Tips On How To Command The Stage And Influence People Using Body Language

It has been proven that you can influence the behavior, reactions and emotional response of an audience through body language. Audiences tend to react subtly and sometimes unconsciously to how the speaker is behaving while on stage. Incorporating body movements is considered a key part of effective communication. This article will discuss some of the body language cues that you can use to win influence over a target audience when public speaking.

Smile When Speaking To Your Audience

Smiling can make you look more relatable to an audience. When speaking before a group of people, you should start your talk with a genuine smile. This usually makes you seem more approachable and it can make listeners more attentive.

Even if you are in a bad mood when giving a talk, do not try to give a fake or plastic smile. Most people can spot a genuine smile. A fake smile can be misconstrued as a lack of interest or tensions by the audience.

Move Around As You Are Speaking

It is very easy for most people to get distracted when a talk is being given. Moving around usually shows that you are ready to interact with the audience. This can make the audience pay more attention to what you are saying as they do not want to be caught off-guard.

If you do not move around when giving a talk, you can be mistaken for a rigid speaker by the audience. Most audiences are often bored by rigid speakers and they can drift off making your message less effective.

Use Facial Expressions

When giving a talk, you should try to ensure that you match your speech with corresponding facial expressions. For example, if you are talking about an issue that elicits the emotion of anger, your face should also be displaying anger.

Conveying emotions through facial expression can make the audience follow what you are saying better. Further, the message that you are passing will also be subconsciously imprinted in their minds.

Nod

If you want the audience to agree with you on certain points, you should accompany the point with a nod. If you give a nod when making a speech, the audience will subconsciously feel the urge to do the same.

Nodding means that the audience agrees with the point that you are making. By nudging the audience to agree with what you are saying, you are subconsciously influencing their opinion to match with yours.

Ensure That There Is Eye Contact

When giving a talk, you should ensure that you try to catch the eye of as many people as possible in the audience. By looking directly at people when giving a talk, you are usually conveying an interest in them. Remember that people are often flattered on receiving attention from a speaker. If the audience sees that you are interested in them and what they may be thinking, they are more likely to be swayed to your point of view.

When giving a talk, you should avoid staring at one place or person. This can make the rest of the people feel left out. To make yourself more relatable and approachable, you should also consider leaning in towards the audience.

Use Gestures

When speaking to a group of people, you can use gestures to make the audience feel as if they are part of the presentation. However, do not use gestures that are too dramatic. With too much dramatization, you can end up looking comical and the audience may fail to take you seriously.

If you are seeking to cut a dominant and aggressive power figure when giving a talk, you should give the talk while standing in a power position. Ideally, you should stand straight with your feet fairly apart and occasionally put your hands on your hips. Body language can help you influence a group of people during a talk. Always remember that what the audience perceives is what they take home.

7 Key Components Of Successful Presentations – A Quick Guide

Establishing the 7 key components of successful presentations are going to differ from person to person. But those with experience should be able to share some common ideas when it comes to giving a great presentation. The truth is successful presentations can be considered a science of sorts, and these are the components you want it to be based on:

1. Preparation

In order to give a successful presentation, you have to show up prepared. This means practicing in front of the mirror, or even in front of friends and family if you have to. But get familiar with the material you’ll be presenting. At the same time, gear up on information.

The fact is that the more prepared you are, the better you are going to feel about giving the presentation. Instead of being paranoid about what might go wrong, you’ll feel in control and able to handle the situation. Also, consider the type of presentation you are giving. Is it one where you have to train others? Are you providing a course? Or are you just explaining the figures for the business for the last year?

2. Confidence

Portrait of successful young business man presenting to his colleagues in meeting

If you don’t believe in the quality of the presentation you are giving, neither will your audience. If you appear awkward and irritated, your audience will play off this energy. So, when you step in front of the people that will be watching the presentation, do it with confidence.

Establish that before you even drive over to the place where the presentation is taking place, you are going to be confident and calm throughout. And before the big moment, take a deep breath, put the negative thoughts at the back of your mind, and focus on what you’ve properly prepared.

3. A Backup Plan

There is the off chance that something might go wrong during the presentation. And for the most part, it can be a technical issue. Keep this in mind if you are using several tools and equipment to do the presentation. More importantly, be prepared if your equipment fails you.

4. Clear Communication

One of the most important aspects of a successful presentation is clear communication. Everything you say and every idea you convey should easily register with your audience. But this can’t happen if, for example, you don’t pronounce clearly enough.

Focus on being loud and clear during the presentation. The last thing you want is people complaining they couldn’t hear what you were saying half the time.

5. Engage Your Audience

Even the greatest presenter can’t save bad material. So, a big part of a successful presentation comes down to using material your audience will find interesting. In other words, avoid long boring speeches. Rather ask a few questions and provide interesting statistics.

The point is that you should bring your audience into the presentation. And you do this with presenting something they can actually enjoy, appreciate, or enjoy.

7. Maintain Attention

While it might sound like a presentation is about one party talking and the other listening, there are no rules that say you can’t get the audience involved somehow. This can be very helpful in terms of keeping the attention of the audience.

Remember, you want everyone to listen right until the end. You don’t want to lose your audience in the first five minutes when you still have thirty minutes of presentation left.

Use The Right Tools

The last component is to use the right tools and equipment. Depending on the type of presentation you are giving, it might be necessary to have additional props/tools/visuals on hand. These help to make the presentation more engaging as well.

Of course, every expert will have his or own list. But these 7 components of successful presentations should serve you well on your journey.

Tips On How You Can Become A High Energy Speaker

If you are not a regular public speaker but need to do so for a particular event or you simply want to improve your public speaking skills, then keep on reading. One of the most effective ways to become a more effective speaker is to create a great deal of energy in your performance. High energy speakers are often the most interesting and engaging speakers, and thankfully, anyone can develop this skill. We will now look at a few tips and guidelines on how you can do just that.

The first tip is to get warmed up before your speech and try to build an internal hype. You can do this by ensuring that you get a great night’s sleep and do some stretches before going on stage. This will help to get your blood flowing and you should always take a couple of deep breaths to settle and ground yourself. Just before the speech, you should go into a meditative state and focus on exactly what you want to achieve through your speech and what is your end goal. You should also practice what you would like to say and convey and ensure that you’re well prepared.

Another way to increase the energy in your speech is to simply increase the volume of your voice and microphone. There is nothing worse than having an audience that can barely hear you because you’re talking so softly. Even if you’re a naturally quiet and shy person, you will need to learn how to project your voice so that everyone can hear what you’re saying easily and clearly. In most cases, people perceive soft spoken people to be shy, meek and lacking confidence. By adding some volume to your voice, this will give the illusion of having an energetic speech and you will even feel more energetic yourself by speaking up.

Next, in order to feel and look confident, you need to improve your posture, especially while on stage. This means that you should stand tall if you’re standing or sit upright if you need to be seated. Body language is a huge aspect of perception and a person that stands tall will be perceived as being confident and high energy.

Our next tip has to to with how you speak. Whatever you’re saying, you should say it with passion and intensity. Remember, if you are not interested and excited about what you’re talking about, why should anyone else be? People are interested in passionate people, so let your passion shine when you speak. Once people can see this, they will be automatically interested in whatever you have to say.

You should also remain connected to what you’re talking about throughout the entire speech. It is so easy to start droning or talking in a boring and robotic tone after you’ve been talking for awhile. This is especially true if you’re giving a particular speech or presentation that you’ve done many times before. However, you should avoid this as much as possible since your audience will lose interest. Instead, make sure that you stay connected to the material you’re speaking about and maintain a certain level of intention to keep your audience engaged. You should aim to always be fully present in the moment since everyone else will recognize if you’re not and stop paying attention as well. You should also aim to pay attention to the responses of your audience and if you’re losing their interest, you should re-gain it by engaging with them to make the speech or presentation more interactive.

In summary, these are just a few tips that will help you to become a high energy speaker. You won’t learn all these skills overnight, but if you keep working on them and consistently trying to improve, you will eventually become a fantastic speaker.

Gestures – How To Look Good And Feel Strong As A Speaker?

There is no getting around the fact that a speaker needs to have a social level. Even though they don’t have to be social all the time, getting stuck between strangers should not necessarily be an awkward position. And while some speakers are born with a natural talent to captivate their audience, some are made through practice and determination.

So, if you don’t fit the bill of a natural speaker and you can use some advice, this is how to look good and feel strong as a public speaker.

Do Your Best To Prepare

Professionals make things look easy, for the most part. Actors, construction workers, hairstylists, these are professions that require experience and preparation. The job of a speaker is no different. It is your job to take center stage and convey a message. Whether it’s supposed to be educational, entertaining, or as part of a conference, you have to prepare properly.

This means go through your material and get comfortable with it. Because if you are not sure about remembering all the key elements, it will cause doubt and fear. And these are the last emotions you need while standing in front of a bunch of strangers.

Take Extra Time For Grooming

When you look good, you feel good. As superficial as it might sound, it’s the truth. You smile with confidence if you have healthy teeth while combing your hair helps to put the spring back in your step. Thus, if you are going to be a strong and confident speaker, you have to look good.

This doesn’t mean you have to pull out something extravagant or flashy. Instead, provide the image of confidence. Show your audience that you respect them by showing up looking decent. At the same time, show you have respect for yourself. The result? The audience will already meet you halfway.

Get Out Of Your Comfort Zone

Being a strong speaker doesn’t mean you just practice during live presentations or in private. If the opportunity presents itself to speak on demand and in public, give it shot. Of course, you don’t have to give a star performance. The idea is to get used to situations outside of your comfort zone.

No matter how much you prepare, anything can go wrong. And you need to be comfortable with unexpected situations if you want to consider yourself a strong speaker.

Maintain A Healthy Routine

Another way you can maintain looking good and feeling strong as a speaker is by implementing healthy routines. For example, paying more attention to your diet would be a good start. You want to feel energetic and ready to take on the day – every day. Additionally, try to stay fit. Just three or four times a week of getting your heart pumping can do wonders for your quality of life.

Every experienced speaker will tell you that communication is based more on body language than it is on the words you’re saying. And you want your body language to represent that of a strong speaker.

Connect With The Audience

As a final tip on how to look good and feel strong as a speaker, always try to connect with the audience. If possible, make them part of the presentation or whatever it is you’ve been hired to be the speaker for. This helps to make the audience feel invested. More importantly, they will be more open-minded to enjoying your presentation.

There are no strict rules when it comes to being a good speaker in general. Everything depends on your strengths and weaknesses, and how hard you are willing to work on getting better every time.