Eliminating Verbal Fillers from Your Presentation

Verbal fillers – um, ah, like, you know - are common in routine conversations, whether we are speaking with colleagues at the office or catching up with old friends over lunch.  While they may go unnoticed in casual conversations, in more formal settings – during business presentations – verbal fillers are distracting and can impact both your credibility and how well your audience engages with you.

These three tips will keep your presentation on track and guarantee a strong delivery.

Slow down. Pace is important in your presentation, and verbal fillers are harder to avoid when your mouth is moving faster than your mind. Slow down. Be deliberate with your pace. Take the necessary time to say what you need to say but do so in a manner that is precise and direct.

Pause. There is nothing wrong with silence, even during a business presentation. Silence can be an opportunity for you to set the tone with your audience, or to give everyone a chance to ponder a question or message. In fact, pauses are often desperately needed during a presentation for the benefit of the speaker. It gives you a chance to compose the next transition or clarify your thoughts, and verbal fillers only ruin the crucial space silence offers. Silence can be golden.

Practice. Practice. Then practice some more. Practice with colleagues, with your presentation coach, in a mirror, on video. Practice is essential to eliminating the use of verbal fillers. If you truly want to deliver a speech that engages your audience, motivates them to take action, and delivers the message you desire, then rehearse often.

You may know your content, but too many verbal fillers will result in the audience losing their faith and trust in your knowledge. Your audience may start counting the number of times you say “um” rather than paying attention to the message you are trying to send.