Eye contact

Eye contact with your audience is important. By locking eyes with members of your audience, you can temporarily create a very direct, personal communication ‘channel’ between you and them. It makes the audience member aware of the fact that you have noticed them in the audience. Apart from anything else, an audience member is less likely to let themselves doze off or chit-chat if they know you’re looking at them.

Don’t, however, look at any one person for too long. Any more than a few seconds can make the audience member feel uncomfortable. Eye contact is also a great way of getting feedback from the audience - if they’re not looking back at you when you try to make eye contact, there’s a good chance they’re not listening either.

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