Five Tips to Eliminate "Filler Words" in Your Presentations

Next Public Workshop - September 14, 2010






Filler words - um, ah, okay, like, you know...the list goes on. These are the words that speakers and trainers say when they are not saying the words that really matter. An abundance of filler words becomes distracting for the listeners and demonstrates a lack of confidence and professionalism in the speaker. We have coached many professionals on how to eliminate filler words and here are the top five suggestions that worked:

#1 - Smile - It is almost impossible to use a filler words when you are smiling. Try it!

#2 - Pause and breathe - It is okay to be silent for a moment. It is actually easier on the audience when you insert short pauses because then they can reflect on what you are saying.

#3 - Close your mouth - Similar to smiling, if you concentrate on keeping your mouth closed in between sentences, you will eliminate many opportunities to use the fillers.

#4 - Prepare - Practice ahead of time by saying the words out loud and pausing and breathing between sentences.

#5 - Focus - Pay attention to when you are most likely to use a filler word and focus on one of the techniques above to eliminate them.

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