Lower Energy Voice Level Works Best in Cold Calls

A Voice Coach subscriber writes: When cold calling, I seem to notice that the more energetic I am, the more the prospect got scared and put walls up. I guess the message they were getting was 'Here comes a salesman.' But when I was more low-key, they were much more receptive. It seems like most people want to increase their energy level and talk faster. I want to do the exact opposite! Any quick tips?"

Susan Berkley:

Sure! Here's a few to get you started:

How to tame a hyper-active speaking voice

1. Keep body language to a minimum

Cut back on gestures. Remain seated. If you normally wear a headset, try restricting physical movement by working without it.

2. Make sure you are physically relaxed before making the call

Imagine that you just got out of bed. Take a deep breath and center yourself before speaking. Learn some stretching exercises and do them once an hour to keep the kinks out of your body.

3. Surround your desk with soothing images

Try beach scenes (no bikini clad women or buff looking men!), mountains, flowing water, etc... Look at the predominant colors in your office decor. Neutrals and blues are soothing, red will pump you up.

4. If you can stand it, cut back on the caffeine

The more caffeine in your bloodstream, the faster you will tend to speak.

5. Pause more. After each thought, count to 3 before you continue

Ask lots of questions and listen for the answer. Most salespeople talk too much. You should be listening 3 times more than you speak. A pause can feel like an eternity internally, but a listener will scarcely notice that you stopped speaking and will appreciate that you gave them a chance to digest your message.

6. Record yorself

The biggest challenge in voice improvement is that most of us do not hear ourselves as others hear us. A digital recorder and feedback from a supportive friend can help.

Record yourself doing your sales pitch at your normal speed and then at a slower rate. Email the recording to a friend and see if they notice a difference between the two.

If you are still too fast, visualize elongating and extending the space between your words. Pause for a beat or two after each thought. If you use a script, make marks to remind you to pause at appropriate places.

From The VoiceCoach Newsletter by Susan Berkley. Reprinted with permission. Copyright 2010. All Rights reserved.

Susan Berkley is the author of Speak To Influence:How To Unlock The Hidden Power of Your Voice. available from your favorite bookseller. For a free subscription to The Voice Coach Newsletter visit www.speaktoinfluence.com.

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