Does your voice have the power to persuade others?
When it comes to persuading an audience, many people overlook the power of their own voice and how best to use it to convince them to take action. It’s all too easy to focus on the content of a presentation (the key messages, story and characters) rather than the tool you have ready at your disposal to deliver it: your voice.
What if I was to tell you that it IS possible to increase your power of persuasiveness simply by altering your voice and how you deliver the words?
In this article, I’m going to share my top tips to improve the power of your voice to persuade and convince your audience to take action.
Giving your voice authority
Speaking loudly can certainly command attention, but it’s not something you’re going to be able to do consistently throughout a presentation, and nor would you want the audience to feel that you’re shouting at them! Speaking softly can command just as much attention. Practice speaking softly but with intensity even using a lowered tone and see what results you get.
Connect with your content
True persuasion comes when there is a deep connection between the content you are delivering and the WAY in which you are delivering it. Do you truly believe in what you are saying? Are you absolutely convinced that your One BIG Message® is going to have an impact on your audience? Having this sense of conviction will allow persuasion to flow naturally between you and the audience.
Plot your pace
Reduce your pace when you want to emphasize a key point or you want to build drama. This signals the start of a climax for your audience and causes them to listen intently. Slow down by giving your words some space in between. For example, you may pause (or slow down) before an important word.
“What I’m about to show you is [pause] transformational.”
At first, your audience may think you have lost your thread, but when they hear the important word at the end, they begin to hold you in high regard as a powerful, persuasive speaker.
Lower your voice at the end of sentences
Another technique is to alter the pitch of your voice in a given sentence. Do you notice how your pitch naturally bends down when you are being declarative? By lowering your voice at the end of a sentence at a pitch that feels comfortable and authentic to your vocal range, will show greater conviction and confidence.
Remember posture
The way that you stand and hold yourself will have an impact on a) how much power your voice has and b) how much authority you will command on stage.
Practice grounding yourself with your feet in a parallel position, being aware of your shoulders and neck. Now walk tall around the room while delivering your presentation. See how this stance helps you command more attention?
Stress, nerves and anxiety can tighten the larynx and cause your breath to become more shallow. Breathe deep into your belly before, and take some good deep breaths during your presentation, allowing you to communicate using the full power of your voice.
Use operative words
Operative words are the key terms or phrases in a sentence or statement that convey the main idea. They are the words that carry the weight of meaning in a sentence and help to clarify the speaker’s intention. Identify and focus on the operative words in a sentence, and deliver them with a more definitive voice to allow your audience to better understand the message being conveyed.
Trust and persuasion don’t just come from the content of your message. They also come from within. Having the ability to use your voice to its full potential will allow you to deliver your message with real persuasion.
If you would like to learn more about the art of persuasion, enrol on my E-learning program “The Art of Persuasion in Global Business”
