It is not what you say, it is how you say it that counts – Lesson Two
Continuing our series on ‘It is not what you say, it is how you say it that counts’. If you missed the first lesson, here it is.
The most important and most effective sales and business development tool at your immediate disposal is underutilized and unperfected.
That amazing tool is your voice. Whole-body communications is exercising the mind, voice and body muscles in sync. In order to be understood you need to be able to deliver informative, effective, and emotionally engaging presentations.
One’s ability to turn potential into a tangible success has little to do with facts and information. One’s ability to move others comes from knowing how to build trust and respect through making an emotional connection when face-to-face with a prospect, a client, or a colleague.
You can bulk up with all of the business development and sales training programs out there. You can learn their tactics and the strategy, however, the power for success starts with the mouth.
You can fine tune your voice to become one of the most effective persona assets you possess. Take the time to “listen to hear” professional radio broadcasters and announcers. Who makes you want to hear more? Whose words create mental images for you? What podcasts and books on tape do you emotionally connect with and engage with and why?
Here’s what to listen for when you “listen to hear” professionals:
1. How words are emphasized
2. Pitch changes
3. Volume changes
4. Delivery rate changes
5. Inflection
6. Phrasing tied to meaning
7. Use of Pauses and silence
8. Vocal variety
9. Vocal quality
These are the skill sets you need to empower your authentic voice.
Record your phone calls and presentations as often as you can. Then rate your mouth’s skill sets based on the preceding nine skill sets that make for good verbal communications.
You spend years going to school to improve your mind. Yet few of you spend any time learning how to power your voice. Remember, it is not what you say, it is how you say it that counts.
Whole body communications is the key to persuading your audience with your concepts and ideas resulting in the transformation of opportunity into reality.
Empower your authentic voice for a face-to-face win/win. Learn how to do what you do best BETTER. Contact me.
As a coach, trainer and consultant, Larry Blumsack partners with people and organizations on the move and those already there to accelerate their communication, presentation and speaking skills to be on par with their ambition. Through one-on-one coaching and group training Larry helps leaders and aspiring leaders elevate their presence and communication skills to influence more people, sell more products-services-ideas and inspire others more successfully than they ever imagined.
Larry is the bestselling author of Face-to-Face is The Ultimate Social Media and founder of Zoka Institute and Zoka Training®. Zoka Training® — Mind/Voice/Body/Mindfulness in sync — is the result of Larry’s 45 years as a coach, acting teacher, actor, voice-over artist, theater and TV director/producer, radio & TV commentator and show host, speaker, trainer, serial entrepreneur, and syndicated columnist. Larry was a founding member of the theater department at Northeastern University.
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