Powerful Pithy Presentations Tip #5: Eliminate "Filler" Words
Welcome to Powerful Pithy Presentation Pointers!
There’s usually little time to seek out a great coach or take a class to help you prepare for that all-important “make or break” presentation you found out about last week!
But the ability to craft and deliver powerful, pithy, presentations is the most important tool used in the business community for getting things done! Your presentation will make the difference between your success or failure!
The goal of Powerful, Pithy Presentation Pointers is to deliver one memorable, easy to implement presentation tool at a time! Then you can practice it 100 times and make it your own!
Powerful Pithy Presentations Tip #5: Eliminate "Filler" Words
“You know what I mean?” “You know what I’m saying? Ah..,like…ah”
These are “filler” words. Sometimes you search for the right word to use to complete your thoughts, but other words come out that don’t help you get your points across! Why does this happen? You are attempting to fill the silence, while thinking of the right words to use!
How do you overcome this?
Think Concisely
Whenever you open your mouth to communicate, aim to get a clear, specific message across. Think about what you are going to say before you say it! If you can’t describe what you are talking about in one sentence, you may be guilty of covering too much material.
Pause Intentionally
Give the listeners time to think about what has been said! If you rush through your material chances are your listeners will get lost! You can talk quickly, but use pauses when you (1) need to make a point, (2) give them time to reflect or (3) you ask a rhetorical question. This gives the audience a chance to think about what you’ve said and then internalize it. And don’t fill the silence with the noise of filler words! Hold your peace!
Listen to Yourself
Raise your awareness of what you are saying and how you are saying it by consciously listening to yourself! Check for poor verbal habits… filler words and rambling unfocused communication. Then keep checking yourself until you have disciplined your thought patterns! Give your friends permission to help you, by pointing out when you have fallen back into poor habits!
Dee Taylor-Jolley, MEd
Trainer/Speaking
Presentation Skills Expert
“If all my talents and powers were taken from me by some inscrutable providence, and I had my choice of keeping but one, I would unhesitatingly ask to be allowed to keep the power of speaking, for through it, I would quickly recover all the rest.” -Daniel Webster
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