How to Remove Filler Words From Your Sales Calls

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How to Get Rid of The Filler Words in Your Pitch

The best pros in any career are always looking for a slight edge or advantage.

Like an athlete trying out a new PED diet, or a marketer discovering an undervalued channel before everyone else.

And the same goes for sales reps.

Because a slight edge can go a long way in beating competitors, earning promotions, closing more deals, and what really matters... making more moollah.

So what's the edge we're talking about today?

Removing filler words from your sales pitch.

Those umms, uhhs, and likes that make you sound less confident and less professional than you actually are.

It might seem small, but that's exactly what makes it an edge.

So today, we're diving into how you can erase filler words from your sales calls. 👇️ 

1. Get Comfortable with Silence

Ever watched a great public speaker? Notice how they pause between important points?

They're not pausing because they forgot what to say. They're pausing because it adds power to their message.

Those pauses feel like an eternity to the speaker. But to the audience? They're natural and impactful.

In sales, we rush to fill every second of silence with words - any words - even if they're "um" or "uh."

Instead: Make your point. Pause. Let it stand. Then continue …

2. Watch Your Game Tape

Just like athletes review their game film, you need to review your sales calls.

Yes, we know - everyone cringes when listening to their own voice (you’re not alone).

But if you want to get better, you need to do what others won't.

How to do this:

1. Record your calls (hit record on Zoom or Google Meets, or use a call recording tool like Gong or Chorus). 

2. Count your filler words.

3. Note when they happen most

4. Look for patterns

You might notice you use more fillers when: Pitching your product, explaining pricing, handling objections, or transitioning topics.

Knowing how much you use filler words, and what triggers them is half the battle.

3. Name Them and Shame Them

As the old saying goes… The first step to fixing a problem is admitting you have one.

Write out your most common filler words and keep them somewhere visible during calls:

• Um

• Uhh

• Like

• You know

• Sort of

• Kind of

• Basically

Just seeing them written down makes you more conscious of using them.

Pro tip: Put a sticky note with your filler words on your monitor during calls. It's a constant reminder to catch yourself.

4. Make Eye Contact

Whether you're in person or on video, maintaining eye contact does two things:

1. Boosts your confidence.

2. Forces you to be more direct.

When you're looking someone in the eye, you naturally get to the point faster and speak more confidently, which leads to using fewer fillers.

On video calls? Look directly at the other person on the video. Yes, I know how hard it is to not look at yourself on the screen. But when you focus on the other person, you speak with more confidence and leave less room for filler words.

Now get out there and umm… speak with confidence.

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