As a business professional, the ability to give an effective presentation is a critical skill. Whether you are delivering a presentation to colleagues, clients, or investors, the way in which you deliver your message will have a huge impact on the way you are perceived. Therefore, one of the most effective public speaking skills to master is the pause. Pausing is one of the most powerful tools a speaker can use. While most people fear silence when speaking in front of others, a strategically placed pause can actually help you connect with your audience, emphasize points, and enhance your impact. Consider the following tips for effectively implementing pauses in your presentations. 

Why are pauses so important in presentations?

1. They help you connect with your audience.

When you pause, you give your audience a chance to process what you just said. Deliberate pauses also allow you to maintain eye contact with your audience. Both of these things help the audience feel more engaged in your presentation.

2. Pauses clarify your message. 

If you are presenting complex information, data, or other information that may be difficult to process, a pause will give your audience time to think about what you said, making it more effective and easier to understand. 

3. Pauses add emphasis to key points.

When you pause after an important point, you draw attention to it and make it more memorable for your audience. 

4. Pauses help to manage your nervousness. 

If you are anxious about presenting, pausing every now and then gives you a chance to take a deep breath and regain your composure. 

When to pause during a presentation?

1. Before you start your presentation

It’s helpful to pause as soon as you step in front of your audience. Pause, look at your audience, and smile. This gives you a chance to take a deep breath and gather your thoughts. It also makes you look purposeful and prepared. 

2. When you want to capture attention

Perhaps you are beginning with a staggering statistic, an interesting fact, a compelling photograph, or a rhetorical question. If so, you can enhance your impact by pausing after you make your statement. This adds a dramatic effect, making your opening statement even more attention grabbing. 

3. Before and after your main points

It’s easy to rush through your material when you’re nervous, but doing so will prevent your audience from taking in your core message. Instead, pause briefly before and after your main points. Doing so before will set the audience up for what they are about to hear, while pausing afterward, gives them a chance to process the information.