Use your hands; you'll get more feet

Much of the power audiences confer upon a presentor and his or her message is directly related to the amount of space the speaker uses. The more powerful you appear, the more powerful your message will be perceived by your audience.

The easiest way to use more space and project more power: use your hands!

Most of us use our hands as we talk. But we normally use them in a "comfort zone" that equals the width of our shoulders. Use your hands beyond your comfort zone and you'll occupy more space – and project yourself as a more powerful speaker.

Let's do the math: A 6-foot tall man who's 2-feet wide and who uses his hands within the usual comfort zone (the width of his shoulders) occupies 12 square feet of space. (2 ft. x 6 ft. = 12 sq. ft.)

But consider that same speaker who finds a way to extend his arms in the course of his presentation. Most of our wingspans are the same as our height – in this case, he has a 6-foot wingspan. Extending his arms means he'll occupy a space 6 ft. x 6 ft.. . . or a total of 36 square feet. That's three times his original power projection of only 12 square feet!

Look for places in your presentation where you can extend your arms. Phrases like "from here to there" or "on the one hand..." can help you become bigger in the eyes of your audience.

Keep using your hands and you'll get more feet!