear you well if they can’t see you clearly.

Check the room acoustics. Is there an echo? Is the air conditioning unit loud? Is the sound of traffic coming into the room through an open window? All of these interferences make it hard for the audience to hear you. Get rid of them by closing the window, turning off the unit or moving the speaking area closer to the audience.

Have the Sergeant at Arms lay out your props in the speaking area before you are introduced. Then, when you are introduced, you can approach the front free of distractions and confident that you look your best.