If you have the opportunity to deliver a presentation face to face, you can make your presence felt and command your audience’s attention not only by what you say and show, but how you use your body.

SMILING
As a first step, just be yourself and focus on smiling. Smiling makes people warm up to you, want to listen to what you’re saying and be supportive. Your voice really does sound more inviting and engaging when you have a smile on your face. This is relevant in virtual presentations but is even more powerful face to face.
 
MAKING EYE CONTACT
It’s also important to make eye contact with your audience. From time to time, spend a moment or two looking at each person’s face, turning towards the person most relevant to what you are saying if you can. Avoid looking only at one member of the audience, although it may be worth having slightly more eye contact with the most influential people.
 
STANDING OR SITTING
You can either stand or sit, depending on what’s appropriate for the occasion and what feels right. Standing boosts your sense of authority, whereas sitting is better if you want to foster a sense of collaboration. Some presenters prefer to stand at the start of a presentation but sit down late on, when everyone is sharing their perspectives or discussing the implications. When standing, avoid shuffling around because this can look awkward and be distracting. It’s fine to walk around a bit as you present, and it can heighten attention, but make sure your movements look purposeful. When sitting, try not to fidget. If it’s obvious that you can’t help making certain movements, audiences will quickly ignore them. If not, they may be off-putting.
 
WAVING YOUR ARMS
Presenters are sometimes told to not wave their arms, but this is not necessarily good advice. In general, do what feels natural because it will make you feel confident and help you express enthusiasm for what you’re saying. Wave your hands and arms around if it that’s what you naturally do, but reel them in if there’s a risk of coming across as manic. If you feel there’s an issue with overly dramatic gestures, aim to make small adjustments over time to improve how you come across.
 
COPING WITH STRESS
Even experienced presenters can feel stressed from time to time. If you start feeling uptight, take one or two deep breaths and a drink of water before continuing. Remind yourself that everyone in the room whose opinion counts knows that presenting is difficult and wants you to succeed. If your mouth gets dry and you don’t have any water, gently bite the back of your tongue - this will generate saliva and provide quick relief.