The way we deliver our message to other people is made up of three components, the three V's: Visual, Vocal, Verbal. Each carries a percentage of the listeners' perception of the total message. The visual component usually carries the most weight with audience members -- a person's body language, posture, eye contact and facial expressions are the main areas in this equation.

Have you ever watched a speaker sway or rock at the podium or in front of a room? It's very distracting and can detract from even the most interesting presentation.

How you appear to the audience will have an impact on their reaction to what you are going to tell them. Your posture and the way you conduct yourself is an important part of your presentation. Your objective is to be comfortable and controlled while you are presenting. You want the audience to see that you are relaxed and in control (no matter how you really feel!).

Stand up and spread your feet about 6 to 8 inches apart, parallel to each other with your toes pointed straight ahead to achieve a comfortable speaking position. Then, flex your knees and put your weight on the balls of your feet. Standing in this position will stop any swaying or rocking motion and will diminish any distracting heel movements.

Stand up straight and face the audience head-on. Keep your posture open with arms relaxed and hanging down at your sides. If your arms are crossed in front it may make you seem defensive. Hold your head up high with your chin up. Having your chin raised gives you the aura of being in control; chin down connotes acquiescence. Visual signals that make you appear not to be in control will detract from your presentation.

Gestures, a form of body language, are also a part of your overall visual picture. They are visual reinforcements of the words and ideas you are trying to communicate to your audience. Gestures include hand, arm, and head movements and can enhance your presentation or detract from it. Have you ever had a conversation with someone who "talks with their hands?" In some cultures, it is an accepted and commonplace addition to spoken communication. In our culture, some hand gestures such as finger pointing and fist raising can be interpreted as hostile or threatening.

Another negative related to gesturing concerns the position of a speaker's hands and arms. When giving presentations, men frequently stand in the "at ease" position commonly used in the military. They cross their hands behind their backs, and they keep them there. Or they cross their hands low in front of them like a fig leaf on a statue. Both men and women frequently cross their arms over their chests thinking they appear relaxed and confident. To many in the audience, this stance makes the speaker look merely defensive. By facing audience members with your arms crossed you are closing yourself to them, and they will sense this. Since your objective is to communicate with openness and sincerity, you want to make open gestures to reinforce what you are saying.

Another gesture to avoid is putting your hands in your pockets. Some nervous presenters use this as a way of keeping their shaking hands out of sight, and often wind up jingling the change in their pocket or their keys, without realizing it. Some people can't get their hands back out again and wind up spilling out the contents of their pockets as they try to release their hands. To avoid embarrassment, it's wise to empty your pockets of change and keys before presenting.

Gestures also help you to emphasize important points during your presentation. They reinforce what you are saying with a visual message. The most effective gestures are spontaneous ones. They come from what you are thinking and feeling and they help the audience to relate to you and what you are telling them. It is much more effective to watch a speaker who uses movement than to listen to someone standing behind a lectern with hands clasped in front of him.

Your gestures should be varied; don't use the same motion over and over again. Repetition can be distracting to audience members and you may find they are watching your gestures instead of listening to the presentation. Some gestures interfere with the audience's ability to pay attention, such as the threatening ones mentioned earlier (finger pointing and fist waving). Instead, use your palms and open them out to your audience. Move your arm and hand as a single unit gesturing up and out toward the audience. Use either one or two arms. Try a sweeping motion and relate the extent of your gestures to the size of your audience. Bigger audiences need bigger gestures. Don't forget that nodding the head, and smiling are effective ways to emphasize what you are saying. As a presenter who uses gestures effectively, you will be projecting confidence and competence and the response you get from your audience will let you know when you have succeeded.

Whether they read from prepared notes or do impromptu speeches, effective speakers make eye contact with audience members.

Don't be afraid to make eye contact with audience members, their reactions to you will help your performance as a presenter. If you sense boredom, you may have to pick up the pace; if you sense enthusiasm, it can help to pump you up. When you make eye contact, you are relating to your audience, which will help get your message across.

In order to make proper eye contact, think of the audience as sitting in a "Z" formation. Start with a familiar or friendly face. Look at that person for three to five seconds, or to complete a thought, and then move on in a "Z" around the room. Break your "Z" by starting from the middle or the back of the room to vary your eye contact. If you make eye contact with someone who quickly turns away, try not to look directly into that person's eyes again. In some cultures, direct eye contact is inappropriate, and some people just feel uncomfortable being looked at. You may also nod occasionally, and you will probably get a nod back, at least if the person agrees with what you just said. If you get a head shake, you'll know who disagrees with you.

Speakers also know they need to be aware of facial expressions during presentations. Once you become aware of the expressions you make, it will be easier for you to eliminate them. Put a mirror next to your desk at work for one week. Watch your face when you are talking on the telephone. Be aware of any artificial, unfriendly, or deadpan expressions you may be making. Do you squint, frown, make strange faces? Practice smiling and looking pleasant. That's how you want to look during your presentations.

It isn't easy to speak and smile at the same time, but it is important to smile during your presentation if congruent with your message. Some men find it more difficult to smile while presenting than women do, but practice helps here. Videotape your presentation or practice in front of a friend. Watch your expression and see if you have smiled enough and in appropriate places. If not, you can write reminder notes to yourself in the margin of your speech or just practice smiling beforehand.

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Before giving your next presentation, keep these words in mind and remember the visual signals you want to give the audience. When you master the visual mix of appropriate body language, proper movements, eye contact and more, you're well on your way to successful speaking.

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