Fact: Your voice affects how people perceive you over the phone.
Fact: If there is any inconsistency between your words and your tone of voice, 85 percent of the time, listeners will trust what they hear in the tone of your voice, instead of your actual words.
Fact: Trust and credibility are gained or lost within seven seconds over the phone.
Your voice is critical to your success when doing business over the phone. To establish trust and leave a positive impression, your voice must consistently sound upbeat, warm, under control and clear.
Upbeat: A voice sounds upbeat when there is inflection or vocal variety. In any one sentence, some words and phrases are emphasized – the voice goes up and down. Others might describe an upbeat voice as melodious. A monotone voice is never perceived as upbeat.
Warm: A warm voice is a voice that sounds friendly. It is a voice that makes others conclude you like your job. It sounds friendly often because the speaker is smiling. When you say, “How can I help you,” people believe you are sincere, rather than eager to get them off the phone.
Under Control: People feel you are in control when you take your time and aren’t rushing. Your voice does not have a lot of filler words, “Ummms, aaahs and you know.” It sounds confident and sure.
Clear: A voice that is clear is easy to understand. The listener is able to keep up because sentences come to definite ends and words are articulated well. The voice does not fade.
Very few of us are born with pristine voices. If we want to have an impact on the phone, we must remember, our words alone won’t do it. We must take care to ensure that our voice sounds upbeat, warm, under control and clear at all times. It is our best persuasive tool.
Ask your question and learn from the pros. Impact Communications is ready to offer suggestions and insights to help solve your communication issue. Plus visitors to our website, some who are expert communicators, will offer their thoughts as well.
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Impact Communications, Inc. consults with individuals and businesses to improve their presentation and telephone communication skills. It is not what you know but how you communicate it that makes a difference. When you have to have impact, phone (847) 438-4480 or visit our website, www.ImpactCommunicationsInc.com.
Impact Communications, Inc. was established in 1998. It is a national presentation communication skills and telephone communication skills training company that excels at defining and developing the core elements of effective business communication. With presentation communication skills training, telephone communications skills training, every encounter can be an efficient and lucid transmission of information.
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