No doubt you’ve heard a lot about using eye contact to engage people when you present. It’s certainly one of the best ways to keep people’s attention, and to connect with them.
But do you manage to keep true eye contact for about 5 seconds or more? (By “true” eye contact, I mean with just one person at a time!) Only with such a gaze do you give enough time for a meaningful connection with that person.
If you look at them more briefly, they (and the rest of your audience) will likely feel that your eyes are flitting around the room. That’s because there’s not enough time for you to share a complete thought with the person you’re looking at.
Share a complete thought with the person you’re looking at
So check out this neat 3-minute video by presentation coach Jim Endicott (at the 2012 Presentation Summit). In the video, you’ll see a simple, natural technique for lengthening your eye contact.
As a bonus, by using Jim’s eye-contact tip, you’ll also add meaningful movement to your talk. And like good eye contact, that makes you seem (and feel!) more comfortable as a speaker, which helps you persuade your audience to accept your message – and ultimately to act on it.
While you watch, also look out for his advice on blacking out your slide to strengthen your eye contact, and how to reduce distracting gestures.
Over to you
What’s the biggest takeaway you got from the video? I’d love to hear your thoughts.
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