Voice Training Imperative

Does Your Voice Send the Right Message?

Forget about what you say. People make instant judgments about you based on the sound of your voice. You might be smart, friendly and ever so competent, but if your voice sounds young, bored or irritating, it affects the outcome before you get to the end of the sentence.

Quantified Impressions, a communications company in Austin, Texas, studied 120 executive speeches, used computers to analyze the voices, and collected feedback from a panel of 10 experts and 1,000 listeners. Their research showed that the quality of a person’s voice is more than twice as influential as the content of their message.

Consider the level of thought and care you typically give to choosing the right words and structuring your message. Then consider how much time and attention is given to sound of your voice, the vehicle for that message—probably little to none, right? And yet it has twice as much influence.

If you’re like most people, you go through life assuming your voice is what it is. Unless you’re experiencing vocal problems or getting negative feedback from others, there’s little incentive to think about the quality of your voice, let alone invest in voice training. Yet, in light of the research, how can you not afford to consider this crucial aspect of communication?

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Credibility

Cultivating an engaging tone goes far beyond the need to sound good. It’s ultimately about credibility. Do you come across as being strong, confident and authentic? Here are six additional skills to enhance your credibility.

Special Offer

Online Group Class

If you need to improve your voice but private lessons are too expensive, consider this opportunity to work with Jay in a group setting, using Skype video chat. You’ll cover the basic technique in one month of weekly sessions. The pilot class will be limited to 5 students, for a reduced cost of $149 CDN. Lesson times (possibly 2:00 pm, EDT) will attempt to accommodate a range of time zones. Contact Jay to sign up.

Tip

Practice lip flutters with voice. It’s a wonderfully well-rounded exercise to cultivate a strong, rich, engaging tone that feels—and sounds—easy and open. You’ll speak with your whole being and have much more impact. Check out this demonstration video.