Having the right presentation and body language- whether in an interview, in pitching an idea to a supervisor or selling our business concept to customers - can make the difference between success and failure.
What feeling do we convey? Warm and fuzzy? Chilly? Enthusiastic, confident? Scared out of our wits? How do we look and how do we sound? By answering these questions, we will pick up the tricks and tendencies that can make or mar the impression we’re giving. To do this, we must break down the elements that contribute to making a good impression.

Our Gestures
Bigger is better, but so is fewer. The gestures we make should be descriptive of what we’re saying. Our hands should depict the word-picture of our voice. Avoid small hesitant hand movements that only make us seem nervous. Practice before a mirror or videotape ourself to see whether our gestures emphasize our points or distract from them.
Eye Contact
As we look around the room, focus on one person at a time. Even as we speak to an audience, it’s as though we are having a series of brief one-on-one encounters.

Our Voice
Focus on one sentence at a time. This is the best way to get rid of those awkward ‘umms’ and ‘ahs’ that convey hesitation and uncertainty. By thinking about what we’re saying, we are also less likely to speak too quickly.

Our Movements
When we’re in front of a room or onstage, the key is to ‘stroll purposefully.’ That means when we’re pausing in what we have to say, we walk. The thumb rule is to take three steps, then stop and continue talking. This will keep the audience’s attention and permit us to collect our thoughts.

The Way We Sound
We don’t have to be a professional public speaker to learn how to project our voice and modulate it between high and low registers, loud and quiet timbres, fast and slow rhythms. The goal is to convey the impression of confidence and enthusiasm on the one hand, but also a relaxed and conversational easiness. We want to be liked, to be sure. More important, we want to be believed. Listen to ourself on tape, make notes of improvements.

What We Say
One of the great no-nos of presentation is memorizing. Women should learn to work from notes or power point presentations. But the memorized speech, inevitably falls as flat as a pancake. And heaven help us if we get distracted from the single track of our memory. That can lead straight to stage fright and freezing up