Voice Power Studios Podcasts

Take a look at successful communicators and you’ll notice that, most of them have “communication savvy” and find it easy to sell themselves, their ideas, their strategies and their dreams. Which one of these statements would you want your manager to say about you? 1. He is an excellent researcher, but lacks the “communication savvy” needed to sell his ideas. 2. He is an expert in his field and a very “savvy communicator” who can sell his ideas. When it comes to communicating successfully, there are many basics to consider… the over-all message, spontaneous thinking, your words, the person or persons you are speaking with, the time and place of your meeting, your physical presentation, etc. But there is one FOUNDATIONAL skill at play in all communication – if ignored and not taken seriously to heart – it can undermine your entire message and leave everyone frustrated. Although not difficult to learn, this skill is one that you most likely have not recognized as being absolutely critical for consistent communication success. A good start in learning to develop "communication savvy" is to take a speaking voice coaching program while you are young. Unfortunately, it is not taught in most schools. However, it is a valuable learning experience and will serve you well throughout your life both personally and professionally.

Communication is still the # 1 key to personal and career success. Communication – the human connection – is basic to the business world. How many times have you heard “choose your words wisely and express them confidently”. People ask me all the time, why I am so passionate about teaching people to speak clearly, powerfully, and confidently. The answer is simple: the “speaking voice matters”. It is important that your voice is heard. There are so many talented and intelligent people who don’t realize that their speaking voice is getting in the way of their success. Schools teach language skills, vocabulary, and grammar however they do not teach you how to deliver your language with a confident and resonant tone of voice and how to pronounce your words clearly and powerfully. Without realizing it, most of us imitate the voices of our closest elders and teachers without giving it a second thought.

“What is the most important thing I can do right now to speak more persuasively and start getting more customers, clients and patients and making more money?” As I am sure you understand, there is not a completely simple answer to this question, but I can give you three executive speaking skills that you MUST put in place, if you want to speak powerfully and persuasively with potential customers, and increase your bottom line. 1.Tell a Convincing Sales Story: I believe that we are all selling all the time and if we are willing to accept this premise and create a convincing sales story, all that remains is for you to tell it well. 2.Concentrate on your delivery: The delivery of your sales story is what seals the deal. Yes, your story is very important. However it is the delivery that separates the professionals from the amateurs. The professional speakers and sales people know that how you say something is often times more important than what you are saying. 3.Get Rid of Speaking Roadblocks: There are a number of speaking roadblocks however the top four are: talking too fast, mumbling, a hard to understand accent and speaking in a monotone.

I call it the “hidden secret.” Why? Because no one talks about it….not even the sales and leadership gurus. Here’s the reality.... It does not matter what product or service you offer or whether it is offline or online or both. If you want to be a successful executive or business owner that consistently and reliably delivers quality leads and large profits… If you want to build a team and/or a customer base that will stay loyal to you… If you want to convert your leads to customers, clients or patients… If you want to communicate effectively with any size group of prospects… It’s going to require you to do this one thing. Why doesn’t anyone talk about it? Because most people take it for granted... And this will involve using this secret… You need to know how to use your voice to communicate those benefits so that people can’t resist listening to every word you say. Most sales and presentation courses tell you “you are the message” “If your customer likes you, they trust you and buy from you.” What they don’t tell you is that your Voice can make or break your sales communication. Why? Because most people take their voice for granted and many times don’t think it is possible to do anything about it.

Do you know how you Sound when you talk? Do you Sound Authentic and like you can be Trusted? Do you watch how your listener reacts as you are talking? Most speakers only pay attention to the words they say. Why? Because we are all taught from an early age that The Message is Everything! In truth, it takes 7 seconds or less for your client to react to your voice and to decide whether to listen or believe in what you are saying..... You’ve heard the old sales adage, “If they trust you they buy from you”. What makes them trust you and believe in what you say? In today’s hyped and highly marketed world, speakers who sound Authentic get the ATTENTION.

“People buy people,” “People buy from people they like, know and trust.” In the words of Nick Nanton, a leading expert of personal branding and a top thought leader in the world. “How people speak to other people makes a big difference as to whether people like, know and trust each other”. In the words of Sandra McKnight, renowned international expert in the speaking voice. Today’s social culture has changed whom we admire, what we buy and how we make decisions about purchasing. And it’s more important than ever to lead your company/ business in a very public way and that means communicating effectively so that people know, like and trust you...and ultimately buy from you as a result. Speaking in a polished, powerful and persuasive manner is the bottom line to getting your message heard.

“Life has no limitations, except the ones you make.” Les Brown, renowned motivational speaker and authority on human potential “Why do you want to succeed?” That is the question I ask all of my clients in their voice power training. There is one common thread throughout the many answers I receive.... You want to have enough money to have the freedom to do whatever you want in life. So what does having freedom mean to you? Here are some of the answers you stated. You want to... • Work for yourself and avoid having to work for anyone else ever again. • Give back. • Work less and “play” more. • Spend more time with your family. • Help other people live better. • Travel more. All of these reasons just scratch the surface. Identifying the reasons why you want to succeed is an important activity. To quote Les Brown again, “The only limits to the possibilities in your life tomorrow are the “buts” you use today.” However is having a good list of reasons all it takes? I have observed that sometimes people do indeed have a good list of reasons, yet they still struggle to succeed.

Selling with your voice is easy! All you need to do is use your voice to connect on a primal level. When you sound open, professional and engaging, people will relax, listen and be much more inclined to buy. The Magic Power that sells your ideas, your services, your expertise, your products and your personality is having control over the HOW you sound. It is not what you are saying, but how you SOUND when you say it. Speaking like a Leader takes awareness and practice, practice, practice. When you change your speaking voice you will change your life. You can become a star communicator by developing the Magic Power of your Voice.http://www.voicepowerstudios.com/analysis.html

How much confidence, energy, and enthusiasm does your voice radiate when you speak about your ideas, services or products? Your vocal sound is what people react to first and then they listen to what you’re saying. Experts say that in a telephone conversation, 80% of your persuasiveness comes from your speaking voice and 20% from what you say. Most people don’t realize that the sound of their voice is an important and determining factor as to whether someone buys.http://www.voicepowerstudios.com/analysis.html In order to sell your ideas most effectively you also need to speak clearly at approximately 150 words per minute and let each thought you say build upon the previous thought. People don’t speak in sentences they speak in thoughts, one after another. All the thoughts must connect in a succinct and concise way to tell the story of your scientific research. It is never just about the facts. Each thought you say has a corresponding feeling associated with it, even if it is simply enthusiasm or sounding like you’re interested in what saying.

I suggest that many adults have speaking problems that are tied to being shy, having low self- esteem, and lack of confidence, to name just a few and those speaking problems could have been improved easily and quickly, if only speaking voice lessons were taught in our schools. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com. I am not speaking about learning another language such as English, Spanish, Mandarin, French, German, etc. I’m talking about how to communicate well in any language by using the following basic speaking skills: breath support, vocal resonance, projection, volume control, speech melody, clear pronunciation, pacing and phrasing and speaking at an easily understood rate. After 25 years of teaching voice and speech in the business world, I feel that knowing and practicing the aforementioned speaking skills in the early years of life would definitely facilitate both personal and professional communication. People would begin to value their speaking voice just like they value their bodies. They would use their voice to communicate their needs and the needs of others in a confident, self-assured, articulate, and expressive manner. To me having Voice Power, means you stand in your own power and have the ability to speak your truth with confidence.

The most powerful way to build new client relationships and retain established ones, is to use your voice to create a trusting, comfortable, personal relationship face to face, over the telephone, through a live streaming video or webinar. The 80/20 marketing rule: “A typical business earns approximately 80 percent of its profits from the top 20 percent of its customer base”. Many business people don’t realize that speaking with a confident, energetic voice tone, every time you talk to a client, is the best way to let them know how much you appreciate them.

It really is amazing how changing your speaking voice can positively change your life and the relationships in your life. Just this week, two business professionals, Marsha in her 60’s and Katie in her 20’s, called for a voice consultation because at work both of their voices were being judged negatively. Marsha was accused of sounding overbearing, bordering on angry by the team that she managed and Katie was told by her boss that she sounded like a child of 12 and that this was undermining her credibility with her real estate clients. Rather than feeling that their coworkers and boss were prejudice or had a personal ax to grind, both Marsha and Katie took their feedback positively and began looking for solutions. It is common for people to unconsciously react to someone’s way of speaking and most of the time they don’t even really realize it.

A confident, clear, powerful voice is the key that enables you to persuade and influence. Whether you are a lawyer speaking to a jury, a mother with a 5 year old, a sales person closing a deal, a person running for political office, or a CEO speaking to his stake holders, your voice sends many vocal cues that make a huge difference on the impact you and your message have. Get a Voice Analysis Consultation to determine if are you talking so fast so that you’re your message blows right by the listener: is your voice tone so high pitched or grating that it unconsciously turns off your listener: is your pronunciation mumbled and people can’t understand you; are people talking over you because you speak softly and unassertively; are you lacking in credibility because you are nasal, or do you have a heavy accent that creates a communication barrier?

Speaking clearly, concisely, and effectively with confidence is the key to unlocking many doors: in both business and personal relationships. In business you have technical presentations, technical overviews, sales presentations, stake holder meetings, teleconferences. The speaking opportunities increase as you advance in your company. As you grow in your career, you need your co-workers, team members, senior executives, and clients to feel comfortable when you talk with them. This level of comfort comes from being easily understood and is vital to building the trust factor in business or personal relationships.

In the world of performance reviews in corporate America, many people are not told that their accent is holding them back. Pure and simple everyone has an accent and the goal is to be easily and readily understood by the people in the country in which you are living and working. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com. Whether you were born and raised in America with a deep southern accent or recently emigrated here, it is much easier, quicker and more realistic to reduce your accent than to develop and American Accent. After all, an American accent is so varied. You have the southern accent, the New York accent, the Boston accent, the Texan accent, the Mid-western accent. Therefore I feel to be easily and readily understood by your audience is your goal.

How you are perceived either isolates us or brings us together. No matter your role in life you are constantly using your voice to influence others and the vehicle for great communication is a great voice that can magnetize, delight, and captivate an audience. http://www.voicepowerstudios.com. How often do you captivate and fascinate others with your message? Do the passion, credibility, caring and confidence in your voice attract and galvanize people’s attention. Even, if your presentation is technical, financial, or a lawyers brief, there is always a way to focus your message so that it has the greatest impact. Look at your content and ask these questions. What is my core message really about? What in this material can I use to fascinate my audience? Why do they need to hear this message? What will they take away and remember. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

Come across vividly, make a memorable impression and have the competitive edge over all the other speakers in the room Projecting gives your voice power and keeps your message ringing in the ears of your listener. It is relatively easy to become proficient at the physical technique of projecting your voice; however the change of attitude that needs to go along with it is often harder for a client to accept. You need to be willing to stand out when you speak and let your voice tone send the message that what you are saying is important. So important that the audience needs to listen intently or they will miss something crucial. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

The ancient Greeks discovered that “The Voice is the Megaphone of the Soul”. They knew that it was your voice that fascinates and captivates an audience and telegraphs your soul power as you speak. Breathing is the secret for both singers and speakers. Good breath support for your speaking voice is what the ancient Greeks discovered and what many of us today in our hurried world often ignore. It is the energy of your breath that sets free the soul power of your speaking voice. Good breath support gives you control over your voice tone, your resonance, your loudness, and your projection. With this control you sound confident, assertive, energetic, and articulate and deliver a powerful, engaging, and persuasive message that has meaning and impact. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

I suggest that you can level the playing field by slowing down and speaking clearly. Fast talking or data dumping is one of the most prevalent bad speech habits today and it can stop your career. After all, the name data dumping implies that you are saying all the relevant information on a particular subject as fast as possible with little regard for your listener and whether he/she understands you. I know that fast talkers like don’t think of it that way however, people can have all sorts of biases around fast talking. For example you can be perceived as trying to double talk a point in order to confuse the situation, or that you are insecure and have a lot of anxiety, or worse yet that you don’t know what you are talking about and don’t want people to know it. It may be that in his own way the judge was trying to keep you from being perceived in any of these ways. Who knows! In any case the slowing of your speaking rate will level the playing field, enhance your communication and help you build many long lasting and effective relationships. Speaking at a normal rate of 120 to 160 words per minute, allows people not only to understand your message but also to react positively to the non-verbal messages in your voice that powerfully influence and persuade others to your point of view. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

This story beautifully illustrates the first way that your speaking voice stops your career. All your brilliance, and the education and hard work that you put into your chosen profession, can be stopped by not being easily understood by your employer, fellow employees and your clients and customers. May I also say that speaking clearly is not only applicable to foreign speakers, but also to native English speakers. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

Speaking clearly and at a good speaking rate is an important business driver in business communication such as board meetings, sales, negotiation, presentations, webinars, and teleconferences. Heavily accented communication is commonplace in today’s global business community and it is so easily corrected. Corporations and companies hire the very best talent which hail from everywhere in the world and many people speak 2 or 3 languages. However, many times, they are unaware that their accent is difficult to understand and very frustrating to their audience. Speaking clearly and at a good speaking rate is an important business driver in today’s global market. If you can’t be understood, then your message is not heard. Accent reduction and voice coaching is a simple and powerful solution. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

When the first interview is over the telephone, 80% of the communication is transmitted by the tone of voice, diction, projection, speech melody, volume and rate of speech and 20% are the words that are actually said. The person being interviewed needs to be prepared with his content. The deal breaker is how he is heard and as a result, how he is perceived. Speaking fast could give the interviewer any of the following impressions of the interview candidate: 1. that he has anxiety, 2. that he has a lack of confidence, or 3. that he just wants to get through the interview as quickly as possible for some reason. Most likely the interviewer will assume that he does not want the job or that he doesn’t fit into the organization. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

Knowing how to control your voice is a powerful tool that gives you a competitive edge in the business world. My clients, whether an employees or an entrepreneurs, realize that improving their voice will make them more successful and rich.The passion, confidence and conviction in your voice are what connect you to each individual. You and your voice are the message that sells your consulting programs. Otherwise they could read a written proposal. Your voice is what makes them believe in you and the sales story you are telling. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

I will convince your sales staff the value of slowing their speaking rate, saying their words clearly and never letting their voice trial off at the end of a thought. Training in these three basic speaking skills will close sales and increase your yearly sales percentage. These three speaking skills will immediately engage and build a relationship with every customer in the first 15 seconds of the sales conversation. To increase commissions, all it takes is for your sales people to practice the following three skills. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

A physically disabled person can level the playing field by using their voice powerfully. This episode addresses that many physically able people often behave in subtle condescending ways toward them. My clients want to level the playing field between themselves and the standing person who is approaching them for the first time. There is never a second chance to make a first impression and by using their voice they can change this perception. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

To start out the New Year, Voice Power Studios asked the social networks, “Would you tell someone who needs to speak in public and/or business settings, that they’re voice is hard to understand.” Out of the many responses we received, here are three which, I feel, reflect a communication trend in America. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

Debra has a breathy voice that doesn’t sound like a confident expert in her field. She has not gotten past the first telephone interview for the last three jobs. It isn’t because she is unqualified. Sandra McKnight and Voice Power Studios helps to analyze and correct hidden messages in your voice that can halt a career. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

Over the years I have worked with various spiritual leaders. The nature of the profession demands that they develop and use their voices to uplift people and hold forth the vision of their particular faith. It takes breath support to sustain a well projected, rich, resonant voice tone. Good pronunciation of all consonants and vowels gives you clarity and a ring to the voice. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

How Shyness in your Voice Can Stop Your Career. As a Voice trainer, I am aware that shyness, social anxieties, and deep seated fears strongly influence how much a person gets out of life. Psychotherapy, Hypnotherapy and the programs at the Shyness Clinic are tools that can truly make a huge difference to making shy people feel more comfortable, productive and happy in the world. However, I also know from 25 years of teaching voice that changing your speaking pattern is a powerful tool to changing the way you present yourself to others. When you have control over how you present yourself, then you are in charge. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

Episode 2 describes how hidden messages in your Voice stop your career. This story is about an executive who was told that her voice was harsh and difficult to listen to and was perceived as overbearing and over time it had caused her team to have serious negative feelings toward her. By applying a few simple speaking voice techniques he was able to speak with a more confident, engaging and persuasive voice. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.

This podcast discusses an example of someone who was unaware of the hidden meanings within the sound of his voice. With this example we see by applying a few simple techniques we are able to give him a more persuasive and friendly voice. Visit www.voicepowerstudios.com.