Your voice is a part of you and it’s just as significant as any other sensory perception. After all, people hear how you say things before they hear what you say. This could possibly have an impact on the way people perceive you and your company.
Perhaps you dislike the sound of your voice. In fact, many people don’t like the way that they sound, especially on a phone call or virtual meeting. Fortunately, sounding more professional is a talent that can be acquired.
Follow these simple steps to help you construct the perfect business voice which will help you produce a clear, professional, and overall better-sounding voice.
1. Record Yourself
The first step toward improving your voice quality is to record yourself speaking. While this part may make you cringe, remember that you’re not alone. Many individuals despise their own voice, but it is the only way to really assess yourself. It’s possible that you’ll be surprised by yourself! You don’t sound nearly as horrible as you think you do.
Find a script or speech to recite and record yourself. Listen back to the recording and take note of everything you like and dislike about your voice.
2. Control Your Breath
Every speech begins with a breath, so working on your breathing methods is a good place to start if you want to improve the quality of your voice. Make sure you’re breathing slowly and steadily from your diaphragm. This will help protect your voice from strain while also allowing you to speak in a richer, more consistent tone.
Read aloud a paragraph with a combination of lengthy and short sentences to practice. As you read each sentence, take a deep breath and slowly exhale. However, don’t feel obligated to fill your lungs to capacity; simply take as much air as you require for easy and comfortable breathing without sounding breathless. This practice will help you improve your breathing technique and strength.
3. Mind Your Pitch
You may or may not have a lot of work to do when it comes to pitch, depending on what you assessed during your self-evaluation. It’s time to improve on your pitch if your voice is harsh, husky, or even flat. Low, clear, rich, and varied is the optimal speaking pitch.
Pitch variation is crucial because it highlights different parts of a sentence, which adds interest and emotion while also assisting you in conveying your message. A sentence’s meaning or inference can be altered by the tiniest inflection (increased pitch) of a word. See an example below.
4. Slow Down
It’s natural to feel nervous before a major speech or a crucial sales call. Your speech tends to speed up when you’re anxious. This will make you sound less confident or enthusiastic, and it will be more difficult for the audience to understand you.
Slowing down your speech allows you to breathe deeply, speak more clearly, and think more carefully about what you’re trying to articulate. Slowing down shouldn’t make your speech appear monotonous or dragged out; instead, slow down just enough to deliver a clear and confident dialogue.
5. Improve Your Posture
Your voice doesn’t only come from your throat; it comes from your entire body. Improving your posture can make a difference in the tone of your voice, making you sound — and feel — more confident.
Poor posture, such as slouching, can strain your throat muscles and make breathing with your diaphragm more difficult. This might make you sound stiff and forceful, as well as diminish your voice endurance. Sit up straight, engage your core, and relax your shoulders to correct posture-related vocal difficulties.
Learning how to improve your voice is a valuable skill to have since it allows you to communicate more effectively, seem more professional, and give people a favorable impression of you and your company. If you are interested in learning more tips to improve your voice, check out this infographic from Smith.ai below.
