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Voice Power
Using your
voice to captivate, persuade, and command attention
 Your
voice can be a powerful tool to move you toward success in
business. Although everyone has a voice, not everyone uses it
to solidify customer relationships, increase persuasive power,
or manage first impressions. Your voice accounts for one-third
of the total impression you make on others, (your appearance
and the message you deliver are the other two thirds). In
Voice Power, Renee Grant-Williams provides specific
techniques to help you optimize your voice and use it to its
full potential.
Renee expands on four major areas
in creating a powerful voice: breathing, support, delivery,
and speeches.
Breathing correctly is called
"passive breathing" and requires attention to the diaphragm,
the large thin muscle that rests below the lungs. Using the
diaphragm properly allows us to inhale into the lower body,
filling the lungs more fully. It also allows us to control our
exhaled breath, which is what we use when we talk. Passive
breathing gives you a richer, fuller voice. Renee walks
through specific steps to increase your passive breathing,
including focusing on your belly, avoiding throaty or chesty
breathing, and watching yourself breathe in a mirror to get
feedback on your technique.
Support is the second factor in
producing a full, rich voice. Speaking well requires the
coordinated action of a large number of muscles, which Renee
calls "full body support". Stand with your weight balanced on
the balls of both feet, and keep your hips tucked under. Relax
your chest, shoulders and jaw. Arch your head slightly forward
so that sound can resonate freely. Practice making a full rich
"EE" sound, followed by NN, AH, MM, OH, and VV. Concentrate on
producing a full, rich tone. Once you're comfortable with
breathing support and resonance, you can manipulate your voice
to give it a rich tone, or one that is mellow and soothing, or
a tone that is commanding and precise. When you control your
voice, you are better able to keep people focused on what you
are saying.
Voice delivery is concerned with
managing the various components of speech:
· consonants and vowels in words,
· pauses,
· volume, tone and speed, and
· pitch.
Each of these combined
appropriately will provide a wide repertoire for your voice to
get the results you want. When planning your delivery, decide
which are the most important words and consonants, and draw
them out longer than the others: focus on making both the
consonants and vowels longer. This places emphasis on the
words you want your client or audience to remember.
Pauses can be very powerful. They
can create space as well as suspense in a conversation.
Pausing before a word gets listeners ready for something
unexpected: pausing after a word gives them time to let an
idea sink in or to emphasize emotion.
In Asia, use of silence has long
been recognized as an effective tactic at the negotiating
table. During your next conversation, try waiting a few beats
after the other person has stopped talking before responding.
This will convey the impression that you're thinking carefully
to what they've been saying. Not only is that a complement to
the other person, but it also buys you time to gather your
response.
Volume, tone and speed work
together to convey a unique style. Pay attention to the volume
at which you speak. Do your sentences taper off at the end? Do
people often ask you to repeat yourself? Ensure your voice is
loud enough but not overbearing to your listeners. Shouting,
although it is effective for startling the audience, wears off
quickly and becomes annoying to the audience. The choice of
tone, whether warm, cool, or brusque, will affect how others
hear you. Warm tones are calming as is a slower pace of
delivery. By varying the speed of your speaking you can
emphasize major points, provide "soak" time, or create
excitement. Don't overuse one pace or pattern, because
listeners will become bored and tune out.
Pitch is the frequency or "note" on
which you speak. When you need to convey wisdom and authority,
lower your pitch, but stay within your natural range lest you
sound phony. When you want to create energy and excitement,
raise the pitch of your voice. Generally, adults have
lower-pitched voices than children, and men's voices are lower
than women's.
To ensure you deliver effective
speeches, focus on the following points:
· When writing, pay attention to
the length of your sentences. Long sentences will slow down
your pace, and short ones will increase it.
· Use formatting such as
capitalization, bold face and double slashes to indicate
changes in pitch, volume or pauses in the text.
· Rehearse your speech. This will
increase your comfort and reduce fear.
· Pay attention to your stage
presence and create full body support.
· As you step up to the podium take
long, slow breaths. This will provide the appearance of
calm, even if you're not! In sales situations, your voice is the most
powerful tool you have to project confidence and assurance. If
people like the sound of your voice they will want to listen
to you. Listen to the tempo of your client's voice and match
it, along with their style and pitch. Lower your tone to
indicate when you're getting down to business. When it's time
to ask for the sale, be concise and specific. Once you've
asked for the sale, use the power of silence to give the
client room to say "yes".
This book is full of tips and
techniques to improve your voice power whenever you need to
maximize your effectiveness in any form of speaking: speeches,
sales presentations, and even telephone and voice messages.
Your voice is one of your most important assets. Make sure
your voice is one that commands respect and gets attention.
Each of these combined
appropriately will provide a wide repertoire for your voice to
get the results you want. When planning your delivery, decide
which are the most important words and consonants, and draw
them out longer than the others: focus on making both the
consonants and vowels longer. This places emphasis on the
words you want your client or audience to remember.
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