| | Selected Past Issues: Sound
Like You Mean Business
Get Any Audience To Love And
Admire You
Improve Your Breathing
Breaking Bad News |
How To Sound Like You Mean Business
(Even When You Feel Like A Wimp Inside)By Susan Berkley
Voice Mastery and Vocal Persuasion for Professionals Involved in Public Speaking.
copyright 2001, The Great Voice Company | All Rights
Reserved
Like an actor or an athlete, you must psyche
yourself up before each important call or presentation.Doing this is essential
to get your voice sounding powerful, persuasive and in control. It's easy to sound
"on" when you follow my 3-step VoiceShaping® technique.
Before you begin, name the over-riding *feeling* you'd like to convey in your
presentation. Examples include: "warm", "confident", "powerful",
"authoritative" etc. Each feeling you'd like to convey has a
corresponding: - Key word
- Mental image
- Body language
Let's
say you wanted to sound warm and friendly. - Key Word: words which
help you access a warm, friendly feeling e.g. "tender", "sunshine",
"smile".
Repeat to get yourself in the mood. - Mental Image:
e.g. visualize holding an infant, greeting a dear friend, hugging a cherished
family member. Make it bright and strong in your mind.
- Body Language:
The fastest way to change the sound of your voice is to change your physiology.
A smile on your face puts a smile in your voice. Energetic, expressive body language
will add more energy and vitality to your speech. Make your body language BIG.
To
sound more authoritative try these: - Key Words: "power",
"strong", "firm".
- Mental Image: Imagine yourself
in a uniform commanding the troops. Or see yourself teaching a class to a rapt
audience. Imagine them on the edge of their seats, hanging on your every word.
Visualize giving a presentation in a board room. See yourself as calm, centered
and in-control.
- Body Language: Stand up! Erect posture. Strong hand gestures.
Firm gaze. The key to an authoritative voice is good eye contact. This is important.
When speaking on the phone don't let your eyes wander. If you are alone in the
room, fix your gaze on the eyes of a person in a photograph or magazine. This
technique may sound a little strange, but it really works!
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