What you say and how you say it still matters. An easy way to increase your presentation impact is to refine your choice of words. Some words interfere with your message and create nothing but “noise” for the listener. Other words grab attention and dance on the listener’s ear.
Check the list below so you’ll know what’s “in” and what’s “out.”
OUT: Fillers such as “well”, “uhm”, “like”, “actually”, “basically” and overused phrases such as “24/7” and “at the end of the day.”
IN: The (still) most powerful word we have: “you”. In a presentation you can expand that to “your project”, “the benefit to you”, “you can”, “you’ll see” and “made for you.”
OUT: Negative words and phrases that confuse the listener. Are these examples necessary? “I’m not saying I’m an expert.” “We don’t want things falling through the cracks.”
IN: Use an active voice instead of a passive voice to sound stronger. Change “we are planning to” to “we will.” Instead of “I am thinking about” use “I will develop,”
Here’s one more. The fancier the word, the more likely you are to confuse or lose your audience. Use conversational language that most listeners understand. They might not recognize an “altercation” but almost everyone has seen a good “fight.”
Laverne A. S. Caceres, M.A. is a nationally recognized presentation skills and shortlist interview coach and founder of The Professional Voice in Los Angeles, California. She and the firm have been featured in the LA Times, the Daily News, SKY Magazine, IOMA’s Litigation Report and on KNX News Radio.