Ever considered why some people attract their audience immensely while others do not? Mostly, it is because great speakers always maintain eye contact when they deliver their speeches. This helps them persuade and convince the audience in a few minutes while others take hours to accomplish the same task. Thus, creating positive and meaningful eye contact is important to engage the audience and give them a sense of involvement.
Listed below are some benefits of maintaining eye contact during the presentation.
Benefits of Maintaining Eye Contact
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Establishes Positive Connection with Your Audience
Positively looking at the audience while you speak makes them more interested in your words as it establishes a personal connection with them. It attaches them to your presentation, and they are more likely to interpret your message easily.
Key Tip- Do not look forcibly or aggressively at anybody in the audience as it might offend them.
You can find some methods of making positive eye contact here –
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Improves Your Concentration
Deliberately looking at people in a room full of new faces helps you stay calm and composed throughout. It will also bring your attention to nothing else but your speech. When you look at somebody for five to six seconds, you will automatically slow down your speech, and this will keep your anxiety at bay. It will also help you maintain your pace, preventing you from slowing down or rushing away.
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It is a Yardstick of Confidence
If a speaker avoids eye contact, he/she is considered to have little knowledge of the subject and lack confidence. Thus, when you focus your eyes on the audience, you communicate confidence and conviction to them. They are more likely to pay heed to what you’re saying because you would be more assertive.
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Facilitates Engagement and Interaction
In order to turn your audience from passive listeners to active participants, you must scan your eyes through the audience. For instance, when you inject humor, look at them and smile, and they will smile back.
However, if you do not do so, you’ll see people getting detached from your speech. This will not only reduce their interaction with you but may also create boredom.
Tips on How to Improve Eye Contact
While it is easier said than done, creating eye contact can be a herculean task for many of us. Especially, if you are dealing with stage fright or social anxiety, this feels like a nightmare. However, here are certain tips and tricks that can help you ease yourself.
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Consider Your Audience to be Individual Listeners
When you think of your audience as individuals who are willing to hear you out, you are more likely to look and connect with them directly. This will help you maintain eye contact in a positive manner.
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Include the Crowd
Sometimes when the crowd is too huge, you cannot gaze at each one of them separately. Thus, in such a situation, you must always try to involve the audience in your speech.
You can do this by:
- Asking yes or no questions.
- Making the audience raise their hands for certain queries.
- Conducting a question and answer round to create a personal touch.
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Do Not Hold on for Too Long
According to a study, it takes around five seconds to establish proper eye contact. If you keep staring at a person for more than that, it will become uncomfortable and unpleasant for him/her, and he/she might even lose interest in your presentation.
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Do Not Look at Your Slides
When you keep looking at your slides instead of seeing your audience, it may get extremely taxing for them. You can avoid this mistake by preparing and rehearsing your speech beforehand so that you no longer need the screens to remember your presentation.
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Highlight Critical Lines with Sustained Eye Contact
The crucial lines of your presentations, such as the opening, facts, figures, statements, and closing, should be highlighted through your expressions. Maintaining sustained eye contact will help you deliver a powerful message by commencing or ending on a prompt note.
Conclusion
While most people are comfortable with having eye contact, always remember that there are still many cultures around the globe that do not approve of it. Thus, whenever you perform, know your audience and their backgrounds prior to your presentation.
However, we hope that this article helps you polish your skills. Wish you luck!
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Read more: 7 Ways To Enhance Your Eye Contact
This article was written for Business 2 Community by Ashish Arora.
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