Are you a victim of "Empty Word Syndrome"? That's when you're giving a speech or sales presentation, and every other word is "er," "um," or the poisonous "you know." These are empty words, fillers for when you are trying to figure out what comes next, and they can be clear indicators to an audience that you are less than prepared, which undermines your credibility and distracts from the message.
So how do you avoid Empty Word Syndrome? Simple: by being prepared. Go over your presentation many times beforehand, delivering it as though to an audience. Perform it in front of a mirror, to see what your audience will see. Record yourself and listen for any trouble spots. And here's where writing comes in: Follow along with your written notes (you ARE speaking from notes, aren't you?), and when you find a section where you are groping for words, mark it in red and insert whatever you need to know—a cue or a fact—so you have that information right at your fingertips. You can write in the margins or in the text itself, but use a different color ink to help your eye zoom in on what you need.
Empty words are also often an indication of nervousness, while silence can be powerful. So if you should find yourself caught in a hole, don't say anything. Calmly scan your notes for a foothold, then look directly at your audience, smile, and continue. (The trick, again, is to have practiced enough so that you know where to look for that foothold, to keep the silence as short as possible.) Therein lies the strength of effective speakers—the ability to maintain their cool and convey confidence to the audience. Words presented with ease and conviction are most convincing and effective.
—Joyce Lee
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