PERIL

PEARL

Pauses

Filler words such as umm, ahhh, or you know are vocal irritants and give the impression that you're not familiar with your material.

Use pauses to keep your audience involved. Silence can add suspense, drama, or impact when used at key moments. Pause before you make an important point, to give your audience a chance to absorb what you have to say and  before the punch line of a joke.

Eye contact

Lack of eye contact translates into dishonesty.  Shifty eyes that dart rapidly through the audience convey nervousness.

With a small group, make eye contact with each person. In a large group, select a person in each corner to look at while you are talking.  Maintain eye contact for a complete thought or sentence before moving your eyes to another person.

Action

Excessive movements such as hand flailing, pacing back and forth, or swaying conveys nervousness.

Lack of action creates the perception of fear which results in a stiff and boring presentation.

Use actions that are natural. Use your hands and body appropriately. Step out to the audience and away from the lectern. Move a few steps sideways to indicate transitions in your text.

Rate

A slow speaking rate results in wandering minds that are waiting for you to make your point. Your audience loses interest and possibly even falls asleep.

A pace that is constantly rapid can tire the audience. It makes it difficult to keep track of what you're saying.

Variety adds interest. Vary your rate.  Speeding up shows excitement and enthusiasm and keeps your audience attentive. Use pauses skillfully.

Loudness

Speaking too loudly alienates the audience by creating a perception that you are angry with them.

If your volume is too soft, the audience will need to strain to hear you and lose interest.

Vary your volume. It adds interest and keeps your voice from becoming dull or predictable.