***If Communication Is Your Bread and Butter, Voice Training Should Be on Your To-Do List

So many people rely on their voice for their business – yet so many people are unaware that their voice can have a tremendous impact on the success of their business. When you hear yourself on recording equipment or an answering machine, for example, what is your reaction? While your 1st response may be that you don’t recognize the sound, it is quite possible that your 2nd reaction is one of embarrassment.

Before I discovered my ‘real’ voice, I worked for a tour operator, selling pre-packed tours to various vacation spots through the US and Mexico. My success at that job was negligible. My boss, on the other hand, a former priest who had previously taught English was the epitome of success. What did Harry have that I didn’t? An incredible speaking voice. Deep, rich, and resonant, his sound was mesmerizing.

I lasted about 3 months in that position and decided to go to graduate school where I discovered my ‘real’ voice during a singing lesson. My professor told me that the pitch of my habitual speaking voice was too high and that my ‘real’ or ‘true’ voice was lower. (Pitch refers to the highness or lowness of sound, not the volume which deals with one’s loudness or softness)

That is one lesson I took to heart because I knew that that lower sound was richer, warmer and more mature in quality. Following my graduate studies, I moved to New York City and got the job I wanted because I sounded like I knew what I was talking about. While I was only 24, my voice exuded confidence and professionalism. And, it kept getting me better and better jobs.

Does your voice sound professional? Does it exude confidence or is it wimpy, high-pitched, shrill, whiny, nasal, too soft, monotonous, wispy, shaky, or difficult to understand? If you answered yes to any of these descriptions you should consider training because a dynamic voice is a tool and can be a tremendous asset to your business.

While your voice accounts for 37% of the image you project, imagine what happens in a webinar or over the phone where your listeners have only a voice on which to focus. And that is the one you hear on your answering machine – not the sound you hear being distorted in the solid and liquid of your brain!

If you find your voice embarrassing on recording equipment, how do you think your listeners feel about it? You’ve got a better one inside of you, just waiting to be discovered. Don’t let poor vocal habits jeopardize your success in communicating.