When I used to speak out in front of a crowd I often used to say ‘ummm’, ‘like’, ‘you know’ and other ‘filler words’ which don’t sound too professional. A friend of mine gave me a tip to not use those filler words during my regular conversations with friends. This was a great tip – why not perfect your speaking when you are with friends or one on one situations rather than going up in a public speaking situation and expecting it to be perfect?
This can apply to other things as well – when you have your business idea you should rehearse when a friend asks you about your idea. Although it might not be as important as when pitching for your biggest customer you should treat it like it is your biggest customer. Soon your pitching will become a lot smoother and you will have faced all the objections. The same is true if you are always practicing the way you speak – if you become conscious of your ‘ummms’ and ‘ahhhs’ you will automatically start to do it less.
An actor does not go on stage without having rehearsed and as Shakespeare suggests that the world is a stage you need to get as much practice in as possible – don’t just wait for the big moments.