Effortlessly enigmatic  - That how one would describe someone who held vast crowds of people spellbound with his speeches.

Who wants the old fashioned soporific speeches which are meant as a cure for insomniacs? When you go out there to speak, you want everyone wide awake. You don’t want their eyes critiquing your crumpled shirt or mismatched socks, but fixed on your face, ears riveted onto your words. You need a lot of oomph.

Just take a leaf out Rahul Gandhi’s book. That man has revolutionized the concept of politics. With him on the dais, the era of dhotis and ‘paan’-laden speeches has been put to an end. This is the moment of the metro man, and a Gandhi finally threw away the loincloth to don the smartest clothes which sent the hearts of millions of ladies flurrying. But your power as the public speaker does not come with clothes alone. They only make the first impression. After that, you got to play with your body gestures. Confused? Well, read on to see how you can carry out the simplest actions with a suaveness that will capture everyone’s gaze:

Always talk about your audience’s concerns.

What do you think makes a great leader? No, not the ones who feather their own nests, but the ones who talk about people’s concerns. The leader always puts “we” before “I”. When Rahul Gandhi says “I am an Indian first” as a response to Shiv Sena’s divisive politics, he is actually stating that he might be the heir apparent to the ‘throne’ of India , but he’s still, he is one of us.

Keep all your points simple.

Remember, your audience has limited attention span- they sometimes get so bored that they start wishing that you faltered in your speech so that they can make fun of you. You do not have to give elongated monologues- just keep all the points very simple. This is where you crack some jokes to keep everyone still awake and interested.

Learn to anticipate the audience’s thoughts.

You have to expect what the audience is going to react like. The principle of “evoking the opposite” is very important. Not only should your message state your arguments clearly, but it should also not fail to answer people’s questions about the contrary.

Use pauses effectively, but of course, do not draw a blank altogether.

This is a trick that can be very effective. In fact, if you are a Shakespeare fan, you would remember Antony in his passionate speech pausing while letting the truth of Caesar’s death sink into people’s heads.

Pauses are used to let the audience catch up with you. 

Give them time to think clearly, and connect all the dots. In fact, pausing is very efficacious and plays at the speaker’s advantage when communicating on stage. The trick is to learn to use it at the appropriate places and for the right amount of time. It is the mark of a great speaker to have mastered the art of pauses.

Use proper body gestures to send the right message Leave your dancing shoes at home. 

When you are speaking, never keep moving. Whether it is your feet, or your hands, keep them still. Do not fold your arms. When you cross your arms, people get the message that you are being defensive. This would mean that you have something to hide. Now that is a case we want to avoid. Don’t impersonate a teapot.

Never ever, stand with an arm on your waist like a teapot. 

That is not a sincere gesture, and the last thing you want people to believe is that you are not taking the matter seriously. Finally, do not blink a lot while speaking. Remember, your eyes give you away. When you are speaking, engage the audience completely. One way to do that is focusing your eyes on them. Look at them; make them feel like you are talking to each one of them individually.

These few tips are extremely helpful. Do not believe it? Well, try them out, follow them to the boots, and see how your audience reacts.