Do you remember your first presentation or public speaking experience? How did you feel? I am sure you must have given due attention to your material, your slides, a clicker (if you have used one), your dress, and your hair. Let me ask you this – when was the last time you paid attention to your facial expressions? We use emojis every now and then while texting. Which means, facial expressions have a big role to play in any kind of conversation. Facial expressions create dynamism. They give the impression that you stand behind your ideas and believe in them.

While preparing for the big picture, we tend to overlook the small details. No matter if you are doing a formal presentation, or talking to your child’s teacher, or talking to your friend, each of these is a form of public speaking. Let’s talk about facial expressions and which facial expressions are a must while giving a presentation.

I am not an image consultant or a career counselor. But from my experience so far, I have always paid attention to these points whenever I have to give an in-person presentation or record something on camera. 

Related article: https://mothersgurukul.com/how-look-feel-more-confident-camera-live-videos/

1. Be authentic
2. Smiling Eyes
3. Emotions
4. Pay attention to your audience’s facial expressions
5. Consider your entire audience
6. Eye contact and acknowledge
7. Practice

Related article: Facial expressions as tools for social influence

Be authentic

Anything that does not fits your personality is not going to help you. Be authentic. When you start your conversation with a smile in an authentic way, you give your audience a message that you are happy to be there. Sometimes, it may not come naturally to you as you are still trying to get in the mood, but it sets a good mood for the audience for sure. 

Smiling eyes

Smiling is a crucial expression when we are presenting. You don’t have to keep a smiling face throughout the presentation. Alternatively, you can smile with your eyes. First grin slightly, then narrow your eyes – slightly – into a stare. Let me guess – Are you doing it while reading this point? 🙂

Recent research shows that you’re perceived as conveying more intense and sincere emotions when you use your face, specifically the little lines around your eyes (known as Duchenne markers).

Emotions

Show emotions, laughs, and make it lively. It is the presenter’s connection to the word that can bring them to life for the audience. 

Pay attention to your audience’s facial expressions

One of the reasons I love in-person presentations is that it lets me see my audience’s facial expressions.  I can make a connection with them. I can make changes in my delivery on the spot.

Consider your entire audience

We tend to focus our attention on the people who are smiling or nodding. It’s good that you are paying attention to their facial expressions, but you still need to speak to the skeptics in the room. There will be people in your audience whose facial expressions are cold, skeptical. They may not be nodding at your point, but they must be the one’s who are paying the maximum attention to you. They might surprise you by acknowledging it to you after the presentation is over. 

Eye contact and Acknowledge

Eye contact is a must. But it should not be staring. You should have a soft look while addressing your audience. That’s when smiling with eyes comes in handy. If you have a large audience, make sure to alternate talking to the audience members to the right, left, and front of you. When you begin your speech, do not look at your notes; look at your audience! Along with maintaining a proper eye contact, nodding is equally important. Expressing interest in your audience feedback. The session should not be one way. You have to acknowledge.  

 

 

 

 

 

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Practice

Practice the facial expressions in front of the mirror. See if they can convey the mood that you want to create. 

Let’s move on to the camera now:

When you are giving a presentation remotely, the only tool you have is your voice and expressions. Your audience cannot see your whole body or can have direct eye contact. To persuade them, you have to use your voice and facial expressions. 

Related article: How to look and feel more confident on camera

Don’t let your facial expression to over-power your message. Let them be your special tool to solidify your point.