| Voice is a powerful tool for presenters. Voice can | | | | tool for nervous speakers who tend to speak too |
| make all the difference between success and | | | | fast. By stopping at key points, the speaker |
| failure when you're aiming to engage your | | | | allows the audience time to process key points |
| audience. In sales meetings, company updates or | | | | before moving on to new material. One easy trick |
| technical meetings, it is critical to keep your | | | | is to underline key points in your notes and then |
| audience involved and interested in your remarks. | | | | place the word PAUSE in large letters to remind |
| Learn how to stretch your voice by understanding | | | | you to stop speaking for a few seconds. Actively |
| the 5 P's of Voice Control including Pitch, Pace, | | | | playing with pause will have a profound effect on |
| Pause, Projection & Personality. | | | | your presentation prowess. Now that we have |
| Pitch | | | | covered Pause let's move on to the powerful tool |
| Pitch refers to the ups and downs of your notes | | | | of Projection. |
| when you speak. We all have the ability to speak | | | | Projection |
| from a vocal range - which includes higher notes | | | | This aspect of voice is by far the most important |
| and lower notes. However, it takes great | | | | as it correlates to your audience's ability to hear |
| awareness and practice to notice your own pitch | | | | your remarks. Even the most intelligent presenter |
| and to change it consciously. Why is pitch | | | | can not have their desired impact if the people in |
| important? A monotone voice bores the audience | | | | the room can not hear their key points. With |
| and a bored audience is less likely to recall your | | | | projection, everyone can hear your comments |
| key points or to take action. To play around with | | | | without having to strain their voice. However, |
| pitch try thinking of popular characters who have | | | | there is still value in varying your projection to |
| voices at either end of the vocal range then | | | | add intrigue and interest to your comments. For |
| practice speaking (or singing!) like them. For | | | | example, you might want to soften your voice to |
| example you might think of Michael Jackson's high | | | | emphasize a key point and then later increase the |
| pitched voice and then compare it with Barry | | | | volume for another point. In either case though |
| White's deeper tones. You can also simulate the | | | | you must ensure that all members of the |
| voices of movie actors to start expanding your | | | | audience can hear each and every point. Practice |
| own range. Over time your awareness and | | | | projecting your voice by imagining that everyone |
| practice with pitch will enable you to vary your | | | | is sitting against the far wall in the room. Ensure |
| voice as you speak - all in the aim of drawing | | | | they can hear you and that you are speaking |
| your audience into your remarks. Now that we've | | | | from your diaphragm. Now that we have |
| looked at Pitch, let's move on to Pace. | | | | discussed Projection let's take a look at |
| Pace | | | | Personality. |
| Pace refers to the speed at which you speak. | | | | Personality |
| Just as monotone is boring so is mono-pace. A | | | | Personality refers to the color, warmth and |
| good speaker knows the value of changing the | | | | meaning that comes from hearing your voice. The |
| pace as they speak. For example, when you are | | | | personality of your voice will dictate if people are |
| introducing a topic that is exciting you can speed | | | | "turned on" or "turned off" when listening to you. |
| up the pace of your voice. On the other hand, | | | | Certainly adjusting the pitch and volume will help |
| when you want people to focus their attention | | | | the quality of your voice. Adding emotion will give |
| you may slow down for emphasis. The overall | | | | your voice color and warmth. So too will a smile |
| point is that variation is the key to success here. | | | | which softens and warms up the vocal tones that |
| So play around with your pace next time you | | | | people hear. Personality can vary from passionate, |
| speak to see the impact on your audience. Now | | | | to bored, to serious, to light. What personality are |
| that we have explored Pace we will move on to | | | | you going for when you speak on a given topic? |
| look at Pause. | | | | Give it some thought and choose a word that |
| Pause | | | | captures the tone you want your voice to |
| Pause involves stopping momentarily for effect in | | | | convey. Write that word at the top of your |
| the middle of your remarks. It is a tool that is | | | | notes so that you consciously strive to embue |
| used hand in hand with variation of Pace. A pause | | | | your voice with the personality that will help you |
| is best used before or after a significant point as | | | | make the most impact. |
| a tool for emphasis. Pause is also a tremendous | | | | |