***How Important Is the Image You Project to Others?

In today’s hectic, competitive world, image is something that you are probably concerned about. Be it your physical appearance or the content of what you say, you know that the person you project to the world matters. However, have you ever considered what the sound of your speaking voice is saying to your listeners?

• If you know, for example, that you speak in a monotone, what is the image you are projecting?
• If you sound like a 12-year-old and you are over 21, what is your voice saying about you?
• If you speak too softly and are asked to repeat yourself frequently, what is your soft-spoken voice not saying?
• If your voice is plagued with too much nasality, how effective is that whiny, nasal quality?
• If you sound like a wimp or a bimbo, how confident do you think others are in your abilities?

How you hear yourself and how everyone else hears you are two entirely different ball games. The voice you hear in your head is a far cry from what you hear on your voicemail, isn’t it? Which one should you believe? The latter because the way you think you sound is the result of sound waves traveling through the solid and liquid of your brain. Essentially, it is distorted sound. How you hear yourself on recording equipment, however, is sound traveling through air. And, it is the truth.

The question then becomes, what does your voice on your voicemail say about you? Does it instill confidence, warmth, and maturity? Do you speak with life, emotion, and animation or is your voice flat and boring? Do you speak with enough volume or are you too loud?

Do not ignore this part of the image you project because people judge you not only by how you look and by what you say, but also by how you say it. In fact, 37% of the image you project is attributed to your speaking voice. And, over the phone, where there is no visual, that percentage increases dramatically.

You have a better voice inside. It is just a matter of finding it and making it a habit. It is richer, warmer, resonant and, most likely, deeper in pitch. In addition, it has an ageless quality. Once you discover your ‘real’ voice, it will sound mature – not too old – not too young. And, it will continue to improve as you age.

Today, your competition is fierce. Do not allow the sound of your speaking voice lessen the impact of your image. Take that 37% and make it a positive statement, matching or even surpassing your visual image and your content.