By Anthonia Akitunde

1. Show why your topic is important. A great story can boost a business or product into the stratosphere, but storytelling can just as easily bring you crashing to the ground if it’s not compelling to an audience, writes OPEN Forum contributor Mike Michalowicz. Great storytelling in public speaking does more than stating facts; it should compel the audience to act after hearing it. (From “5 Ways Storytelling Can Kill Your Message,” by Mike Michalowicz)

2. Follow the cues your body sends. Pushing through fatigue isn’t always the best idea: It can lead to you submitting sloppy …read more