Ever watch someone and just have a feeling about them, good or bad?   We all have.

85% of what you communicate is not with words.   It’s through the tone of your voice, the way you stand and a wealth of other messages that your body is unknowingly sending.

So What can you do with hands and arms when speaking on video?

Here are a few uesful body language tips that might help:

• Clasping your hands is a sign that you are closed off.
• Putting your palms together with one thumb over the other says that you may need some reassurance.
• You should never cross your arms over your chest, since this gives the impression that you are not in agreement, closed off, defensive or insecure.

• Open hands and showing palms indicate that nothing is being concealed.

To come across confident, have your hands open and relaxed on the table or at your side.   When your body is open, you project trustworthiness and will actually feel more confident.   It is ok to use some hand gestures, as long as they’re in sync with what you’re saying, and not too wild.

If you’re very nervous and just can’t get comfortable when in front of the camera, stand behind a chair, rest your hands lightly on the back of the chair, and only show yourself on video from the waist up.

For more tips and information, visit the CN Video Production St. Louis small business resource center, and sign up for our video newsletter at cn-video.com