***Captivate Your Audience with Your Voice, Your Facial Expression and Your Body Language

Have you ever watched someone give a speech or presentation who does not move a muscle and speaks in a monotone voice? It is pretty devastating to be subjected to such an ordeal but it happens. And, when it does, one can only pray that it will last 10 minutes and not 50! Your facial expression and body language add significantly to the delivery of your material. Without it, you are leaving your audience with much less enthusiasm or delight over your topic than if you would move, use your hands when you speak, and add some life or emotion to your voice. The problem with lack of emotion in speaking is that it puts your audience to sleep or sends them to their Blackberries. Your goal in public speaking is to engage your listeners. Without the expression of emotion, then you are not engaging. And that is a waste of your time and theirs. If you are unsure of how you look and act when you are presenting, I suggest you video-record yourself and study the playback. Be critical. I know; I know. No one likes to watch themselves (or hear themselves either) on a recording; but, if you have any intention of improving your delivery skills, the video recorder is one of your best tools to do so.

You must see what you look like and how you sound. That is the only way you will successfully make a change.

Your next step is to record yourself again and try smiling, frowning, shaking your head, nodding your head, and laughing as you speak. Watch yourself. This time, try saying a brief sentence with absolutely no emotion and then say the same sentence again as you smile. Repeat it a third time and laugh as you say it. You should notice three different looks and sounds. If you will try the above exercise, you will notice a difference. I guarantee it. I also suggest you do this when you are alone. Part of your lack of expression is because you are keeping your emotions inside when you speak; and, I seriously doubt you are going to allow yourself to make the change if someone else is in the room. What is fascinating about the above exercise is that when you play it back, you will notice that when you are smiling or laughing, your delivery will look natural and normal; your delivery without expression, however, will not. You are the only stumbling block which is keeping your expression from being seen and heard. Give yourself permission to be expressive and you will be on the road to captivating your audience.