Passport to success

Lord Paul Boateng, chairman, The English-Speaking Union

Boateng says preparation is the key for a good speech maker.

"You need to work out in your mind in advance, what the key messages are," he says. "And you need always to think and understand your audience who are they, what do they want, and what do they expect from you."

Speakers should also deliver something out of the ordinary so that they excite the listeners.

To excel, Boateng advises contestants to be different in their presentations, arguments and delivery. "Creating a difference and making yourself stand out is a great help," he says.

Boateng also addresses the importance of enjoying the process. "If you are not interested and excited by the topic, and your approach and understanding of the topic, then it is very difficult to get other people to be interested and excited about it."