Could You Be Detracting From Your Message?
What is it that people remember most about presentations?
Is it the content and data? Well, you’d think so from how much effort people put into making this part of their presentation perfect. But, no, that’s not it. The content only contributes to 7% of what people remember.
What’s the other 93%?
People remember 52% if the presenter makes eye contact. And 41% how the presenter moves.
Stop and think about what this means. It means that eye contact is not just a nice-to-have add on. It’s essential. And that the way you move is close to six times more important than your data.
I’m not of course suggesting that you skimp on having perfect, accurate and well-researched data.
But I do insist that if you want to give fearless presentations, you make it your business to learn about eye contact. And practice everything you learn.
Top tip on eye contact: Don’t ’spray’ the room. Focus on individuals. One at a time. Actually connect. Resist the temptation to keep roving until you’ve met with your eyes.
Try it in your next presentation.
Plus here’s a bonus hint: keep track of your eye contact in a presentation journal. After every presentation, write down how you did practicing your ability to focus on individuals. Just this tracking will help eye contact to be high on your priority list.
Tune in next week for more on body movement and finding your home zone in our next Fearless Presentation tip.
What is it that people remember most about presentations?
Is it the content and data? Well, you’d think so from how much effort people put into making this part of their presentation perfect. But, no, that’s not it. The content only contributes to 7% of what people remember.
What’s the other 93%?
People remember 52% if the presenter makes eye contact. And 41% how the presenter moves.
Stop and think about what this means. It means that eye contact is not just a nice-to-have add on. It’s essential. And that the way you move is close to six times more important than your data.
I’m not of course suggesting that you skimp on having perfect, accurate and well-researched data.
But I do insist that if you want to give fearless presentations, you make it your business to learn about eye contact. And practice everything you learn.
Top tip on eye contact: Don’t ’spray’ the room. Focus on individuals. One at a time. Actually connect. Resist the temptation to keep roving until you’ve met with your eyes.
Try it in your next presentation.
Plus here’s a bonus hint: keep track of your eye contact in a presentation journal. After every presentation, write down how you did practicing your ability to focus on individuals. Just this tracking will help eye contact to be high on your priority list.
Tune in next week for more on body movement and finding your home zone in our next Fearless Presentation tip.
Category: PRESENTATION TIPS
Hi Thomas,
This is an interesting post. Are you referring to Albert Mehrabian’s communication research?
I wrote a post last year about how Mehrabian’s research is frequently misinterpreted, especially when applied to public speaking. Check it out here: http://coachlisab.blogspot.com/2007/08/truth-about-7-38-55.html
I’m not saying we shouldn’t pay attention to eye contact and movement as speakers, but Mehrabian was studying incongruent verbal and nonverbal communication, specifically when a person is expressing feelings and attitudes.
He looked at how subjects responded to images with different facial expressions and recordings of a voice saying a single word with different inflections conveying like, dislike and neutral emotion.
It’s a bit of a stretch to apply his results directly to public speaking.
If you’re referring to some other research, then disregard my comments!