Public speaking is a skill that is often underestimated. In order to be a good public speaker, you need to be able to engage your audience and make eye contact. But why is it so important? That’s what we’re here to find out.
Contents
- 1. You Look More Confident
- 2. It Helps You Connect with Your Audience
- 3. Your Audience Will Pay More Attention
- 4. You’ll Appear More Enthusiastic
- 5. It Will Help You Control the Room
- 6. It Will Keep You More Focused
- 7. Your Speech Will Be More Persuasive
- 8. It Helps You Talk At A Reasonable Pace
- 9. You’ll Appear More Relaxed and Natural
- 10. It Will Help You Remember What You Want to Say
- Final Thoughts
1. You Look More Confident
When you make eye contact with your audience, you come across as more confident. This is because looking at them eye-to-eye shows that you believe in what you’re saying. It’s like you’re saying, “I’m sure of what I’m saying, and I’m not afraid to look you in the eye while I’m saying it.”
2. It Helps You Connect with Your Audience
Making eye contact is important because it helps you connect with your audience on a personal level. It also makes them feel like you’re speaking directly to them, which can make your message more impactful. Connecting with them in this way can also make them more likely to trust you and to be interested in what you have to say.
3. Your Audience Will Pay More Attention
You are also more likely to keep your audience’s attention. Looking at them will prevent them from diverting their attention elsewhere. Even if they’re uninterested with your topic, looking them in the eye will still make them listen.
4. You’ll Appear More Enthusiastic
Enthusiasm is contagious, and looking at your audience in the eye will help show them that you’re excited about your speech.
5. It Will Help You Control the Room
When you focus your eyes with your audience, you’re essentially telling them that you’re in control. This is because looking at someone shows that you have power over them. It will help avoid any of them from distracting you and your speech.
6. It Will Keep You More Focused
Scanning the room will only distract you from your speech. It’s important to focus on one thing at a time, and that one thing should be your audience. It will prevent you from thinking of other things or getting distracted by a passerby.
7. Your Speech Will Be More Persuasive
If you’re trying to convince your audience of something, this technique will surely help. This is because people are more likely to believe someone who is looking them in the eye. It will help you get your sales up if you’re giving a sales pitch or help you get more people to sign up if you’re recruiting.
8. It Helps You Talk At A Reasonable Pace
If you keep shifting your eyes around the room, you’ll end up talking too fast. This is because you’ll be trying to give much information at once. But if you focus on one person at a time, you can better control the pacing of your speech. You won’t even notice that you’re talking slower when you make eye contact because it will feel like a normal conversation.
9. You’ll Appear More Relaxed and Natural
This is because you won’t be thinking about what you should say next or how you look to the rest of the room. You’ll only be focused on the person in front of you, which will help the speech flow more smoothly.
10. It Will Help You Remember What You Want to Say
If you’re constantly looking around the room, you’ll lose track of what you were saying. But if you focus on one person, you can easily get back to your train of thought. Simply making eye contact with them will help jog your memory and deliver your speech successfully.
Final Thoughts
Making eye contact is important for many reasons. It makes you come across as more confident, helps you connect with your audience, and many more. So the next time you’re giving a speech, remember to focus your eyes on your audience, and you’ll be sure to deliver an impactful message. Thanks for reading!
