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When most people prepare a talk to deliver in front of an audience, they fill it with technical terms and complicated language, assuming that these words will demonstrate the depth of their knowledge. However, there is no benefit in making something difficult to understand. When you confuse, you lose; no matter who your audience is, the ultimate aim is always to engage them. Words alone hold very little weight. I would say they contribute around 20% of the impact when delivering a winning speech. Whereas your body language, tone of voice and energy levels contribute 80%.
When you connect, the audience will mirror your emotions and look towards you for cues – when you feel comfortable, they feel comfortable, when you smile or cry, they will smile or cry. When you are excited, they are excited. This shows that using your voice and body language properly puts you in an incredibly powerful position.
Eye contact
Eye contact is one of the most important aspects of non-verbal communication, enabling you to build instant rapport. It can be daunting when you’re faced with a big group, but thinking of your audience as individual listeners can make it less overwhelming and easier to focus. Start by establishing eye contact before you begin speaking. Then hold eye contact with one person at a time, moving on after around five seconds or the length of time it takes you to finish a thought. Holding people’s gaze reinforces your authority and keeps them listening. Try and avoid sweeping across the audience with your eyes, glancing up and down or to the side as it can make you look nervous.
Posture
The general consensus is that it’s better to stand rather than sit when you’re presenting in person. Good posture increases your confidence, plus a speech is like a performance; when you stand you can use your whole body to communicate. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, shoulders back, facing the audience as much as possible. You might choose to stand in different parts of the stage during different segments of the presentation but don’t pace backwards and forwards as it will distract the listener. If the situation dictates that you sit, you can still give a dynamic delivery. Sit up straight, and pay special attention to your voice, varying your pitch and emphasis so that people stay alert.
Gestures
Hand gestures can be difficult to master. If you constantly move your hands, or gesticulate wildly, it will detract from what you’re saying. However, when you keep your hands still by your side, it appears stiff and you miss an opportunity to enhance the listening experience. A good approach is to use your hands to illustrate a particularly important point. For example, if you’re talking about a big increase in profits, move your hands upwards. If you are talking about why you believe in your business, you might place your hands on your heart. It can be helpful to visualise a box from your shoulders to your hips and keep your hand movements within this zone. Let people see your hands. Never fold your arms across your chest, put your hands in your pockets or hide them behind your back.
Public speaking is a skill like any other, and anyone can learn it. One of the best ways to get better at it is practice, and it’s certainly true that the more you speak in front of an audience the easier it becomes. Read things aloud frequently, putting strength, energy and emphasis into the words. Recording yourself standing and speaking will give you real insight into what you need to improve. It’s also very helpful for understanding whether you speak too quickly, make too many pauses or use too many crutch words e.g. um, ah, and like.
Everyone has the ability to influence others and you shouldn’t let insecurity hold you back. Speaking in front of an audience is crucial when running a business, and once you gain more confidence, you will be better equipped to scale your business, articulate your messages, and increase your income.
Further reading:
As an entrepreneur, the right "money mindset" can make or break your business
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