When you are preparing for a speech, interview, or presentation, consider the effective use of silence.

 

When coming to an important point, pause just before you begin, make eye contact, make your point, and then pause just afterwards. Silence can be used to add emphasis, to give the listener or audience a chance to grasp your point, and allows you time to stay ahead during the transition to the next part of the speech or next major point.

Don’t forget to make eye contact. You don’t want to lose your audience or want listeners to think that you don’t remember what your next point is.

 

Here is a link to an article describing several ways to use the power of silence productively.

http://www.genardmethod.com/blog/bid/190736/Silence-5-Ways-to-Use-This-Powerful-Public-Speaking-Tool