CORPUS CHRISTI - Q: As a salesperson, I meet many people each day and spend most of my time doing a lot of the talking. I’ve heard that the way a person uses their voice can influence people and bring them toward you or flat out drive them away. Is this true? If it is true, what is the method so I can start putting it to practice?
A: Good sales people use their voices masterfully to make strong impressions on their listeners. Here are five practices that can help improve your speech and sales communication whether you’re speaking with new clients or longtime customers.
Articulate. If you mumble or slur words, the important points you’re trying to make can get lost. Worse, people will simply tune you out.
Vary your tone. Nothing numbs listeners more than somebody who speaks in a monotone. Project your voice as clearly and strongly as possible. Learn to use pitch for variation. Emphasize your power words. This helps keep customers involved.
Use the right tempo. Don’t speak in a slow, drawn-out manner. The speed of speech affects how your message is interpreted. Talk fast when you wish to convey excitement or urgency. Slow down when you want your words to sink in.
Control your volume. Project your voice so people can hear you easily. Don’t shout or whisper. But do raise and lower your voice when you want to underline certain words or concepts.
Get rid of speaking “crutches.” Avoid punctuating sentences with “you know,” “like,” “uh,” “really,” “kind of” and other fillers. The pattern becomes tiresome to listeners and makes the speaker seem nervous or lazy or both.
You can also use a voice-activated tape machine to record yourself for a few hours. Record conversations in the office and on the phone. Play the tape, listen to how you sound, and apply the ideas here to make positive changes.
Wes Atwood is president of Dale Carnegie Training of South Texas, which includes Corpus Christi, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley. For more tips visit corpuschristi.dalecarnegie.com
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