Editor's note: This article appeared in the October 11, 2010, edition of Quirk's e-newsletter.

With the 2010 research conference season well underway, many researchers are networking and making contact with potential vendors and clients for the first time. You only get one chance to make a first impression, so are you giving as much consideration to what you're not saying as to what you are? Body language is a crucial part of communication, so here are several tips from Sharon Sayler's book What Your Body Says (And How to Master the Message): Inspire, Influence, Build Trust, and Create Lasting Business Relationships on how to send the right nonverbal message.

Don't fill the air with um, ah, uh and you know. It is natural to pause when you speak - it gives you a chance to breathe. What's not natural is to fill the silent pause with um, ah, uh, you know and other sounds. Verbal pauses are distracting and muddle what you are trying to say because the audience sees you searching for the next words. Meaningless extra syllables or words make you look less intelligent. Your message will be more effective once you eliminate them. This may take practice.

"Practice often means saying a verbal pause and noticing that you did it. If you catch yourself doing it less often, then you are making progress. Eventually, the silent pause will replace the verbal pause. Remember, you don't have to fill every minute of airtime with noise," says Sayler.

Don't use the fig-leaf pose. By placing your hands to cover the groin region, you're making yourself look visually smaller.

Do use hand gestures systematically. When we use only words to convey our message, we make it necessary for our audience to pay very close attention to what we say. Using gestures systematically, especially when giving directions or teaching, makes the audience less dependent on the verbal part of the presentation. The visual reminder created by gestures allows the listener two ways to remember: auditory and visual. It thereby increases the likelihood of accurate recall.

Don't put your hands in your pockets. Thumbs hanging off the pockets and hands deep in both pockets both say something similar to the fig-leaf hand gesture: "Geez, I hope you like me." Hands deep in the pockets jingling change say one of two things, depending on context: "Geez, I'm nervous and hope you like me," or "Geez, I'm so bored. Is this ever going to be over?" Pockets and waistbands are not a good place to rest your hands in business situations.

Don't hide your hands behind your back. Depending on the situation, grasping your hands behind your back can be interpreted as meaning "Geez, I hope you like me," or "You better fear me." Neither interpretation leaves a very good impression of you so avoid this position altogether. "This can be a tough movement to break because it feels so comfortable and natural to us," says Sayler. "

Don't cross your arms. This stance is most frequently understood to indicate upset or discomfort. In business, others often interpret it as "I am not open to discussion" or "I am annoyed."

"People habitually cross their arms over their chests when listening or waiting, so this gesture can be a hard one to overcome," says Sayler.

Do know when to put your hands on your hips. This is a ready-to-take-action gesture - think gunfight at the OK Corral. It makes most people appear bigger because they are actually taking up more space. However, it is often given negative labels by others, such as meaning you are annoyed, closed or won't listen, similar to placing your arms across your chest.

Do remember the eyes have it. Of all the nonverbal messages one can use, the eyes are the most expressive. Little or no eye contact is often thought to be associated with lying, but this is not always true. Experienced liars will look you right in the eye every time. It might also indicate lack of self-esteem or interest.

"Obviously, none of these are messages you want to convey in your professional life. To use direct eye contact in a business situation, position your eyes between the listener's eyes or just a bit higher. Imagine a triangle with the base below the listener's eyes and the peak of the triangle at his mid-forehead. Keep your eyes in the middle of the triangle to maintain a professional contact. As to how much or how long to hold eye contact, take your cues from the other person: If he likes a lot of eye contact, do the same. If the listener breaks eye contact on occasion, it is acceptable to break eye contact to the same degree."

Do stop fidgeting. Unintentional gestures are emotional reactions or the result of the body's desire for physical comfort and are often lovingly called fidgets. Even though fidgets can calm us, those pesky, jerky movements or anxious behaviors often make others uneasy. Try calming your breathing to control fidgets.