What are the best ways to use body language to convey confidence in a conference dinner session?

3 Maintain eye contact

Eye contact is an essential element of body language, as it can demonstrate interest, attention, and respect. Establishing eye contact with your audience can also help you build rapport, trust, and confidence. To maintain eye contact, look at each person or group for around 3 to 5 seconds before moving on to another. Additionally, the 50/70 rule is useful - look at your audience 50% of the time when speaking and 70% when listening. The triangle technique is another great way to create a natural and comfortable eye contact - look at the eyes and mouth of the person you are speaking to, forming a triangle. Lastly, try to avoid looking at the ceiling, floor, or notes too often as it can indicate that you are nervous, bored, or unprepared.

4 Control your facial expressions

Your facial expressions can reveal your emotions, attitudes, and thoughts, and can also affect how your audience feels and reacts to your message. To convey confidence, enthusiasm, and sincerity, it's important to smile genuinely and frequently - but not too much or too little. Additionally, you should match your facial expressions to your tone and content. For instance, if you are telling a joke, smile or laugh; if you are sharing a serious or sad story, show concern or sympathy. Negative facial expressions such as frowning, scowling, or rolling your eyes should be avoided as they can show that you are unhappy, angry, or disrespectful. Lastly, neutral facial expressions such as a blank or bored face should also be avoided as they can show that you are uninterested, unemotional, or indifferent.

5 Use your voice wisely

Your voice is an effective tool that can demonstrate confidence, clarity, and credibility. It can also influence the audience's attitude, attention, and comprehension. To ensure your message is delivered effectively and persuasively, use your voice wisely. Speak with a clear and confident tone, avoiding mumbling, whispering, or shouting. Vary your pace, pitch, and volume to keep your audience engaged. Utilize vocal expressions like laughter or exclamations to demonstrate emotion and personality. Avoid filler words such as “um” or “ah” that can make you appear uncertain or unprofessional. When using body language in a conference dinner session, convey confidence with what you do and don’t do. Be mindful of your body language and avoid any signals that contradict or weaken your message. With practice and feedback, you can improve your body language skills. Don’t be afraid to experiment and learn from mistakes.