In my series, How to wow in 7 seconds, I’ve looked zoomed in on different ways you can make the best first impression. This time, I’m turning the spotlight on your Voice.
As a singer, and vocal coach, I have a special interest in the voice as an instrument. It started off with interest in the mechanics of the voice, how to produce a healthy, clear and rich sound and use it as a tool to be a powerful communicator. In the last few years, I've also discovered that your voice is also your number one ally when it comes to building strong relationships.
We may not realise it, but the way we use our voice impacts how we are perceived.
Lots of research has been done on the effects of the voice on others: the effects of pitch, speed, inflection, clarity, volume etc etc. The outcomes are actually eye-opening.
To give you a few examples:
· People with a high pitched voice are perceived as baby-ish, lacking intelligence
· People who speak too slowly come across as insecure and timid
· People who lack volume in their speaking voice come across as not confident and shy
And the list goes on….
Let's make one thing clear: I'm not saying that you are insecure when you speak slowly, I'm saying that people can perceive you as insecure. When we meet somebody for the first time, subconsciously we are looking for non-verbal clues that will tell us if we can put this person in the "like-box", the "notsosure-box" or "dismiss-box". When we meet somebody who speaks slowly, we will start looking for other elements in that person’s non-verbal messaging that also indicates insecurity (for instance: weak handshake, lack of eye-contact or slouching posture). When we find two other elements in that person’s non-verbal behaviour that affirm our assumption, we make a decision about what this person is like. It doesn’t matter if this assumption is true or false, it's a done deal. In a split second. All subconsciously.
So, in this blog, I’m going to share a few quick fixes to make your voice your ally.
1. To lower your pitch:
Make sure you keep your forehead relaxed when you speak. Your voice naturally wants to go up in pitch when you raise your eyebrows.
2. To speak with volume:
Make sure you involve your body when you are speaking.
Exercise; sit on a chair while you grab the bottom of it as if you want to lift yourself up. Notice that your volume goes up when you speak while doing this. Try to keep the volume and this 'active body' while letting go of the chair.
3. Optimise your Pace:
The most effective speaking rate is between 120 to 160 words per minute. You can find the right pace by timing yourself while reading something with a set amount of words.
Make sure you bring variety in your pace, this helps reflect changes in emotions and mood and it helps you to emphasize critical points.
4. Downward Inflection:
If the end of your sentence goes up in pitch, it sounds like you are asking a question. If I would say: "Hi, my name is Maaike" with and upward inflection, you could say: "Are you sure?"
Letting the sentence go down in pitch at the end will be much more commanding.
5. Clarity with articulation
You want to be heard and not asked to repeat something as vital as your name. A quick fix: put a pen between your teeth and speak for 2 minutes - you're giving your tongue a good workout! After this, your speech will be much clearer.
How do you sound?
I am a firm believer in assessing your voice. You can only improve by being aware of what to improve.
I assess my clients on their voice - the mechanical side, the delivery side and the interactional side and with this I can offer tailored coaching that will instantly improve their speaking voice.
But you can assess your own voice as well – record yourself while you are talking to somebody on the phone or just record yourself while you practice your pitch. Then, listen back and ask yourself questions like this:
Am I talking too softly or talking with a booming voice?
Am I monotonous in my speech or melodious?
Am I mumbling or speaking with clarity?
Am I racing or too slow?
Is my pitch too high or too low?
Good luck!! (She says with a strong, confident, melodious voice - forehead relaxed ;)
