These Five Lessons from the World of Broadcasting Could Boost your Business Communication Whether you're delivering an executive presentation, pitching a business idea, or talking to the media, what you say and how you say it can make or break the opportunity.

This article was co-written with Louisa Preston.

Clear and confident communication is one of the biggest challenges in business. In a recent a recent report by Bayt.com by Bayt.com, poor communication was identified as the primary obstacle to leadership effectiveness. As an expert in a particular field, there is often a tendency to over-complicate a message. But as journalists, we quickly learnt that less is more; the key to success is to do the hard work before you start speaking and distill your information to make it easy for the audience to absorb. By communicating with impact, it is amazing how much you can convey in just 30 seconds.

Effective communication is not simply about structuring your content in an accessible way, it is also about delivering with confidence and impact. We often hear from women in business that they lack the confidence to speak up, particularly in male-dominated industries, which presents a barrier to female leadership development.

Drawing on our experiences of broadcasting live in high-stakes moments, there are some practical techniques that can help both women and men to communicate more effectively in business. Whether you're delivering an executive presentation, pitching a business idea, or talking to the media, what you say and how you say it can make or break the opportunity.

• Create a clear structure Telling a story is the key to engaging your audience and making your message memorable. Every story needs a beginning, a middle and an end, and this is a good way to structure your presentation. Repeating your core message at each stage will help it stick, and using practical evidence or data to reinforce your ideas will add authenticity to your words.
• Open with a hook An intriguing opening will enable you to capture your audience straight away. Start out with something original and thought-provoking that grabs attention and inspires curiosity. The hook is your first opportunity to win (or lose) an audience.
• Use your body language Your physical presence and body language play a vital role in confident communication. Use your movements to establish a balance that creates energy in the room, without being distracting, and try to make eye contact across each segment of the audience. Professionals will often adopt a strong stance with feet shoulder width apart or even create an entire alter-ego to feel more confident and in control.
• Vary your vocals Vocal variation is also critical to keeping your audience engaged. Adjust your tone, modulate your pace and use pauses for impact at the relevant moments. Make primary points with 'verbal signposting' to help the audience identify the important takeaways.
• Close with impact At the end of a presentation you want to leave the audience with food for thought. Reiterate your core message and end with an impactful statement or call to action that will encourage a continuation of conversation.

As broadcasters we have experienced nerve-wracking moments of presenting to millions of people. Thinking more about you audience and how you want them to feel listening to you and how your messages would land better for them is the key to harnessing your confidence and becoming a better presenter. Taking control of what you are saying, and getting your message across more effectively, you will find that you can deliver successfully in those high-stakes moments, irrespective of how you feel internally.