presentation skills eye contact

MSU Extension

Eye contact: tips to make your presentations stronger.

Jodi Schulz <[email protected]> , Michigan State University Extension - December 10, 2012

Not only do our eyes see for us, but they are also a mode of communication. An earlier article discussed the vital role of eye contact; now explore some tips for using eye contact to make presentations stronger.

A connection can be thought of as a link or a bond, and that’s exactly what you want to form if you’re presenting a topic to a group of people. Of course, it’s impossible to use the skill of good eye contact if you’re doing a presentation online or through another means in which you can’t use your eyes. However, for presenting in person, Michigan State University Extension stresses that it is key to building a connection with your audience.

We already know from an earlier article, “ Eye Contact: An Introduction to its Role in Communication ,” that eye contact is vital during a conversation because it’s a mode of communication that shows emotion or interest. While establishing good eye contact, you’ll want to think about what message you are sending with your eye contact. Are you interested in the topic? If not, does it show? Likewise, you’ll want to pay attention to what messages you are receiving. Is your audience bored or are they engaged?

Have you thought about eye contact as a skill? As adults, using appropriate eye contact can be difficult. What about youth? Eye contact can be tied to so many life skills that it’s important for our youth to practice and learn about eye contact as a communication skill. Consider for a moment using eye contact to show empathy, concern for others, to manage feelings, or to help with communication. Those are all life skills that youth will develop as they mature into successful adults.

Now, let’s mix the skill of eye contact with the skill of presenting. Have you considered that each time youth talk to a judge, read minutes of a meeting out loud or provide a how-to demonstration, they are presenting. Presentation skills, like eye contact, can be tricky. Below are Eight Presentation Tips to Make Your Eye Contact More Powerful written by Olivia Mitchell:

• See people. Be sure to actually look and make eye contact with individuals in your audience. Look at their facial expressions for reactions to what you’re saying.
• Shrink the room . Imagine that the room is really quite small and you’re having a conversation with just one person. Not only will your presentation take a conversational tone, but you’ll find yourself less nervous.
• Find out how long it takes to make genuine eye contact . Practice your presentation with a group of friends. Ask them to indicate when they feel you have made an eye connection with them. This is a hard presentation skill to master because you want to be sure you make a connection, but you don’t want to try so hard that you make individuals uncomfortable.
• Move to another person at an appropriate time . Typically you’ll find that it takes about a sentence to make genuine eye contact. It’s a great idea to move from person to person making eye contact with each changing sentence.
• Look for the reaction. Look for your presentation participant to nod. If and when they do, you’ll know that you have made a connection and that they are processing the information you have presented.
• Keep your eyes up at the end . At the end of the sentence be sure to keep your eyes up, even if it’s habit to look down at your notes to see what the next point may be. Wait to look at your notes until you have stopped talking at the end of the sentence and then look back up to begin your next sentence.
• Don’t be a lighthouse or a tennis umpire. A lighthouse presenter is predictable – they go around the room in a systematic fashion. Similarly, a tennis umpire looks left, then right, then left, etc. Be sure to add variety to your presentation.
• Respect people who are uncomfortable . It may be obvious to you that a presentation participant is uncomfortable. It may be the topic you’re presenting, a differing cultural norm or something you may have nothing to do with. Be respectful by giving them less attention, but don’t ignore them.

This article is the second in a series of articles that will examine eye contact in communication. Look for a future article about mistakes made in eye contact.

This article was published by Michigan State University Extension . For more information, visit https://extension.msu.edu . To have a digest of information delivered straight to your email inbox, visit https://extension.msu.edu/newsletters . To contact an expert in your area, visit https://extension.msu.edu/experts , or call 888-MSUE4MI (888-678-3464).

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Presentation Tips: How to Use Eye Contact

Are you capitalising on the simplest way to boost the impact of your presentations?

Presentation Tips: How to Use Eye Contact for Connection

No advice on presentation tips would be complete without the importance of eye contact . Watching a presenter reading their notes aloud or talking to their slides can diminish your interest in a subject, and can even make you feel like you don’t really need to be there.

Eye contact aids communication because it creates a direct connection. Without it, communication becomes harder and has less impact. Eye contact keeps people awake .

There are hundreds of articles on the benefits of making eye contact during presentations. As one of the most fundamental presentation tips , eye contact helps you convey subjects with authority, and makes audience members feel like participants rather than observers.

Eye contact also improves your concentration and eases anxiety because it reminds you that audience members are individuals like yourself rather than a faceless group of critics.

There are fewer articles on how to use eye contact, so here are some simple presentation tips that will improve the way you connect with audiences. They reinforce our seven laws of presentation skills .

Keep Your Eyes on the Move

As you present, make eye contact with as many members of the audience as possible. With larger audiences, try to make eye contact with everyone at least once. With smaller audiences, try to balance the level of eye contact between participants. By doing so, your audience will feel that you are addressing them as individuals and that your messages are personal.

Aim for Three to Five Seconds

Ideally, stick to between three to five seconds of eye contact before moving on to the next person. However, avoid counting the seconds in your mind as this can break your concentration, which may diminish your presentation performance .

As with all presentation tips, practice is essential. When you run through the presentation on your own, move your eyes every three to five seconds to look at a different point in the room. This will help to make eye contact an organic part of your authentic presentation style .

Naturally, bear in mind that there are a few situations where you need to lock eye contact for longer. For example, when listening to someone’s question or while asking them a follow-up question.

Keep the Rhythm

Regularly switch eye contact with different members of the audience so no one feels singled out by lengthy periods of staring. Even when referencing the work of someone in the room, you only need to catch their eye as you begin to mention them, before moving on to connect with others.

Eye contact also goes hand in hand with another extremely valuable presentation training technique: The Well-Timed Pause .

Keep it Random

Make your moment-to-moment targets for eye contact seem perfectly natural rather than a systematic pattern. A useful acting technique is to mentally split the audience into three groups from left to right. For example, you might look ‘audience left’ for a bit to make eye contact with two or three people. Then look ‘audience right’ and make eye contact with two or three more, before focusing on ‘audience centre.’

If you are standing, then move around the speaking area to make your eye contact look even more organic. Moving while you speak is one of our top presentation tips for Speaking with Confidence .

Observe Reactions

Another key benefit of eye contact is that it lets you see how the audience is reacting to what you say. Although they are sitting still and silently, look for nods, frowns, and anyone who seems a little confused or bored.

Using eye contact to gauge reactions gives you the opportunity to tailor your presentation to the audience, such as explaining a point in greater detail than you originally intended.

Answer Questions to the Room

When answering questions, never run the risk of the rest of the audience feeling left out. Lock eyes with the person as they ask their question, and then deliver your answer to the room so everyone gains the benefit of the knowledge.

It also helps to repeat the question back to the room before you answer, which ensures everyone understands the context. This is just one of our valuable presentation techniques that will help you host a perfect Q&A session .

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The Importance of Eye Contact during a Presentation

October 24, 2017 - Dom Barnard

If there is one simple thing you can do to enhance your impact as a presenter and persuade others to see your point of view, it’s sustained, meaningful eye contact with your audience.

Positive eye contact helps you build rapport with  your audience  and keeps them engaged with your presentation. It also gives them a sense of involvement and conveys your message on a personal level.

Here are the key benefits of eye contact followed by tips on how you can improve yours during a presentation.

Benefits of great eye contact

1. establishes a connection with your audience.

A deliberate look in the eyes of an audience member can communicate how much you care about their thoughts. Sustained eye contact is an invitation to turn your talk into a conversation. It creates a bond between speaker and listener, a connection that is beneficial to both parties.

When you look someone in the eye, they are more likely to look at you, more likely to listen to you, and more likely to buy into your message.

2. Improves your concentration

A room full of people, with all the different lighting and sounds, can be very distracting. Deliberately focussing your eyes on different audience members will help  calm your nerves  and clear your mind. Keep your eye contact steady so you can concentrate on your message.

When you look someone in the eye for three to five seconds, you will naturally slow down your speech, which will make you sound more authoritative.

3. Projects authority and confidence

Have you ever spoken with someone who averts their gaze every time they talk? It’s hard to believe they know what they are talking about and you might find yourself undermining what they are saying.

With sustained, focused eye contact comes authority. If you can’t look people in the eye, you can’t expect them to believe your message or agree with your point of view. Good eye contact can  communicate confidence  and conviction.

4. Facilitates engagement with the audience

People will be more willing to participate in the speech when they see you scanning the crowd. You’ll notice them nodding, frowning and even smiling. As a result, your audience are transformed from passive listeners to active participants.

If you don’t focus on different audience members or are  looking at the floor  (or your slides), the audience are less likely to engage with the presentation and start thinking about something completely different – you’ll have effectively lost that participant as they are no longer listening to what you are saying.

Tips on how to improve eye contact

1. see your audience as individual listeners.

Before you speak, take a moment to pause and scan the room for friendly faces. Connect with listeners who you think will engage with you and focus on one audience member at a time. You’ll be more conversational and confident if you do so.

2. Involve everyone in the conversation

The key here is to connect with as many people as possible. If you’re dealing with a large crowd and it’s impractical to make eye contact with everyone, divide the audience into sections and just choose one member from each group to connect with. When shifting your focus from one area to another, don’t follow a pattern otherwise you’ll appear unnatural.

3. Sustain eye contact long enough to make a connection, then move on

According to  Toastmasters , the organization dedicated to developing public speaking skills, it takes no more than five seconds to establish proper contact. Five seconds is usually the time it takes to finish a thought, so there’s minimal risk of losing your focus if you follow this tip. This can also help you slow down your speaking rate.

4. Avert your eyes when a person grows uncomfortable

Not everyone appreciates being looked at directly in the eye. While it’s true that eye contact is a universal communication signal, there are certain exceptions that you should consider. Some cultures and norms find eye contact offensive under certain circumstances.

5. Prepare your presentation more

Most speakers look to the ceiling or floor when struggling to find the right words to explain a thought. If you do this for long periods of time, you risk disconnecting from your audience.  Better preparation  means you spend more energy and focus talking, and less time thinking of what to say.

6. Ensure eye contact as you deliver all critical lines

Nobody expects you to sustain eye contact for an entire 30 minute presentation. However, be sure to highlight key points with strong eye contact. This includes  your opening , your closing, and all other critical lines throughout. If you combine this with expressing emotion, the impact of your words will be much stronger.

7. Meet audience members before the presentation starts

Most speakers have poor eye contact at the beginning of their presentation, improving only as the audience begins to engage with the presentation. This is natural for humans – it’s hard to connect immediately with total strangers.

A good tip is to meet as many of them as possible before your presentation begins by greeting people at the entrance. By the time you start speaking, at least some of them will be on your side.

Practice your Eye Contact

Build rapport and develop a better connection with your audience by improving your eye contact. Learn More

Note: Cultural differences in eye contact

Keep in mind that the length of eye contact  varies by culture . Some cultures use eye contact more than others. If you’re giving a presentation in a culture other than your own, make sure you investigate the cultural norms and behaviour of the people in your audience.

For example, in Middle Eastern cultures, it’s considered inappropriate for people of the opposite sex to look each other in the eye, as that can denote a romantic interest between them. In Asian cultures, however, eye contact is seen more as a sign of disrespect, especially when the contact is made by a subordinate to his or her superior. This is because most Asian countries are largely authoritarian.

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Five Tips & Techniques to Improve Eye Contact in Presentations and Speeches

• August 3, 2023
• Kevin Lerner

Improving your eye contact during a speech is a valuable skill that can enhance your communication and connection with the audience. It involves looking into the eyes of the listeners to establish a connection, engage their attention, and effectively communicate the message and there are many benefits . This article highlights Five Tips & Techniques to Improve Eye Contact in Presentations and Speeches.

1) Practice with a mirror or video recording

Set up a mirror or use a video recording device to practice your speech while maintaining eye contact. Watch yourself and observe how you engage with your own eyes. Take note of any tendencies to look away or avoid eye contact, and consciously work on improving those areas.

2) Start with friendly faces

Identify a few friendly and receptive faces in the audience before your speech begins. During your presentation, periodically make eye contact with these individuals. It will help you feel more at ease and create a positive feedback loop as you receive nonverbal cues of encouragement.

3) Scan the audience

Instead of fixating on a single individual, make a conscious effort to scan the room and make eye contact with different individuals throughout your speech. Try to connect with people in different sections of the audience, ensuring everyone feels included and engaged.

4) Use the “triangle technique”

Divide the audience into three sections—left, center, and right. Alternate your gaze between these three sections, creating a triangle pattern. This technique helps you evenly distribute your eye contact, ensuring that different parts of the audience feel connected and engaged.

5) Pause and hold eye contact

When you make eye contact with someone, pause for a brief moment to hold that connection before moving on. This allows the person to feel acknowledged and heard, and it gives you an opportunity to convey your message effectively through nonverbal cues. Aim to hold eye contact for 2-3 seconds before transitioning to the next person.

Remember, improving eye contact takes practice and time. Start by implementing these techniques in smaller settings, such as during conversations or presentations with a smaller group, before applying them to larger audiences. With consistent practice, you will gradually develop more confidence and comfort in maintaining eye contact during your speeches.

audience , better eye contact , eye contact , Presentation Skills

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How to Look and Sound Confident During a Presentation

• Carmine Gallo

Your audience will make up their minds about you in seconds.

How you look and sound during a speech or presentation are going to make a big impression on your audience. Within seconds, listeners will decide whether you are trustworthy, and they will do it based on your body language and vocal attributes. The good news is that there is plenty of hard evidence that explains how you can give the appearance of confidence and competence — even if you’re nervous or timid on the inside. To look confident, make eye contact, keep an open posture, and use gestures to emphasize your message. To sound confident, eliminate filler words, take time to pause before important messages, and vary your pace.

You’ve crafted the message and created the slides for your next presentation. Now it’s time to wow the audience. How you look and sound are going to make a big impression — and your audience will form opinions quickly .

• Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman  (St. Martin’s Press).

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Connecting With Eye Contact

When we talk about effective presentation skills , it’s the ‘speaking’ part that comes to mind first. And it only makes sense: it’s not much of a presentation if you don’t say anything! But did you know that aside from your voice, it’s your eyes that are your most powerful communication tool?

Connect and Hold Your Audiences Attention

Eye contact is a critical component of public speaking. Why? Because your eyes are what you use to engage you listeners—to make your presentation personal in a way that makes the listener think you are speaking directly to them. When you engage in a conversation with someone, you look that person in the eye, don’t you? Whether you’re speaking to a single person or a room full of people, the overall desire of the listener remains the same: to feel important, to feel involved in the conversation, and to feel a personal connection. Only when your audience feels that way will you be able to connect with them and hold their attention.

Eye Contact Includes the Audience in the Conversation

Public speaking is nothing more than amplified conversation. You want your audience to feel included in the conversation and the single most effective way to do that is to establish eye contact.

Here’s the thing: Your eyes serve as control devices. When you look at someone, you influence their attentiveness. They will concentrate on you because your gaze indicates you are concentrating on them. Similarly, if you fail to look at the listener, chances are good the listener will not be looking at you (and probably not listening, either).

So how can you effectively use eye contact in your presentations? Here are a few guidelines:

Use the 90-percent rule.

Your goal is to maintain eye contact with the members of your audience at least 90 percent of the time. Don’t let yourself get distracted by your own slide or Power Point presentation (if you’re using one) and don’t let your eyes wander away from the audience as you try to recall the next point in your presentation. Keep looking at your audience and they’ll keep looking at you.

 Hold someone’s gaze.

Remember a public presentation is no different than a one-on-one conversation except for the fact there are more than two people involved. For that reason, be sure to make eye contact with as many people as you can during the course of your presentation. Don’t just scan the crowd—stop and make meaningful eye contact and hold each person’s gaze for as much as 3 or 5 seconds and then move on to someone else and do the same thing.

Tap a large crowd’s ‘sweet spot.

Break the group up into quadrants and speak to one person at a time in each section. Focusing on the people in the center of the group, approximately two-thirds of the way back, is ideal in situations where you are addressing a large group. By looking there, much of the audience will think you are looking directly at them. Periodically, focus on someone in the front row and along the sides to avoid looking mechanical.

Know your material so you don’t have to keep looking down at your notes.

There’s nothing wrong with jotting down a few ideas and reminders to guide you through your presentation, but nothing kills a presentation faster than watching a speaker read from his notes. Be prepared—know your message—so that you can actually time when and how often you glance at your notes. Take advantage of natural pauses in the presentation to take a quick peek at your notes while the audience is momentarily distracted.

Take advantage of visual feedback.

Just as your audience responds to the non-verbal messages you send while delivering a presentation, so do they send their own back to you. Look around at the people in the audience. Are they looking at you? Are they frowning at you? As you speak, you need to be able to monitor and have your thumb on the pulse of the group, and be able to respond accordingly to the feedback you are being given by your audience. If they are not looking at you, if they are fidgeting, or if their facial expressions show they are puzzled by what you are saying, you need to figure out why that’s happening and find a way to remedy it as you move through your presentation. Maybe you are fidgeting as you speak, or you’ve said something they don’t understand. Pick up on their non-verbal cues.

Like any other public speaking technique, eye contact is very important and using it effectively takes practice. Don’t let the message you’re trying to promote suffer because you didn’t take the effort to really connect with your audience. And the single biggest way to do that is through good eye contact. Give it a shot at your next public speaking event . You might be surprised at just how important it is and how the effective use of eye contact makes the difference.

Have you ever been to a presentation where the speaker didn’t make eye contact? How did it make you feel? Tell us in the comments and share this post with colleagues that will find it useful!

23 Comments

I know I need to make better eye contact in my presentations. Thanks for some really good suggestions I will try to implement in my next talk.

In my experience giving presentations and speeches I have found that eye contact is one of the most key factors. Not only does it show confidence, but it also makes the audience feel and hear your words better because it makes it seem as if you are speaking directly to them. It is definitely a important park of public speaking!

I like the fact that when you have good eye contact it includes the listener in your conversation. I am going to have more one on one conversations with the groups of people I speak to. i will definitely be more aware of my eye contact for my next presentation!

When I am interviewing someone and they have good eye contact, it show that they are very confident in their abilities. I wouldn’t hire someone who couldn’t hold eye contact with me.

Yes eye contact is actually the best way for showing your confidence and abilities to interviewers. Without that you will get failed on interviews ..

I’m a beginner when it comes to public speaking but I do try to look at the center of the group when addressing decent sized groups. I pick someone and stay on them for 2-3 phrases, sometimes even asking them a direct question. Asking questions livens up the room and makes people think so I try to use this all the time.

This is something I know I have to work on. I struggle in day to day activities with eye contact, even with people I know. I am not sure why. I know it is very important to make this connection with your audience though so I am working on it. I will definitely use your advice thanks!! 

Good eye contact takes a lot of practice but it’s worth it. I definitely recognize good eye contact in the presentations I sit in on.

Holding eye contact for a few seconds always makes me squirm a little. It probably feels much longer for me than for the person who I’m looking at!

Love this blog.

Good eye contact is important anytime, so it makes sense that it’s an important skill of a public speaker.

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Hello there!

My name is Brenda. I am interested in learning more about how to use effective eye contact. When I hold eye contact with individuals its pretty easy but when I am speaking in front of a large group I tent to scan and never look at anyone in the room. This article you provided will help me. I am also registering for your two day presentation training in Orange County, CA Best regards, Brenda Chambers

Valuable content. Maintaining eye contact with your audience shows that you’re confident and honest. Avoiding eye contact says the opposite.

Like you pointed out, it’s a great way to recognize some immediate non-verbal feedback from your audience and respond accordingly. For instance, if someone looks puzzled, you can explain the point further.

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How we see it

Eye contact in a presentation.

If you want to succeed, eye contact in a presentation is extremely important.

Get it right and they will be engaged.

Get it wrong and you will lose them.

I was working with a client a few years back and our conversation went something like this.

“ Remember to make eye contact with the audience early, ” I said.

“ Yes, of course, stop worrying – I will do this, ” came the response.

Literally one minute later, the speaker forgot to make eye contact with the audience!

This is a very common problem.

Almost every speaker is aware of the importance of eye contact in a presentation.

But the majority of speakers actually have pretty weak eye contact when they deliver.

Eye contact is often described as the contract between the speaker and the audience – you need to do it at the beginning, the end and all the way through.

The theory is easy – the hard part is how to boost it in reality.

How to boost your eye contact

There are many ways to improve your eye contact in a presentation.

This is something we work on every day with clients at Speak With Impact.

Obviously we cannot cover all our strategies and techniques in a single article, so will focus on just one.

I call this the Sean Dyche approach, after quote I read from him last year.

(I have used this technique for many years – long before reading the quote – but I sort of like the tagline.)

Here is the quote:

“ You train how you play, how can you train how you play if you have 14 snoods on, 15 hats and leggings, no shin pads, white socks, it’s not relevant. ”

(Sean Dyche is the manager of Everton Football Club and had recently banned snoods and hats from the club’s training sessions.)

This is the critical part of the quote – you train how you play .

How do we apply this motto at Speak With Impact when it comes to eye contact?

We apply it during rehearsals for a presentation.

Too many people rehearse on their own or in front of one other person.

They do not deliver it with 100% effort in rehearsal because (in their mind) it is just a rehearsal.

This means they become conditioned to giving the presentation without making eye contact (if alone) or with minimal eye contact (with one other person who usually sits close to them in the room).

In many cases, the speaker is attempting eye contact in a presentation for the first time when they do it for real.

Now the ideal scenario is to rehearse in front of a room full of people but clearly that is almost never going to be a practical option.

The workable compromise is to encourage a few colleagues to observe at least one of your rehearsals.

Instead of sitting them together, get them to disperse around the room.

Now give the rehearsal 100% in terms of delivery.

You will need to make eye contact with various people, across various parts of the room.

This well help you to get conditioned to giving eye contact for that presentation.

Ask for feedback on the presentation and specifically on your eye contact.

Action the feedback.

If you become effective at this in rehearsal, you are more likely to succeed in the real thing.

In short, you will train how you play.

To get a handy reminder of this technique, click below for a free SketchNote https://www.speakwithimpact.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Boost-Your-Eye-Contact.pdf

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Learn how you can improve your presenting skills to deliver exceptional presentations.

Presentation Skills: Eye Contact

Note:   Please see my caveat about cultural sensitivity at the end of this post.

Eye Contact

The first way to connect to the audience, eye contact establishes engagement.  Initially, it’s often matched with a smile, and afterwards, with a broad open face suggesting neutrality.

As the presentation continues, eye contact helps you …

• Sustain the audience’s interest, which in turn helps you build rapport and potentially a more durable relationship.
• Keep their attention focused.
• Recognize if they understand what you’re saying; more so, whether they agree with you, if that’s relevant.
• Demonstrate your credibility and sincerity, both contributing to your establishment of trust.

Some additional points when speaking to small groups:

Look at everyone.   You can do it two ways:  sweeping (or lighthouse), or zigzag.  Sweeping is sequential, a smooth path from one side of the room to the other, like the beacon of a lighthouse.  It works nicely in a large auditorium.  Zigzag jumps from person to person, and appears more natural to the audience, particularly in smaller groups.  Don’t just do one style.  Use both, adjusting and changing throughout your presentation.

Gain confidence.   In the beginning, you can gain confidence by looking at nodders and acceptors, but don’t continue to do so.  Involve everyone by treating all audience members the same, even the ones who appear unenthusiastic.

Don’t assume their emotions.   An individual may not be looking at you because they’re shy, or they may be thinking about what you’re saying.  Your focus should be delivering the messages to the audience in a relevant and engaging way, not assuming an individual’s behavior or jumping to premature conclusions.

Per person, 4-5 seconds is plenty.   When you’re speaking, it’s roughly about half the time it takes to say a sentence.

Blink normally.   Rapid blinking suggests nervousness, insincerity, or worse, lying.

Eye contact shows respect.   Maintain eye contact when listening to an audience member’s question or comment, particularly at the beginning of their statement.  It acknowledges that you are interested, and more important, it shows respect.

The problem creeps in when they speak for longer than you expect.  You want to show your undivided attention, but you also don’t want to stare at them.  It helps to nod or tip your head from side to side.  Or, after a suitable length of time, you might drop your gaze to the floor as if deeply  considering what they are saying.  Other expects suggest saying something, like “ go on ,” “ yes ,” or simply “ mmm .”  That’s fine as long as you don’t interrupt or distract.

Another tactic:   glance quickly at other audience members to see if they’re listening. Sometimes this subconsciously encourages the respondent to look around the room, to help them maintain eye contact with their fellow audience members.  When they finish, your eye contact returns immediately to answer the question or respond with additional points.

Keep an eye out for confusion.   We’ve all seen a person’s face turn into a giant question mark when they don’t understand something we’ve said:  a twist of the eyes, lower brows, a scrunch of the nose or mouth.  You won’t want to call it out at that moment.  But keep a note of it, in case you can bring it up generally during Q&A by allowing them to bring their confusion out in the open, or less so, to reach out to them privately and sensitively after the presentation.

A last word:  The use of eye contact, voice and gestures depends greatly on the culture, status, age and gender of your audience.   The points I’ve outlined here are for people presenting to Western audiences, and are not appropriate skills to use for Arab, Latin, Asian or other Eastern audiences. If you travel for work internationally, adapt and match the style of your presentation skills to your audience, not vice versa.  Do research and show the utmost respect for your host’s culture.

Any thoughts, advice or questions you have on effectively using eye contact for presentations?

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• Categories: Presentation Skills , Questioning & Listening
• Tags: eye contact , listening , non-verbal communications , presentation skills

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Blog Beginner Guides

9 Tips for Improving Your Presentation Skills For Your Next Meeting

By Hannah Tow , Feb 03, 2020

Presenting to an audience is one thing, but presenting ideas in a persuasive manner to the key stakeholders of your business is a whole other ball game.

The fact of the matter is that successfully presenting to a room full of people is a skill that’s mastered by very few. It takes practice, practice, and even more practice to start feeling comfortable with everyone’s eyes focused on you so you can effectively get your point across. 

The reality of presenting is that you can’t escape it. Especially as you start to move up in your career. If you’re yearning to improve, this article will walk you through the top nine tips to use to enhance your presentation skills for your next big meeting as well as throughout your life. Let’s get started.

9 top tips for improving your presentation skills:

• Practice speaking in front of others
• Use less text and more visuals in your presentation
• Leverage your personality
• Welcome questions and comments during
• Be passionate and engaging
• Maintain eye contact with your audience
• Obsess over your listeners
• Focus on confident body language
• Keep it as short as possible

Constantly practicing, refining and improving upon your presentation skills will not only make you a more confident individual, but you will find that you rise quicker to success in your career. However, having great presentation skills does not just affect your work-life. Great presentation skills are truly life skills that you should integrate into more areas than just the conference room.

1. Practice speaking in front of others 

Practice always makes perfect. 

It doesn’t matter how well you know what you’re talking about, the moment you have to persuade, engage, or teach in front of an audience, you will probably stumble a bit. This is a natural reaction that affects pretty much everyone when all eyes are pointed in one direction and the anxiety sets in. 

It’s important to remember that the overwhelming feeling of stress you probably feel is the result of your unfamiliarity with the situation, not from your lack of preparedness. The more comfortable you are with taking the stage and having everyone’s attention on you, the less nervous you’ll get. 

The greater confidence you have in your presentation skills will allow you to focus on what actually matters–which is the material that you’re presenting. 

The best way to implement this practice is by starting off small. Prepare a presentation to give to your friends, family, or closest co-workers. This sounds easy, but you will learn that it’s not necessarily who is listening to you that causes nerves, but it’s the fact that all of the attention is on you. 

You’ll become more comfortable with the attention when you begin practicing in front of others more often, which will allow you to effectively present your ideas next time it’s your turn to speak in the conference room.

RELATED: Learn the top ten public speaking tips to better prepare you for your practice sessions. 

2. Use less text and more visuals in your presentation

We’ve all been there before: sitting at the conference table trying our very best to stay interested and engaged with the presentation before us. The presentation lacks color, images, and all sense of creativity while containing an over-abundance of text and long-form paragraphs. 

These types of presentations are horrible for two reasons: 

The first reason being that the minute you have words on the screen, your audience will direct their attention away from you to begin reading and completely tune you out. 

The second reason is if your presentation skills are poor, not only will your presentation be dull to listen to, but it will be unbelievably boring to look at as well. You’ll quickly find out how easy it is to lose most of the room’s attention when you create a lackluster presentation. 

If you feel lost attempting to design your slides into an exciting work of art, try using creative presentation templates . PowerPoint templates make it simple to produce something beautiful, and they can also make you feel like an accomplished designer after seeing the outcome, such as this business presentation example . 

In addition to nicely designed slides, you should always try to use infographics and charts to help you better summarize the complex information you’re relaying to your audience. It will be much easier for your listeners to understand what you’re explaining when they have something to visualize it with. Plus, there are plenty of resources out there to help you craft these visuals.

Learn how to make an infographic in five easy steps or produce an impressive graph .

If you feel worried that your presentation doesn’t hold enough content, you must remember the main reason for visual aids: 

They are to enhance what you’re speaking about, not lead it! 

If you’ve done enough practicing, you should feel confident in your presentation skills to thoroughly explain your main ideas and you won’t need to rely on the screen anyhow.

TIP: If you’re looking for even more ways to engage your audience with your visuals, check out 120+ presentation ideas that are sure to wow and delight! 

3. Leverage your personality

As cliche as it sounds, you should always be true to who you are, especially if when you’re presenting. 

It’s incredibly easy to tell if someone is faking it for the sake of their audience, so you should never pretend to act in a way that you don’t typically do. Not only will you feel unnatural and uncomfortable doing it, but you can also risk embarrassment when you try to tell a forced joke and no one laughs or your new-found trait of sarcasm doesn’t sit well with your boss. 

It should bring you comfort knowing that most everyone in your meeting knows who you are. Use this to your advantage and start the presentation by playing up your best personality traits. Use your humor if you’re known to crack jokes or throw in your typical mannerisms.

These little additions will make your presentation feel much more relaxed for everyone involved. In addition to your own unique quirks, you should also bring a level of personability to your meeting.

Be empathetic, smile more, and look around the room.  Doing so will improve your presentation skills, make you more likable, and allow your audience to be more receptive to you. 

In many cases, you may be presenting virtually, rather than in person. You can still allow your personality to shine through and energize your virtual presentation. Lisa Schneider, Chief Growth Officer at Merriam-Webster, wrote for Venngage on how to adapt an in-person presentation into a virtual presentation . Check it out.

4. Welcome questions and comments during your presentation

Be flexible throughout your presentation. Answer questions and respond to any comments your audience may have either through hand raising or an audience response tool . Don’t worry if it veers you off your script. Chances are if one person has a question or comment, the others in the room are thinking it too. 

Use this as an opportunity to prove how well you understand the material you’re presenting–your audience will take notice.

Also, take some time out at the start or your presentation to ask your audience some icebreaker questions and slowly transition into the more important stuff. 

Taking this minute to talk through anything that your audience is thinking of is a good thing because it means they are engaged with you and really paying attention to the words coming out of your mouth. Doing so will also relax the format of your presentation, allowing you to feel more confident and relaxed as well.

5. Be passionate and engaging 

When creating your presentation, craft it in such a way that makes your audience curious and makes them have questions for you. A persuasive presentation is the best way to get the positive reactions you are looking for, so be as passionate as you can be about your subject matter to seal the deal. 

Remember that questions and comments during your presentation are a good thing, especially if you’re the one prompting them! 

The more excited you are to present your ideas and show off your expertise, the more excited and engaged your audience will be. Own your subject matter and know what you’re talking about, it’s one of the most important presentation skills to have.

6. Maintain eye contact with your audience

This is a very obvious tip that will go a long way with your audience. 

When the people you’re speaking to feel like you’re taking notice of them, they are much more likely to take notice of you and pay better attention to everything that you’re saying. 

It’s important to remember that losing eye contact and looking everywhere but at the people that you’re presenting to is a common nervous behavior. Pay extra close attention to whether or not you’re guilty of that, and work to ensure you have your eyes on at least one person.

7. Obsess over your listeners 

Be receptive to your listeners. You can’t forget that what you’re presenting is for the audience, and it has nothing to do about you! 

Focus on the value you can provide to the people in the room. The more serving you are to them, the greater chance you have at driving your point home and nailing your presentation. 

It’s also important not to forget about those listening to you remotely over video conferencing . Make sure they know you’re aware of them and engage them as well! 

8. Focus on confident body language 

Smiling, hand gestures, eye contact, and a powerful stance all exude confidence. 

If you don’t have strong body language and are showing physical signs of nervousness (ie. tapping, bouncing, shaking, darting eyes, and more) your audience will have a hard time focusing on the material you’re presenting and hone in on the fact that you’re nervous and probably don’t know what you’re talking about as much as you say you do.

No matter how nervous you are, take a deep breath and pretend otherwise. You might actually start to believe it!

9. Keep it as short as possible

Every single person’s time is valuable ( especially at work), so don’t waste precious meeting time. If you can say everything you need to in half of the time that is allotted, you should do so. 

Ensure that you’re only sharing the most important information. All of the extra fluff will bore your audience and you will lose their attention very quickly.

It’s a great idea to wrap up your presentation with key takeaways and action items. Doing so will ensure that no matter how quickly your meeting ended, your team understands their next steps. You can send out a quick, summarizing slide deck or an easy to read one-pager for their reference later. These visuals will make sure all of your bases are covered and that everyone is on the same page upon leaving the meeting.

A good presentation makes all the difference. Check out the top qualities of awesome presentations and learn all about how to make a good presentation to help you nail that captivating delivery.

Never stop refining your presentation skills 

Possessing great presentation skills doesn’t come naturally to most people–it’s something that’s learned and practiced over time. As with most things in life, you must continuously work on refining your skills to get better and better. 

Use these nine proven presentation tips that we covered in this article to improve your presentation skills and ace different presentation styles . By doing so, you will find that presenting at your key meetings becomes easier and easier and you’ll begin to nail it every single time.

More presentation guides:

How to Make a Persuasive Presentation

120+ Best Presentation Ideas, Design Tips & Examples

33 Presentation Templates and Design Tips to Hold Your Audience’s Attention

Presentation Design Guide: How to Summarize Information for Presentations

7 Presentation Skills to Wow Your Audience

We’ve all been there, sitting in a presentation or speech, struggling to keep our eyes open as the presenter drones on. Maybe the content is interesting, but the delivery is lacklustre. Or maybe the delivery is fantastic, but the content is disorganised or hard to follow. Whatever the reason, there’s no denying that effective presentation skills are critical to captivating and inspiring your audience.

So, whether you’re a seasoned speaker or a novice presenter, it’s always a good idea to brush up on your skills. That’s why in this blog post, we’ll be covering seven effective presentation skills that are sure to wow your audience. From knowing your audience to engaging with them, these skills will help you deliver powerful presentations that leave a lasting impact.

So, let’s dive in and explore these seven effective presentation skills that will take your speaking abilities to the next level. And to help you hone these skills, we’d like to introduce you to our specialised effective presentation skills training  programs.

Skill 1: Knowing Your Audience

One of the most effective presentation skills is knowing your audience. Understanding your audience helps you tailor your presentation to their needs, interests, and expectations.

Knowing your audience allows you to focus on the topics that are most relevant to them and speak in a language they can understand. Failure to know your audience can lead to a disengaged and uninterested audience, which can ultimately derail your presentation.

Tips for Identifying and Understanding Your Audience

When it comes to delivering a presentation, understanding your audience is essential. Identifying their needs, interests, and expectations can help you tailor your presentation to keep them engaged and interested throughout. Here are some tips to help you better identify and understand your audience:

1. Research your audience

Before your presentation, research your audience to understand their demographics, interests, and expectations. This can be done through social media, surveys, or by asking the event organisers for details about the attendees.

2. Ask questions

During your presentation, ask questions that engage the audience and help you understand their needs and interests. This can help you tailor your presentation to meet their expectations.

3. Analyse non-verbal cues

Pay attention to non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions and body language. This can help you gauge the audience's level of engagement and adjust your presentation accordingly.

4. Consider the occasion

The type of event can affect the expectations of your audience. If you're presenting at a formal event, your audience may expect a more polished and structured presentation. On the other hand, if you're presenting at a more casual event, your audience may appreciate a more relaxed and conversational tone.

5. Use social media

Social media can be a great tool for understanding your audience. Look for groups or hashtags related to your topic to see what people are saying about it. You can also use social media to ask questions and get feedback from your audience.

Skill 2: Storytelling

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can make your presentation stand out from the rest. It can help you engage your audience emotionally and make your message more memorable.

A well-crafted story can take your audience on a journey, creating a connection between you and them. In a world where attention spans are short, storytelling can be an effective way to hold the attention of your audience and keep them engaged.

Tips for crafting a compelling story for your presentation

Crafting a compelling story for your presentation takes some effort, but the result can be powerful. Here are some tips to help you create a story that resonates with your audience:

1. Start with a clear message

Before you begin crafting your story, identify the key message you want to convey. This will help you structure your story around the central idea and ensure that it aligns with your overall goal.

2. Use a simple structure

A simple structure can help you keep your story focused and easy to follow. Consider using a traditional story arc, which includes an introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

3. Create relatable characters

Characters are an important part of any story. Create characters that your audience can relate to, and make them feel human and believable. This will help your audience connect with your story on an emotional level.

4. Use sensory language

Sensory language can help bring your story to life. Use descriptive words to paint a picture in the minds of your audience. This can help them better understand and remember your story.

5. Incorporate humour

Humour can be an effective way to engage your audience and create a memorable presentation. However, be sure to use humour that is appropriate, relevant and not sexist, ageist or ableist. 

Skill 3: Visual Aids

Visual aids can be a powerful tool to enhance your presentation and improve its effectiveness. They can help you convey complex information in an easy-to-understand way and make your presentation more engaging and memorable. 

The human brain processes visual information much faster than text, so incorporating visual aids in your presentation can help your audience understand your message more quickly and effectively.

Tips for creating effective visual aids

Now that we've covered the importance of visual aids, here are some tips for effective presentation skills :

1. Keep it simple

Visual aids should be simple and easy to understand. Avoid cluttered or complicated images, and use clear and concise language. Your audience should be able to quickly and easily understand the information you are presenting.

2. Use high-quality images

Low-quality images can be distracting and detract from your message. Use high-quality images that are relevant to your message and enhance the overall tone of your presentation.

3. Avoid too much text

Visual aids should be used to support your message, not replace them. Avoid using too much text on your slides or graphs, and instead, use bullet points or brief phrases to convey your message.

4. Use colour strategically

Colour can be a powerful tool to help emphasise important information, but it should be used strategically. Avoid using too many colours or bright colours that can be distracting.

5. Incorporate multimedia

Videos and audio can be effective tools to help engage your audience and make your presentation more interactive. Just be sure to use multimedia that is relevant to your message and supports the overall tone of your presentation.

Skill 4: Body Language

Body language is a critical aspect of effective communication skills for presentation , especially in a presentation setting. The way you use your body can have a significant impact on how your message is received by your audience. 

Your body language can convey confidence, interest, enthusiasm, and many other emotions and attitudes that can affect how your audience perceives you and your message.

Tips for using effective body language

Here are some tips for effective presentation skills :

1. Stand up straight

Good posture is key to projecting confidence and authority. Stand up straight with your shoulders back and your feet shoulder-width apart.

2. Make eye contact

Eye contact is a powerful way to connect with your audience and build trust. Try to make eye contact with different members of your audience throughout your presentation.

3. Use hand gestures

Appropriate hand gestures can help emphasise your message and make your presentation more engaging. However, be careful not to overdo it or use gestures that are distracting or inappropriate.

4. Avoid fidgeting

Fidgeting can be distracting and convey nervousness or anxiety. Try to stand still and avoid pacing, tapping your feet, or playing with objects.

5. Use facial expressions

Your facial expressions can convey a wide range of emotions and attitudes, from enthusiasm and interest to boredom and disengagement. Use appropriate facial expressions to match the tone of your message.

Skill 5: Voice and Tone

The way you use your voice can have a significant impact on how your presentation is perceived by your audience. 

Your voice and tone can convey a range of emotions and attitudes, such as confidence, authority, enthusiasm, and interest. Your tone can also indicate the level of importance or urgency of your message.

Tips for using effective voice and tone

Now that we understand the impact that voice and tone can have on a presentation, let's explore some tips for effective presentation skills:

1. Practice speaking with intention

Before your presentation, take some time to practice your speaking with intention. Think about the key messages you want to convey and how you want your audience to feel while listening to your presentation. This will help you deliver your message with a clear and purposeful voice and tone.

2. Vary your pace

Varying your pace can help keep your audience engaged and interested in your presentation. Slow down during important or complex points, and speed up during lighter or more exciting parts. By varying your pace, you can also create a sense of urgency or importance in your message.

3. Use pitch to convey emotion

Varying the pitch of your voice can help convey different emotions and attitudes in your presentation. For example, a higher pitch can convey excitement, while a lower pitch can convey seriousness or importance.

4. Pay attention to your volume

Be sure to project your voice so that everyone in the room can hear you. However, be careful not to speak too loudly, which can be distracting or overwhelming for your audience.

5. Pause for emphasis

Pausing at strategic moments can help emphasise important points and give your audience time to process your message. Take a breath and pause before making an important point to give it more weight.

Skill 6: Engaging Your Audience

One of the most important aspects of giving a presentation is engaging your audience. Without audience engagement, your presentation can quickly become boring, forgettable, or even frustrating for your listeners. Engaging your audience is a crucial skill that can help you build rapport, gain trust, and effectively communicate your message through your communication skills for presentation .

Tips for engaging your audience throughout your presentation

Engaging your audience is a crucial skill that can help you build rapport, gain trust, and effectively communicate your message using your communication skills for presentation . In this section, we will explore some tips for effective presentation skills .

1. Use storytelling

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can help you capture your audience's attention and keep them engaged. Use personal stories, anecdotes, or case studies to illustrate your points and make your presentation more relatable.

Asking questions can help you create a dialogue with your audience and make them feel like they are part of the conversation. Use open-ended questions to encourage participation and discussion.

3. Use humour

Appropriate humour can help lighten the mood and create a sense of rapport with your audience. Use jokes, puns, or funny anecdotes to break up the monotony of your presentation and keep your audience engaged.

4. Use visual aids

Visual aids, such as graphs, charts, or videos, can help illustrate your points and make your presentation more dynamic. Use them strategically to support your message and keep your audience engaged.

5. Use audience participation

Incorporating interactive elements, such as polls, quizzes, or games, can help keep your audience engaged and create a sense of excitement or competition. Use them strategically to break up your presentation and keep your audience engaged.

Skill 7: Handling Questions and Feedback

Handling questions and feedback is a critical skill that can make or break a presentation. It provides an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge, address any concerns, and show your audience that you value their input.

Tips for handling questions and feedback effectively

Handling questions and feedback can be daunting, but with some practice, it can become an opportunity to showcase your expertise and engage with your audience. Here are some tips on how to handle questions and feedback effectively:

1. Listen carefully

Listen carefully to the question or feedback, and take a moment to think about your response. This shows that you respect the person asking the question and value their input.

2. Repeat or rephrase the question

This ensures that you have understood the question correctly, and it also helps the audience hear the question clearly. Rephrasing the question can also help clarify any misunderstandings or confusion.

3. Be concise

Keep your answers concise and to the point. Avoid giving long-winded answers that might confuse or bore the audience.

4. Use real-life examples

Using examples or stories can help illustrate your points and make them more relatable to the audience. It can also help keep the audience engaged.

5. Be honest

If you don't know the answer to a question, it's okay to say so. You can offer to follow up with the person after the presentation or suggest resources where they can find more information.

Wrapping It Up

In conclusion, effective presentation skills are an essential part of being a successful communicator. Knowing your audience, storytelling, using visual aids, body language, voice, and tone, engaging your audience, and handling questions and feedback are all key skills that can help you deliver a powerful and impactful presentation.

By following the tips and strategies we've shared, you can improve your communication skills for presentation  and leave a lasting impression on your audience. And if you're looking to take your skills to the next level, some.Education provides presentation skills training that can help you develop and hone these skills.

Remember, a great presentation isn't just about the content - it's also about the delivery. By mastering these skills, you can engage your audience, build your credibility, and leave a lasting impression. So go out there and wow your audience!

Useful Resources :   10 importance of speech communication |  Communication skills presentation |  Grapevine communication

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5 Tips for Making Eye Contact While Public Speaking

by Janice Tomich

• Body Language in Public Speaking

Making eye contact while public speaking is a simple yet powerful way to connect with an audience.

Keeping eye contact with a single person while making a point can change a passive listener to one who feels engaged with you and your ideas. You’ll notice the difference too of how you’re able to warm up a room if you invest in interacting with your audience simply through eye contact.

However, looking at someone in the eyes can be difficult if you’re feeling nervous or it’s not something your used to doing.

Here’s five quick tips to help you make eye contact while public speaking.

Table of Contents

#1 – Before you speak, pause and connect 

At the beginning of your presentation, even before you start speaking, pause. Take this moment to connect with your audience and yourself. First, square your body at your starting position on stage. Then, turn your head from left to right to the center of where your audience is seated. Then, turn your head from right to left then back to center again. This moment will give you an opportunity to see your audience, connect, and ground yourself before you start your presentation.

#2- Pick one person and maintain eye contact for 3 to 5 seconds. 

Often, presenters find themselves maintaining eye contact with a single person for too long. This can make that person feel uncomfortable and feel like they are being singled out. My suggestion is to pick one person, maintain eye contact for three to five seconds, then find someone else in the audience. You may be wondering why three to five seconds? Usually, this is the time it takes to finish a sentence and make a point.

“I was preparing for four presentations and although already comfortable with speaking in front of an audience, I was looking to hone my skills. We worked through all of the presentations together and I felt confident and prepared as I delivered them. “

​​​​Deanna Sparling Director of Operations – Barberstock System

#3 – Notice where your eyes are at the end of your sentences

Often, near the end of your sentence, your eyes may be looking up, down, or sideways and not at the audience. This may be due to the temptation to glance at your notes or while thinking about what you’ll say next.  The next time you speak to an individual, notice if breaking the eye connection happens to you. If you notice that you are breaking the connection before you finish a sentence work on keeping your eyes up (and connected) until you finish your sentence, then look down at your notes and begin your next sentence.

#4 – Practice, practice, practice! 

Practice makes perfect. A skill such as making eye contact especially if you’re not used to it can be challenging. To practice this skill, practice looking at someone in the eyes every time you talk with them. You can practice this at home, at work, and even at the grocery store.

#5 – When to break the rules 

At times, making eye contact with someone can make them feel vulnerable, disrespected, and uncomfortable. In some cultures, eye contact can be seen as offensive. For example, in Asian cultures, maintaining eye contact with a superior or elder can be seen as a sign of disrespect. If you’re feeling someone is uncomfortable, be respectul and gracious – move on and find someone else in the audience to engage with who is open to connecting with you.

With practice, you will master of this important public speaking skill. Practicing eye contact will make you slow down if you’re a nervous speaker – you’ll appear and feel more confident while you deliver your next presentation.

I know it’s hard to have that difficult conversation, pitch that podcast, or choose just the right words to make your presentation come to life.

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• Undergraduate Studies
• Presentations
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Enthusiasm and Expertise
• Organization
• Visual Aids
• Presentation Skills
• Communication
• Eye Contact
• Presentation Aids
• Answering Questions

6.3.1 Eye Contact

Before the presenter says a single word, the first form of communication with the audience is eye contact. Because so much information is transmitted through sight, eye contact is a significant factor for most human interactions.

• During the introduction,
• When any important remark is made, and
• While summarizing and concluding.

The presenter must have both the introduction and the conclusion memorized so that he or she can focus on the audience during these phases. A presenter who must read his or her introduction will be appear insincere.

Outside these critical segments of the presentation, the speaker should, apart from cursory glances at the slides, be focused on the audience. The speaker should attempt to make eye contact with each member of the audience; however, this should be limited to at most five seconds. This will make the make the audience member feel as if the speaker is talking directly to that person without making the audience member uncomfortable by appearing to single him or her out.

A speaker who avoids eye contact by looking at the screen or computer will look unprepared. Looking either above the audience, at the walls, or at the floor will give the impression that the speaker is avoiding the audience. Both of these will cause the audience to lose faith in the presenter.

Sparse slides will also allow the presenter to maintain eye contact with the audience. The slides can be used by the speaker to remember the next point to be covered in the talk. However, if the speaker has to read 30 to 50 words, this will take a significant amount of time. Similarly, the speaker does not have to look at images, charts, data. If a slide requires the speaker to focus on it for a significant amount of time, consideration as to whether the speaker is moving from technical presentations to tutorials should be considered.

The easiest way for a speaker to maintain eye contact is to believe in the topic, understand the background material, be well organized, and want to explain what he or she has prepared.

10 Reasons Eye Contact Is So Important in Public Speaking

Public speaking is a skill that is often underestimated. In order to be a good public speaker, you need to be able to engage your audience and make eye contact. But why is it so important? That’s what we’re here to find out.

1. You Look More Confident

2. it helps you connect with your audience, 3. your audience will pay more attention, 4. you’ll appear more enthusiastic, 5. it will help you control the room, 6. it will keep you more focused, 7. your speech will be more persuasive, 8. it helps you talk at a reasonable pace, 9.  you’ll appear more relaxed and natural, 10. it will help you remember what you want to say, final thoughts.

When you make eye contact with your audience, you come across as more confident. This is because looking at them eye-to-eye shows that you believe in what you’re saying. It’s like you’re saying, “I’m sure of what I’m saying, and I’m not afraid to look you in the eye while I’m saying it.”

Making eye contact is important because it helps you connect with your audience on a personal level. It also makes them feel like you’re speaking directly to them, which can make your message more impactful. Connecting with them in this way can also make them more likely to trust you and to be interested in what you have to say.

You are also more likely to keep your audience’s attention. Looking at them will prevent them from diverting their attention elsewhere. Even if they’re uninterested with your topic, looking them in the eye will still make them listen.

Enthusiasm is contagious, and looking at your audience in the eye will help show them that you’re excited about your speech.

When you focus your eyes with your audience, you’re essentially telling them that you’re in control. This is because looking at someone shows that you have power over them. It will help avoid any of them from distracting you and your speech.

Scanning the room will only distract you from your speech. It’s important to focus on one thing at a time, and that one thing should be your audience. It will prevent you from thinking of other things or getting distracted by a passerby.

If you’re trying to convince your audience of something, this technique will surely help. This is because people are more likely to believe someone who is looking them in the eye. It will help you get your sales up if you’re giving a sales pitch or help you get more people to sign up if you’re recruiting.

If you keep shifting your eyes around the room, you’ll end up talking too fast. This is because you’ll be trying to give much information at once. But if you focus on one person at a time, you can better control the pacing of your speech. You won’t even notice that you’re talking slower when you make eye contact because it will feel like a normal conversation.

This is because you won’t be thinking about what you should say next or how you look to the rest of the room. You’ll only be focused on the person in front of you, which will help the speech flow more smoothly.

If you’re constantly looking around the room, you’ll lose track of what you were saying. But if you focus on one person, you can easily get back to your train of thought. Simply making eye contact with them will help jog your memory and deliver your speech successfully.

Making eye contact is important for many reasons. It makes you come across as more confident, helps you connect with your audience, and many more. So the next time you’re giving a speech, remember to focus your eyes on your audience, and you’ll be sure to deliver an impactful message. Thanks for reading!

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Presenting With Confidence

Wendy h. vogel.

1 Wellmont Cancer Institute, Kingsport, Tennessee;

Pamela Hallquist Viale

2 University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California

Often, advanced practitioners must give clinical presentations. Public speaking, which is a major fear for most individuals, is a developed skill. Giving an oral presentation is a good way to demonstrate work, knowledge base, and expertise. Giving an effective presentation can help obtain recognition of skills and proficiency as an advanced practitioner or expert in the field. This paper will highlight skills and techniques that can help to improve presentation style and the ability to connect with an audience.

As an advanced practitioner, it is likely that you will be asked to deliver a lecture at some point in your career. Medical presentations can range from casual in-services to professional lectures given to audiences of thousands. Since public speaking is listed as one of the top fears of individuals living in the United States, it pays to develop skills as a speaker or presenter.

Giving an oral presentation is essential to demonstrating your work, knowledge base, and expertise. Giving an effective presentation can help you obtain recognition and acknowledgement of your skills and proficiency as an advanced practitioner or expert in the field. However, many presenters lack the skills to deliver a dynamic and persuasive lecture. Inadequate speaking skills can be detrimental to your ability to deliver an important message, or worse yet, bore your audience. This article will highlight skills and techniques that can help to improve your presentation style and ability to connect with your audience.

FEAR OF PUBLIC SPEAKING

If you are afraid of public speaking, you are not alone. Marinho, de Medeiros, Gama, and Teixeira ( 2016 ) studied college students to determine the prevalence of fear of public speaking. In a group of 1,135 undergraduate students (aged 17–58), over half of those surveyed (n = 63.9%) reported a fear of public speaking. Almost the entire group surveyed (89.3%) wanted classes to improve public speaking. Specific traits associated with a fear of speaking were reported as female gender, infrequent experience, and perception of poor voice quality.

Giving a bad presentation can alienate your audience from your lecture and the message you are trying to deliver. Table 1 lists ways to give a bad presentation. But, let us assume you do not want to give a bad presentation at all. In fact, you have an important message to share with your audience and you have been invited to give an hour-long lecture on the subject. How can you deliver that message in an effective and engaging manner?

Tips for Giving a Bad Presentation

HIGH-LEVEL TIPS

The first tip is to know your subject and know it well. In fact, should your audio-visual equipment malfunction (and if you speak often enough, this is likely to happen), you should have your presentation memorized. However, it is a good idea to make a hard copy of your slides and use them in case of equipment failure. Your audience might not be able to see a graph in detail, but you’ll be able to speak to a study and deliver the results without panicking about your lost slide deck or incompatible presentation equipment.

The second tip is to know your audience. If you are speaking to a group of nurses on a unit, your speaking style and delivery message will be more casual than when you speak to a room of 500 people. Nonetheless, you need to know who you are talking to and what they expect from your lecture. Table 2 lists some information you will want to know about your audience. Researching and knowing your audience will make your message more pertinent and personal.

What to Know About Your Audience

Understanding who your audience is will enable you to engage your audience. Look excited and enthusiastic. If you are motivated about your topic, then they will be too. Show your interest in your subject and your excitement about sharing the data with your audience.

Another tip is to develop your stage presence. Actors rehearse their roles until they can do it in their sleep, creating their best and most polished dramatic performances. You aren’t in a Broadway musical, but you need to have a stage presence. Recording your lecture and then examining ways to improve your delivery is a great way to develop your speaking skills. Utilize who you are and capitalize on that. Practice in front of a friend or mentor for feedback on your delivery

Your audience will develop an impression of you within the first 15 seconds. Develop an impactful opening to start off right. Table 3 gives some examples of impactful openings. For example, if you wanted to demonstrate the effect that tanning booths have had on the incidence of melanoma in young women, you could open with a photo of a tanning booth, followed by the daunting statistics in melanoma and an example of a case of melanoma. This slide becomes the "hook" that captures your audience’s interest.

Examples of Impactful Openings

When giving a medical presentation, advanced practitioners have a wonderful chance to share a patient story or vignette that will demonstrate the medical problem and its impact on practice ( Moffett, Berezowski, Spencer, & Lanning, 2014 ). You can do this easily by showing a patient radiological study or lab values, or a picture of a particularly challenging side effect. The net result is that your audience will be intrigued and relate to your story, especially if they take care of that patient population. Tell the story of the patient and describe the significance of the side effect or disease state. Clinical presentations often benefit from case studies that your audience may recognize from their own practices. Some of the most successful presentations use case studies followed by examples of right or wrong approaches to a patient problem, asking the audience to decide best practice and thereby engaging the audience fully. Tell your audience why this topic is important and why they need to know about it ( Moffett et al., 2014 ). Then, share the data supporting the importance of your story and how your audience can use the information to affect or change practice. You want to capture the attention of your audience at the very beginning of your presentation and then hold it. Humor may also be used for openings, but care must be taken with this and should be directed at yourself and not anyone else. Keep the attention of the audience by developing your delivery skills. Lastly, and perhaps the most important advice, is to "practice, practice, practice."

DEVELOPING SLIDES

Most medical speakers use PowerPoint to illustrate their talk and data. Using your slides effectively can make an important difference in your presentation and how your audience will respond. Develop your presentation and topic first, then create your slides. The 5/5/5 rule calls for no more than five words per line of text, five lines of text per slide, or five text or data-heavy slides in a row ( LearnFree.org, 2017 ). See Table 4 for tips for using PowerPoint.

PowerPoint Tips

Adding images to your slides can create visual interest. Pictures of patients with side effects or complications can immediately show the audience what you are trying to communicate. As with data slides, appropriate referencing of images must be added to each of your slides. If you are using clip art to add interest or humor to your presentation, be mindful of possible distractions to your main message. Use these kinds of imagery sparingly.

Using slides during your presentation can enhance the message you are giving, but it is vital that you use the slide and not let it use you. Know your slides well enough that you do not have to read them. The title of the slide should give the key message of that slide. You do not have to tell your audience everything on the slide; instead, give them an overview of what they are looking at. Never read a slide to an audience. Do not present to the slide; present to your audience.

KEEPING THE AUDIENCE’S INTEREST

If your presentation is longer than 20 minutes, you may have a "mid-talk slump." This is a great time to check in with your audience: Do they understand your message thus far? Pause for a moment and engage your audience with a question or anecdote, or perhaps a patient story. Ask your audience if they have something to share regarding the topic. Change the pace and change the inflection of your voice.

Taking questions from your audience can be daunting. Table 5 gives some tips on how to answer questions. Determining when to take questions will depend upon your audience size and makeup, and the setting of your presentation. The most important tip is to listen carefully to the question and be honest if you do not know the answer.

Handling Questions From Your Audience

Your delivery skills can determine how the audience perceives you and your message. Eye contact, voice, pace, inflection, gestures, and posture are all important aspects of your delivery. Eye contact establishes rapport and a feeling of being genuine. Although you shouldn’t stare someone down, making eye contact while making a statement, then moving to your next audience member and giving another statement fosters engagement. Scanning, which is running your eyes over the audience and not focusing on any one person, should be avoided.

Your voice should be loud and animated. Generally, however loud you think you should be, be louder. Convey your enthusiasm, and vary your pace and inflection.

Gestures can enhance or take away from your talk. Be natural with an open-body approach. Keep your hands at your sides if you’re not using them. Avoid pointing; instead, use open-handed gestures. Your posture should be good, with your shoulders back and weight equally balanced on both feet. When you move, move with purpose; do not sway, rock, or pace ( Butterfield, 2015 ).

It is very normal to feel anxious or nervous. But let that feeling work for you, not against you. When you are faced with a challenging situation, cortisol and adrenaline are released, causing dry mouth, difficulty getting words out, shallow breaths, tremors, sweating, and nervous behaviors like laughter or fidgeting. To combat this, take some deep breaths, which reduces adrenaline output. Slow down and look around. Take a moment, take a sip of water, and smile. Look confident even if you do not feel it. Utilize every resource you can find to further your skills (see Table 6 for further reading).

Resources for Presenters

Advanced practitioners have many opportunities to give medical presentations, both as part of their job and as a way to advance in their professional practice. The tools provided in this article can help you develop a presentation that will be meaningful and impactful to your audience. It is a great feeling when audience members come to you after your presentation to share with you how much they enjoyed and learned from your talk. With practice, your presentations can make a difference. And remember—your audience wants you to succeed.

The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.