What are the most effective ways to use body language and voice to persuade and influence others?

You may assume that eye contact with your audience is the top factor in building trust while speaking, but a more influential tool is using your hands if you are able. Studies show that the more you show your hands while giving a talk, the greater the respect and trust your audience will have for you. If you observe political or religious leaders, you will notice they all show their hands during speeches to leverage this trust factor. Keeping your hands visible is crucial to remember, especially if you are speaking from behind a podium or giving a virtual presentation.

There are several things to avoid when it comes to body language during public speaking. Here are some common pitfalls to be aware of: Fidgeting: Nervous movements like tapping your foot, shaking your leg, or playing with your hair can be distracting and take away from your message. Try to keep your movements calm and controlled. Excessive movement: While some movement can be effective in engaging your audience, too much movement can be distracting and make it difficult for your audience to focus on your message. Poor eye contact: Avoid looking down or staring at one spot in the room. Make eye contact with different members of your audience and hold their gaze for a few seconds before moving on.

Many people (myself included) can pace the stage a lot when they speak - typically due to nerves. When I did my TEDx talk, I knew that was not an option as you are supposed to stay on the red dot during the talk. So I practiced delivering the talk and I put a few empty plastic water bottles in a circle around my feet. This gave me just enough room to move a little, but not pace back-and-forth wildly or else I would step on one of the water bottles. This type of practice helped me feel more comfortable standing in one place while I spoke. From there you can think about specific times in the presentation that you want to deliberately walk forward or to one side of the room to make a point as opposed to pacing which makes the audience uneasy.

Add to these two, a nod. Smiling, nodding, and asking questions opens the space for the other person to feel comfortable. The safer a person feels, the more likely they are to pay attention to your message. Only 7% of the message is the words. The rest is totality and physical. This is why video conferencing is better than a phone call, and in-person is best.

Here are my two top tips for making great eye contact: Tip #1: Divide and Conquer If you’re speaking to a large group, don’t try to look at everyone. You’ll end up looking like a deer in headlights. ?? Instead, divide the room into four sections and look at each one for a few seconds. This way, you’ll make everyone feel included and engaged. Tip #2: Mix It Up Don’t be predictable with your eye contact. If you always look from left to right, or top to bottom, your audience will get bored and lose interest. Vary your eye contact by looking at different parts of the room randomly. This will keep your audience on their toes and curious about what you’ll say next.

Making eye contact with your audience can help you establish a connection with them and build trust and rapport. When you make eye contact with someone, it shows that you're engaged with them and that you value their presence. Try to make eye contact with different members of your audience throughout your speech, and hold their gaze for a few seconds before moving on to someone else.

In my experience, the best way to connect with other - especially on a virtual call is to blink and nod. Nod, make exclamations like oh, wow, interesting etc. It always makes the next person feel relaxed too.

Tone is so important for engagement. Another key tip for having a good and varied tone is to not rehearse the pitch or presentation too much as this can result in a robotic tone. Additionally, focus on why you’re presenting and what you would like to get out of it and this helps you create the passion which also results in a more engaging tone.

Most importantly make sure that your tone matches with your words. When you say you’re ??happy to be here??, say it like you mean it. Moderate to fast pace, lots of melody and warmth in your voice. In contrast when you’re delivering bad news or want to make an important point, your voice should reflect that - slower, more measured pace, voice lower in your range, bigger pause before and after your message. By ensuring your tone matches and is coherent with your message the audience will trust you more, believe you more and therefore engage better with your message and ultimately, you.

Yes! Monotone does not have to an emotionless flatness. Yelling the whole time is monotone, too. Variance in voice inflection and shifts in pace keep your audience from getting lost or tuning out. Try a little silence. Just stop and watch them return to you. Silence speaks as much as sound.

Practice using different tones and pacing in your speeches to find what works best for you and your audience. Tone: Your tone can convey a wide range of emotions and can greatly influence how your audience perceives your message. Pace: Varying your pace can help you keep your audience engaged and prevent them from getting bored or distracted.

Allowing your audience to connect with you anecdotally can be an exceptional way to share your message without ranting and novel like lectures.

Sharing your own real life experience is a great way to keep them interested in the conversation and remember all you’ve said later. People want practicals not theory! It makes you memorable and that’s a great way to build a personal brand.

Use storytelling techniques: To make your stories more engaging, try to use storytelling techniques such as setting the scene, introducing the characters, and building suspense. This can help draw your audience into the story and make it more memorable.

When asking questions - Ask open-ended questions: Open-ended questions encourage your audience to think critically and engage with your message. They also allow for a wider range of responses and perspectives. Avoid asking yes or no questions, and instead ask questions that require thoughtful answers.

Your CTA should be clear and specific, telling your audience exactly what you want them to do. For example, if you're giving a speech about the importance of recycling, your call to action might be to encourage your audience to start recycling at home by signing up for their local recycling program.