General speech training (part 1)

• It is an act• It is an expression• It is a habit

• Pleasant tone and sound (Tone and sound)

• Audible (Volume)

• Good pitch (Pitch)

• Easy to understand (Clarity/ Pronunciation)

• Sensible (Intelligible)

Pleasant tone and sound (Tone and sound)A pleasant voice can be achieved by relaxing the

vocal chords. Relaxing the body through deep breathing is effective in relaxing the vocal the

vocal chords.)

Audible (Volume)Softer volume is more professional on the telephone. It must neither be too loud nor

too soft.

Good pitch (Pitch)Lower pitch is more professional on the telephone. It shows that you are confident

and in control.

Easy to Understand (Clarity/ Pronunciation)Follow the Standard American English Accent.

You will be perceived by your customers as more professional and educated. Learn to use a dictionary to guide you in improving.

Also, speak clearly. Don’t be tongue-lazy. Do some tongue-twisters.

Sensible (Intelligible)Make sense. Intelligible speech catches the

attention if it has interesting content.

REMEMBER:Your voice is an important

tool when you are conversing because people will build a

perception of you through your voice.

Over the phone, people tend to…• create a mental picture of what the person look like• determine whether they like them or not;

• approximately 60% of our communication (eye contact, gestures, facial expressions, etc.) is lost over the telephone.

Because…

• A very critical component of voice quality

• Controlling this aspect is important like the way accelerator and brake pedals are controlled in a car

• By using various speed in your dialogue, you will avoid the monotonous tone that so often defines sales calls

• Use the “variable speed” approach:1. Speed up when you want to quickly get

through a part of your sentence, or2. Slow down when you want to gain your

audience’s full, focused attention. • It is also best to mirror the pace of

the person you are talking to

• Variation in pitch depending on how they are used, will either benefit or detract from your presentation

• Remember to avoid using…– A deep, low voice that can be a

distraction, especially if it sounds “froggy”

– A high-pitched voice that can sound nasal, squeaky or mousey

Control your pitch at or about a level that makes it easy for listening and

use an appealing pleasant voice that can soothe and attract your

audience

• Always vary the quality and tone of your voice

• Do not use flat, monotonous voice because it is distracting

• Convey a sense of enthusiasm to the people you are talking to

• Vary your tone or modulate your voice so you will generate emotion

Reasons why we need intonation• It indicates mood and meaning• Without it, your speech would be flat,

mechanical and would be confusing for your listener

• Provides exaggerations to make a point

• If you use intonation not only will you be easier to understand, but you will sound more confident, dynamic & persuasive

How to make intonation• LOUDER – simply raising the volume• STRETCH – stretch the word out or lengthen

the word that you want to draw attention to

• PITCH – change the pitch, which is the most refined. This will make your listeners stop & listen because they think you are going to say something interesting

• Clarity is the crispness of your voice, enunciation and your pronunciation

• So speak clearly by:– Pronouncing words

perfectly and– Enunciating sounds well

• Posture affects voice quality

• To have good posture – – Sit or stand upright, back

and straight, with feet flat on the floor and

– Practice doing things that do not require additional work and strain your sound production

• Smile often whenever you speak or talk, even when you are on the phone because the voice projection improves when you smile

• Be watchful of your expressions and gestures

• Persuade and generate interest not only with words but with your facial expressions and body gestures

• Avoid annoying mannerisms

• Up ending words and sentences • Fillers• Reading• Talking over People• Rhythm• Professionalism

Up ending words and sentence • This means your voice raises or gets higher as

you say a word or come to the end of a sentence• It makes everything you say sound like a question• Your voice should actually go down at the end of

the sentence to signal the end of an idea• Up ending words and sentences makes you

sound unsure of yourself and unassertive

Fillers • Uhms, Er, Ahs, Ya’knows are a few of the

common fillers that you should avoid using• These fillers tend to undercut the speaker’s

effectiveness because they produce a perception of uncertainty

• Habitual use of fillers also cause articulation problems especially when used while stuttering

Reading• You should not sound like you are reading when

speaking• Instead, one should sound conversational,

personable, having enthusiasm and having voice inflection will keep you from giving the impression that you are reading a script

Talking Over People• Talking over people and interrupting them

before they finish talking during conversations are extremely rude

• This behavior can cause strains in your relationship with the people you are conversing with

• So avoid talking over, practice LISTENING first and wait for your turn before speaking

Rhythm• Placing punctuations where it doesn’t belong

can make it difficult for your audience to follow• Also, it can cause misconceptions that lead to

misunderstanding s• So practice