To many audiences, confidence, enthusiasm and sincerity are critical cues to your professional competence. Often, these traits are best projected by the way you handle yourself physically. Here are a few keys to putting your best foot forward physically. It may sound simple, but you'd be surprised at how many people fail to maintain good posture while speaking. Standing tall, as opposed to hunching over or leaning on the podium, is an essential starting point for projecting the confidence you need to impress the audience.
Eye contact is also key.
You want to speak to individuals in the audience and establish eye contact with people throughout the room. Lock in on a particular person, and hold eye contact until you have completed a thought and feel comfortable and in control. What's more, when you pause to think, avoid the temptation to let your eyes roam the room. Instead, try to remain focused on an individual. Contrary to what some people may think, there's nothing wrong with using gestures during your presentation.