How many times have conference speakers bored you rigid? Good presenters know their voice can make or break a presentation. A well-trained voice can make a huge impression on listeners. And it does not matter how well you know the presentation, there is always room for improvement.
Keep Your Audience Focused By Improving Your Presentation Voice.
To help you be more successful during your next presentation, we have listed below six quick tips that can help improve your speech and sales communication when making a presentation to both large and small audiences.
7 Tips For Improving Your Presentation Voice:
Tip #1) Articulate, Articulate, Articulate: If you talk quickly, mumble or slur words, the important points you are trying to make can and will get lost. Worse, people will simply tune you out during your entire presentation.
Tip #2) Vary Your Tone To Drive Home A Key Point: Nothing numbs listeners more than somebody who speaks in monotone. Project your voice powerfully and clearly. Learn to use pitch for variation and accent your power words. This helps keep the audience involved and on their toes.
Tip #3) Use The Right Tempo: Do not speak in a slow, drawn-out manner. The speed of speech affects how your message is interpreted. Increase your tempo when you wish to convey excitement or urgency. Slow down when you want your words to sink in.
Tip #4) Control Your Volume: Project your voice so people can hear you easily. Raise and lower your voice when you want to emphasize certain words or concepts.
Tip #5) Get Rid Of Speaking "Crutches": Avoid punctuating sentences with "you know," "like," "uh," "really," "kind of" and other fillers (repetitive use of a word or phrase is called a "word whisker"). This pattern becomes tiresome to listeners and portrays a nervous or lazy speaker. Break this habit if you have it.
Tip #6) Use People's Names: Make sure you connect with your listeners by telling stories and using the first name of someone from the audience. By using names, your words become embedded in the audiences' mind.
Tip #7) Practice Out Loud: It is hard to know how you sound to other people. Try using a voice-activated recorder to listen to yourself practice out load. Play the recording, listen to how you sound and make positive changes. Better yet, make a dry run in front of someone who will give you a critique. Do not get upset or frustrated when they give you criticism. And if they tell you it was perfect, get a second opinion.
Executive Summary: With the right articulation, inflection, tone and tempo, your voice will be the means to hook your audience. Get accustomed to using the first names of audience members to personalize your presentation and drive the topic home. Most importantly, know how you sound to others and practice to improve. Over time, your voice will become more effective during your presentations.
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