DETRACTORS
The no-filler way to improve your speaking.
I tested these cards on a recording from a major tech sales conference. The company had over 50,000 end users and was valued at $3.5 billion. Their main stage speaker said "uhm" more times in the first five minutes than most people do in a full presentation.
How does that affect the audience's attention? Their retention? Their confidence in the brand? These are questions worth asking — and Detractors gives you a structured way to answer them.
I've always learned the most from two things: the debrief after a presentation, and real-time recognition of my own bad habits. Detractors makes both of those accessible for any team, in any room.
The test
What are detractors?
Detractors are the habits that quietly undermine an otherwise good presentation. Filler words, weak language, nervous body movement, clunky transitions. Most speakers don't know they're doing them — or they do know, and can't seem to stop.
Even if you're not scared and think you're a fine presenter, certain words and filler language might still be getting between you and your message.
The six categories
FILLER — um, uh, er, like, OK, I mean, so... The brain thinks in thousands of words per minute but conversation can only handle 125. These fill the gap when the silence feels unbearable.
FLOW — clunky transitions: alright, sooo, which leads me to, moving on, let's see. If you don't connect your thoughts smoothly, your audience starts doing the linking work for you — and stops listening.
FEEDBACK — seeking quick approval mid-presentation: right? you see? OK? Make sense? It can feel conversational, but overdone it signals uncertainty and can make an audience disengage.
WEAK WORDS — kinda, sorta, gonna, y'know, and such. Weak diction undermines your credibility even when your content is solid. Speak slower, exaggerate your annunciation, and own your material.
BODY — distracting hand gestures, lack of movement, posturing, eye contact issues. The body and mind can be each other's best friend or worst enemy on stage — virtual settings included.
BLANK — a catch-all for everything else: visuals, repeated phrases, tone and inflection, storytelling, believability filler like "honestly" or "to be real with you."
How it works
Each card has two sides. One side has coaching tips — what the detractor is, why it happens, and how to reduce it. Flip it over and there's a tracking grid: Word, Tally, Total. The physical deck uses dry-erase cards so you can reset and go again.
• Have a well-defined topic and time limit for the speaker to practice
• Audience members lay the category cards face-up in front of them
• As the speaker presents, the audience tracks which detractors appear — which word, how often, and when
• At the end, tally totals for each card
• The presenter shares what they did well and what they'd improve — then the audience reveals their cards
For advanced practice: audience members can hold a card up in real time to simulate distractions and give the speaker live, in-the-moment awareness.
The deck also includes The Mindset Card. Review it before you present — it covers breathing, body posture, visualization, and how to reframe nerves before you walk into the room.
who it’s for
• Conference speakers who want honest feedback before the big talk
• Workshop facilitators looking for an activity that actually generates insight
• Sales and fundraising teams practicing the conversations that matter most
• Anyone who's been told to "work on their communication" and doesn't know where to start
• Coaches and trainers who want a structured, gamified warm-up for groups of any size.
The physical deck uses dry-erase plastic cards — reusable, portable, and ready for any room. A free printable version is also available if you want to start practicing today.
Get the deck
📦 Buy the physical deck → [purchase form]
🖨️ Download the free printable version → [download link]
Questions or feedback on the cards?
DM me or email travis@sellmoregood.com — I genuinely want to know what you think.