Improve Your Speaking Voice

Improve Your Speaking Voice At Sound Marketing, we know a thing or two about the power of your voice. From a business perspective, the way in which you communicate is often the difference between making or breaking a deal - whether this be in person, over the phone or on a video call. Here are some of our top tips... 1) DON'T MUMBLE A case of 'mumblitis' is a sure way to disengage any listener. You could be talking about something wildly interesting, but all that is communicated is indistinctness - think of it this way, talking through a half-opened mouth is about as effective as speaking with a book in front of your mouth! 2) PACE YOURSELF When we have to listen to a slow speaker, we tend to lose focus and daydream, this is because we think at a speed much faster than the flow of speech. Similarly, when information is communicated at an excessive rate, we become frustrated and ultimately, stop listening. Try speaking at a rate of around 150 words per minute for optimum engagement. 3) DON'T WHISPER ... OR BOOM Some people speak too loudly, whilst others can hardly be heard - both are equally frustrating. Remember, you need to project your voice to get your message across, but there is a fine line between projection and simply jarring your listeners. At the other end of the spectrum, speaking at too low a volume simply leads to inaudibility and lacks all authority. Recording yourself may help you to gauge the volume of your voice and find a happy medium. 4) ORCHESTRATE YOUR WORDS If you've ever had to listen to a one-note (or monotone) speaker, you will know that this quickly becomes very tedious. This is because their voice lacks any vocal variety. In contrast, a good speaker may use more than 20 different notes. So, to keep your listeners interested, make sure you are varying your pitch, volume and timing. A good example of this is placing emphasis on certain words. 5) BREATHE Sounds simple enough, but breathing correctly is a skill like any other. What people tend to do is not breathe from their diaphragm, resulting in a harsh, pinched voice. Because there is a lack of air, this also means pausing in the middle of a sentence - hardly an effective way of getting your message across. Try taking a deep breath in through your month before you speak, whilst relaxing the back of your tongue to avoid noisy air intake. With these in mind, you'll be a clearer, more confident speaker in no time .... although, when it comes to your on-hold audio, our talented voice artists can do the talking for you!

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