The 4 key characteristics of a persuasive voice, by Pilar Ortiz
December 1, 2020
The voice is a vehicle with which we transmit our messages, and sometimes we tend to overlook it. We do not focus on how we convey our messages: we do not look beyond the phrases and words we use. But what really adds to the effectiveness of our messages are other elements. Today I'm going to talk to you about the 4 fundamental parts for a persuasive voice. Little by little we will be able to use our voice, it is something that is not simply understood and done. It requires practice, adjusting the knowledge and internalizing it. Our voice is a whole range of signals that play with each other to achieve different effects and communicate effectively.
What do you think the characteristics of a persuasive voice should be? For example, if I want to convince my clients to buy a new product? I will answer these questions.
The first essential characteristic is intensity, which has to do with the strength of the voice, but not necessarily with the volume. And this is a very common mistake, to believe that it is only about volume. Strength is achieved through breathing, it is the way you bring out the air out your airways. It has nothing to do with volume, but it does have to do with the amount of air that is going to be used. It is important to have a balance between volume and voice strength, and it is mainly with the breath that this is regulated. You should have energy, but not to the point of screaming. Studies say that in order for someone to be more credible they should tend to have a high-intensity voice than a lower one. To be credible when you are leading teams, giving a lecture, high intensity (but not exaggerated) will help you gain credibility.
The second point we're talking about is the tone. High or low? To be more credible and persuasive you have to look for a middle point, with a tendency towards going low. If you go to the extreme of speaking too high a tone, you will scare off your audience; and if you go to the extreme of the low, you will sound boring and monotonous. Studies say that generally the voice that tends to be a little deeper is the one that is more persuasive. But be careful, I repeat, it's not about going to extremes. You must make an intonation (sum of tones) without moving much between the different tones. It is not a matter of going up and down abruptly. In that order of ideas, for a more persuasive communication, the best thing you should do is to start in a higher tone and end in something lower. You must remember, this is truly learned when you practice it.
The third characteristic is the most difficult to change, but the easiest to understand: the timbre of the voice. This is the sum of the tone (high or low) and our physiognomy (the face, which serves as a sounding board). It can be changed, for example, by moving the mouth more, making it more spacious. That timbre will be very unique for each one of us, since all our faces are different. If you want to be more persuasive, you must open your mouth a little more, in order to sound clearer. One exercise you can do to open your mouth is to puff out your cheeks and smile. With these exercises you are moving different muscles in your mouth which will allow you to open your mouth more easily.
The last point refers to the speed at which you speak. If you talk too slowly, you may bore your audience. Speaking too fast is not very good either, since no one will understand you. Studies say that the one who speaks with a tendency to speak faster is more persuasive. Remember, it is always balanced. This way the person sounds more dynamic, more intelligent, more energetic. I'll give you a tip: when you are talking, and you get to the most important part you want to be heard, you should speak more slowly. That is, when you are doing your speech, which is less important, you speak faster, and when you get to what you want to be understood, you emphasize and speak relatively slower.
