Movement is a powerful tool to enhance your presentation delivery. It can help you engage your audience, emphasize your key points, and express your personality. However, moving too much or too little can also distract or bore your listeners. So, how can you incorporate movement in your next presentation in a balanced and effective way? Here are some tips to guide you.
Before you deliver your presentation, think about where, when, and how you want to move. You can use movement to create contrast, transition, or connection. For example, you can move closer to the audience when you want to build rapport, or move to a different spot when you switch to a new topic. You can also use gestures, facial expressions, and posture to reinforce your message. Plan your movement according to your content, purpose, and space.
Crucial is eye contact. Try to convey the feeling to participants that you are speaking directly to them at that moment. ????♂?Move from one side to another; movement is good and adds to the natural flow, helping ease any nerves. Engage participants with questions, and most importantly, be yourself. Anything else comes across as artificial, and participants can sense that. And hey, if a mistake happens – well, it happens. Everyone forgives and forgets, and it can even make you more relatable and endearing as a speaker. So, utilize the space available to you and own it! ?????
When you are speaking about your topic, use movement as a way to create interaction between the audience and yourself. For example, you could ask them to mimic movements of their peers or yourself as an ice breaker. Movement in the form of interactive activities lends itself to enthusiasm and happy faces.
Once you have a plan, practice your movement until it feels natural and comfortable. You can record yourself or ask for feedback from someone else. Pay attention to your pace, timing, and coordination. You want to move with confidence and clarity, not with hesitation or confusion. Avoid fidgeting, pacing, or rocking, as they can signal nervousness or lack of focus. Also, avoid overdoing your movement, as it can appear exaggerated or artificial.
For virtual speaking, recognize how much of your body is in the “video box” seen by the attendees. AVOID Head only in a box if you want to mesmerize your audience. IGNITE your virtual speaking for more impact and connection with the audience when you have multiple cameras and more space to move around, move into the camera and move back. The “movement and positioning blocking” requires practice, and reviewing your recordings until it is right! And INVEST in tech and an expert who is working behind the scenes for switching out the camera views to the audience.
Even if you have a plan and practice your movement, you may need to adjust it depending on the situation. For example, you may have to deal with unexpected technical issues, audience reactions, or environmental factors. Be flexible and responsive to the context and the feedback you receive. You can use movement to regain attention, handle questions, or cope with stress. However, don't let movement distract you from your main goal: delivering your message effectively.
In person public speaking, visit the room you are speaking in. Walk the stage, noting the lighting and where the audience seats are located. Take pictures of the room from all vantage points as you “walk”. Next, you will take mental notes or written notes to plan your movements that impacts all of the audience.
One of the keys to incorporating movement in your presentation is to use it with variety and purpose. You don't want to move too much or too little, or in the same way throughout your presentation. You want to use movement to create interest, contrast, and emphasis. You can vary your movement by changing the direction, speed, frequency, and intensity of your movement. You can also use pauses, stillness, and eye contact to balance your movement.
Another important aspect of incorporating movement in your presentation is to align it with your voice, words, and visuals. You want to create a coherent and consistent impression on your audience. You don't want to send mixed or conflicting signals with your movement. For example, you don't want to move away from the audience when you are asking for their participation, or gesture randomly when you are showing a graph. You want to use movement to support and enhance your message.
Make a checklist of the various movements you can use/your unique ones and determine which “one” will work best that creates impactful connection with the audience AND improvise as well when you are practicing! Looking at my videos, I realized holding out my finger with fingers apart- I did not like that look! I now use my hands with fingers next to each other. ALSO,When I lower my voice and speak slower and softer, to emphasize a point , I am in one spot and move my upper body from left to right, slowly making eye contact with the audience as I look across the audience.?
Make a checklist of the various movements you can use/your unique ones and determine which “one” will work best that creates impactful connection with the audience AND improvise as well when you are practicing! Looking at my videos, I realized holding out my finger with fingers apart- I did not like that look! I now use my hands with fingers next to each other. ALSO,When I lower my voice and speak slower and softer, to emphasize a point , I am in one spot and move my upper body from left to right, slowly making eye contact with the audience as I look across the audience.?
Finally, don't forget to enjoy your movement and have fun with it. Movement can help you express your personality, passion, and enthusiasm for your topic. It can also help you relax, energize, and connect with your audience. Don't be afraid to experiment and try new things with your movement. Don't be too rigid or self-conscious about your movement. Remember, movement is a natural and powerful way to communicate and persuade.
Walk around in the beginning to get rid of your nervousness and when possible, walk around the room for physical proximity, personal eye contact, that breathes impact and connections! I did this when I first started public speaking, and received FABULOUS feedback from the audience. It is my trademark that people to this day give me positive feedback. The audience feels your energy and passion 100x more and leave with a “wow”