5. Speak out.

Almost any child trained to speak has been told to project to the people in the back
of the room. Most of the people who serve on panels with me must have forgotten
they got that advice because they invariably swallow half their words and they do
not generally project. Do you want to be heard? 50% of the people in any audience
have some sort of hearing loss. Speak to them! Overcompensate with volume.
Make people listen to you by having your voice swallow up the room with
command.

Do not trust mics or the people who tell you that your voice level is just fine. Speak
loudly. Vary your tone. Modulate it, whisper sometimes — but speak loudly. Did
you know that you can whisper loudly? You can! Do not drink ice water — ever! It
narrows your throat. If you think you need water, make it room temperature. Tell
people secrets. Even made up ones. Draw them in. Feel that your message may
save a life. Don't bore people with non-essential informtiaon.

6. Keep eye contact and engage your audience

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
conveys your message on a personal level.

6.1. 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.

6.2. 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.
6.3. 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.

6.4. 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.

6.5. 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.

6.6. 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.