• Speak up. Talk a little louder than you think you have to. Most people speak far too softly and the result is often mumbling. (Speaking up also helps you feel less nervous).
  Use illustrations that force the audience to visualize. The listener's mind is hungry for pictures. Give them something to "see."
• Use "first person" stories when possible. The audience perks up for phrases like "the other day I...," "I have found from my own experience," and "a friend of mine once told me."
• Pause occasionally. Pauses are perhaps the most effective technique for regaining the attention of the audience. Most speakers neglect this powerful idea because the silence is deafening to them; however, the pause is welcomed by the audience. Try it and you'll see all eyes looking back to you for your next statement.
  Save handouts until after your presentation. If you give people materials at the beginning of your talk, they'll read instead of paying attention to you.
  Throw in some rhetorical questions, like, "What would you think if...?" These are questions you don't expect anyone to answer out loud. The effect is usually to force people to respond mentally, hence keeping them on track with you.