Public speaking involves more than just the spoken word. The way you move your body and the expressions on your face also provide information to the audience. When you are speaking to an audience it is important that this non-verbal communication sends the right message.

There are many things to consider when working to use effective body language during your speech:

• Eye contact
• Facial expressions
• Using gestures
• Good posture
• Moving during your speech

Eye Contact

When you are speaking, where do you look? Do you look down at the floor or up at the ceiling? Are you reading from your notes? Are you looking at the audience or away from the audience?

When you make eye contact with your audience you appear more confident. If you don’t make eye contact, you may come across as nervous. If you are reading from your notes instead of looking at the audience, you may come across as unprepared.

When speaking in front of an audience you want to appear as a confident and well prepared speaker. You can do this by making eye contact with your audience and by not just reading your speech.

When you make eye contact, don’t just stare at the same person throughout your speech. Instead, periodically shift your eye contact to different people in the room.

For example, you could start your speech by looking at someone directly in front of you. After a few sentences you could shift to looking at someone on the right side of the room. Next you could change to looking at someone on the left side of the room. Over time keep shifting your eye contact to different people on different sides of the room. This will allow you to connect with different parts of your audience during your speech.

When making eye contact don’t be constantly moving your head from one side of the room to the other. Instead focus on one person while making a point during your speech and then change your focus to another person when making the next point.

It is also important to not stare at one person for too long. If you do stare at someone for a long time you will make her uncomfortable and this is not something you want to do.

Why is eye contact important? When you make eye contact with someone you are connecting with him. You make him feel that you are speaking directly to him and that your message is directed at him. This is why you need to look at different people during your speech. You will connect better with your audience by making individual connections with different members of your audience.

Facial Expressions

The expression on your face while you are speaking can send a message to your audience. For example, you can smile to show you are happy about something.

Make sure that your facial expressions are sending the right message. For example, if you are sharing a negative experience don’t smile while sharing your story. Smiling shows that you are happy, but negative experiences don’t make us happy. Don’t confuse your audience by smiling while sharing something negative.

Facial expressions can show a wide variety of emotions. You can use this to your advantage during your speech. When sharing something shocking, you can put a shocked look on your face to visually show that you are shocked by the information you are sharing. When sharing a sad story you can put a sad expression on your face to convey the sadness that you want the audience to feel.

Facial expressions are powerful. Audiences will see your facial expressions as you are speaking and it is important that your facial expressions are consistent with the message you want your audience to receive.

Using Gestures

What do you do with your hands during your speech? Do you hide them behind your back or hold them rigidly at your sides? Or maybe you hold your hands clasped in front of you.

If you don’t use your hands during your speech you are missing out on a powerful communication tool. If you do use your hands, you can make gestures during your speech that add to the message you are sharing with your audience.

For example, in my career as a Toastmaster I have used gestures in my speeches. One gesture I frequently use is counting off on my fingers as I share a list of items with my audience. Showing the count on my fingers helps the audience to remember how many points I have shared with them.

Another use of gestures is to give the audience a visual picture of size. For example, you could hold open your arms to indicate something is large or you could hold your hands close together to show that something is small.

Moving your hands while speaking makes you a more animated speaker. Don’t just hold your hands at your sides or behind your back. Move your hands purposely during your speech to add to the message you are sharing with your audience.

Good Posture

When speaking it is important to have good posture. Stand up straight, hold up your head, and don’t slouch. This way you will appear more confident as you deliver your speech.

During your speech you can change your posture to convey different messages. For example, if you are sharing a story where you failed and later succeeded, you could shift posture during your speech. While sharing how you failed you could lower your head and slouch a little to look defeated. This will give a message to the audience of how you felt when you failed. When you reach the part of the speech where you succeed, change to standing proud and tall with your head up to show that you were successful and no longer feeling defeated.

Just like facial expressions and gestures, your posture sends a message to the audience. Make sure it is the right message by using the right posture at the right time.

Moving During Your Speech

Where do you stand during your speech? Do you stand behind a lectern and stay rooted to the spot throughout your speech? Or do you move around the stage during your speech?

I suggest that you take advantage of the space available to you when speaking to an audience and that you move around the room. When you move around the room you come closer to different parts of the audience. This will make a connection between you and the part of the audience you are close to. By moving around the room during your speech you can connect with different parts of the audience.

When moving around the room don’t be pacing back and forth. Instead, make your movement purposeful. For example, if you have three points to make during your speech you could stand in one location to make your first point. After making your first point move to a new spot in the room to make your second point. Then move to yet another spot in the room to make your third point.

Remember that where you are standing in the room has an impact on your audience. Don’t just stay in one place. Move around to connect with different parts of your audience.

Conclusion

Remember that in communication it is not just the spoken word that matters. Your body also communicates information to your audience. How you move during your speech can affect the impact your speech has on your audience. The expressions on your face can either support your message or send the wrong message. The gestures you make can help you to illustrate the points you are making in your speech. Making eye contact with your audience can make them feel connected to you. Good posture can portray an aura of confidence while poor posture can send a message of nervousness.

When planning a speech remember to incorporate body language as part of the plan you have for delivering your speech. Then, when you deliver your speech remember to use body language and to make eye contact with your audience. Also remember to not just stand in the same place during your speech. Use the stage and move around so you can connect with different parts of the audience.

To master the art of public speaking, you need to move beyond the spoken word and to work on your body language as well. This will make you a more effective communicator as both your words and your body language will send the message you want your audience to hear.