In the last post we shared how important vocal delivery is to speaking success.

One element in speaking scenarios that often gets overlooked is the use of strategic pauses. Using pauses allows us time to think about the next point (or points) we want to convey. It also gives listeners the opportunity to really think about what you’ve just said.

By using pauses you can help your audience internalize and remember your message. You can also use them for emphasis and to effectively highlight what is really important about your topic.

Try using 2 or 3 second pauses in every day conversations and then work them into your formal deliveries and see if they make a difference. If you are a beginning speaker, just make sure you don’t pause too long or too often or over develop them into a predictable pattern. Vocal variety and fluency is always needed to prevent boredom and avoid predictability in order to maintain listener attention.

Allowing quiet time within your delivery helps both you and your audience to reflect and understand what you’re saying.

Because isn’t that what you want them to do?

(pause…)

Two or three seconds of silence is all you need to create importance & emphasis around a point and to make your message memorable.

That’s the power of the pause.