Here are some of my tips on how to make yourself bigger than life by using non-verbal skills.

GESTURES

Your hands can be an excellent tool for getting the point across. Learning to use your hands for emphasis is invaluable to a speaker.

  • Gestures can be used to emphasize the main points of your presentation.
  • Good gestures allow your audience to follow your presentation and your train of thought better.
  • Gestures may be used to involve your audience in what you’re saying. (Gestures Add Impact to the Presentation)

EYE CONTACT

  • Eye contact forms a very personal bond with another person.
  • It’s essential for establishing a good rapport with an audience.
  • Looking down and glancing around gives the impression of being scared and not wanting to be there.

FACIAL EXPRESSIONS

Proper facial expression will emphasize all presentations and is one of the most significant components of non-verbal skills.

As a clown, one of the first things you learn to work on is having an expressive face that works for you.  Your face must be welcoming to your audience.

When applying clown makeup, you are taught to look in the mirror and make silly faces to see which part of your face moves the most.  Your eyes? Cheeks? Mouth? Does your forehead have its own personality?

Indeed, as a speaker, you get to use facial expressions to connect with your audience. They are essential.

As a speaker, you’re delivering a message. Like any other clown, actor or entertainer, you are being watched from the moment you step up. Facial expressions will help you convey your message and connect you with your audience.

Animated facial expressions are potent tools for involving your audience with you as a presenter. The expression on your face reinforces what you are saying.  It adds nuance to your meaning and can go a long way toward keeping your audience’s attention. 

  • Set the Mood with Proper Expressions
  • Use Facial Expressions to Support Points
  • Practice Making Facial Expressions Naturally

Research has shown that a very high percentage of learning takes place through the sense of sight.

It is said that the average person learns 83% by seeing.

Hearing is next highest with only 13%.

As presenters, those figures should tremendously impact what we do. (They must go together.) we must give our listeners something to see as well as to hear.