***Your Speaking Voice and the Image It Projects

By Nancy Daniels, The Official Guide to Public Speaking
The official guide to Public Speaking

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The other day a woman phoned me and her volume was so loud that I had to move the phone away from my ear. My immediate opinion of the caller was that she was overbearing. Her loud volume was making a statement about her that may or may not have been true.

Another recent voice was by a ‘man’ –I use that term lightly – who was trying to sell me advertising. I had difficulty taking him seriously because he spoke too fast, slurred his words, used a lot of slang and sounded about 14 years old. In truth, I felt like I was talking to a male ‘Valley Girl.’ The impression this young man was sending was anything but professional or confident.

Is your speaking voice saying the right thing about you?

• If you are a man who sounds like a woman on the phone, what is the image you are projecting?
• If you answer the phone and the caller asks to speak to your mother or your father, how does that make you feel?
• If your voice sounds wimpy, the message you are sending is not one of confidence, no matter how great your words.
• If you are soft-spoken, on the other hand, you could be perceived as shy or timid.
• If your voice is gruff, then you may be telling your listeners that you are an ogre.
• A voice that quivers or shakes at the lectern tells your audience that you are nervous. Over the phone, however, it may tell your listener that you are old.

Others judge you not only by your visual image and your words, but also by the ‘vehicle’ that is transporting your words. Statistics say that 37% of the image you project is the sound of your speaking voice. Incidentally, the one they are talking about is the voice you hear on your voicemail or answering machine – not the one you hear in your head.

While this may not be a comforting thought, the good news is that you have a better voice inside of you just waiting to come out. By learning the right voice training techniques, you can discover a richer, warmer, more mature-sounding voice that will send not only the right message but the right image as well.

If you are looking for success in your life, professionally and/or personally, consider your voice on your voicemail. What is that sound saying about you?