Posture

The Way You Stand

Body language is all about appearing confident.  This means that you want to stand feet shoulder width apart with your body weight on both feet.  You want to roll your shoulders back as most people slouch forward.  Push your chest out slightly. Rocking from side to side is a common tendency for nervous speakers.  Their foot movement almost looks as if they are slow dancing without a partner.

For a great example of the proper upright posture check out a presentation by “Rich Dad, Poor Dad” author Robert Kiyosaki.

You can notice that even though he is standing up perfectly straight, he does not look stiff. The air or message created by his posture is sheer and utter confidence.  Obviously, if you are promoting financial literacy books this is exactly the type of posture you would want to have.

The Way You Move

Eyes are attracted to movement.  This is why a litigator moves around a courtroom while he or she speaks to the jury.  You do not want to nervously pace around the room but rather move with purpose.  Your movement should be consistent with your presentation. When you move forward toward the audience it is because you want to emphasize a key point.  You may shuffle a few steps after finishing a point to stimulate more attention.