5 body language tips for effective presentations

Believe it or not, 55% of communication comes from our body language – the tone of our voice takes 38% and surprisingly, our spoken words take only 7%. No matter how eloquent you are, if you don’t know how to properly present yourself, not only may you be prone to humiliation but you might also spoil your meetings or even lose your potential clients.

Don’t let your body language control you. Here are some tips you may want to keep in mind:

1. Stand confidently and keep a relaxed posture

This is the first step towards a successful presentation since your posture will set the atmosphere in your meeting. Your audience may perceive you as someone who is credible, friendly, approachable and sincere and this also contributes towards easing any tensions.

2. Don’t fidget
Whenever we talk in front of people, we unconsciously commit gestures that can distract our audience – these could cause negative impressions. Your audience may notice and it might be obvious whether you are nervous or anxious.

While fidgeting can be convenient in certain circumstances, your audience may become uncomfortable with it. They may see you as someone who is vulnerable or weak, thus undermining your credibility.

Preventing this can be tricky; if you make yourself aware enough to notice that you are about to fidget, try to concentrate on your breathing. Take slow breaths and relax – this may help!

3. Don’t cross your arms
Crossing your arms is a closed expression, portraying an unwillingness to be open to ideas. Even if you don’t mean it, as one of the most common negative gestures in communication you must try to inhibit the habit. Practice keeping both arms at your sides and keep them relaxed.

4. Give gestures that can aid your verbal presentations
Gestures are great tools for conveying your message; not only will your audience easily understand your notions your gestures will make it easier for them to remember your discussion because they are visualising and listening at the same time.

If you are renting meeting rooms in London for your presentation, you can utilise some of the complimentary items – a whiteboard and dry erase markers can also help you to convey your ideas.

5. Don’t forget to smile!

Smiling is contagious. Brightening up the mood in meetings, smiling is also a genuine indication that you are engaged with your colleagues and that you appreciate and listen to their opinions.

Leave a good impression with the appropriate body language… you’ll find your meetings will become a whole lot more productive!

Posted by Sara Cano