Your Tone Of Voice
Affects How People
Respond To You
By Judith Filek — President,
Impact Communications, Inc.
When customers hear your voice on the other end
of the line, they imagine the person behind the
voice. If they like what they hear in the voice,
chances are they will perceive you as knowledgeable
and confident. If they don’t like your voice, it
makes them want to disconnect or speak to a supervisor.
Your voice is your best vehicle for making
the customer trust you.
To exceed customer expectations, your voice must
consistently sound
• Upbeat
• Warm
• Under control
• Clear.
Understanding your voice
All of us are born with a particular voice. It is our
trademark. Most of us do not have a radio
announcer’s voice. However, unless there is a congenital
defect, any voice can be improved by pausing
and breathing.
To improve the tone of your voice:
1. Make sure you are breathing from the diaphragm.
Many people are shallow breathers.
This can cause the voice to sound strident.
2. Drink lots of water to keep the voice sounding
pleasant all day long. The ordinary person
uses up a quart of water an hour. When
you talk all day long on the phone, it is important
to keep the vocal cords lubricated.
3. Avoid caffeine. It is a diuretic.
4. Sit up straight. Posture does affect breathing.
5. Use gestures to make your voice sound energetic.
It is especially important to use gestures
when you are tired. They will give your
voice additional power and will help you to
emphasize words or phrases to get your
point across.
6. You automatically warm up the tone of your
voice when you smile. Your customers will notice
the difference. Keep a mirror on your desk
and notice if you are smiling while talking.
7. If your voice is particularly high or low, exercise
the range of your voice by doing a sliding
scale. You can also expand the range of
your voice by singing.
8. Tape record your voice and play it back.
Would this be a voice that says, “I care?”
9. Practice speaking at a slightly lower octave.
Deeper voices have more credibility than
higher pitched voices. It will take getting
used to pitching your voice down an octave,
but it will be worth the effort. It is also what
on-air radio personalities have had to learn
to do.
10. Get feedback on the tone of your voice. Ask
your manager or a trusted friend.
Your voice sells people on your knowledge level
and professionalism. It helps you to gain their support
when difficulties arise. Make it sound the best
it can by pausing and breathing and by maintaining
it with good posture, big gestures and plenty
of water.
Impact Communications, Inc. consults with individuals
and businesses to improve their faceto-
face and over the phone communication
skills. It is not what you know but how you communicate
it that makes a difference. To reach
us, phone (847) 438-4480 or contact our web
site, www.ImpactCommunicationsInc.com.
Copyright © 2001
Impact Communications, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
