3 tips for great vocal delivery
It was interesting reading in the Press this week that Sir Keir Starmer has been working with a vocal coach. He realises the importance of a strong voice to make an impact, and for any leader it is one of our most powerful tools. We can have the most fascinating message in the world, but if we don’t deliver it with a good strong, dynamic voice, our words will go for nothing. Yet, many business leaders tend to disregard vocal training, convinced that content alone can see them through.
Here are 3 top tips from Vermillion for looking after and optimising your voice:
Strengthen - warm-up your voice before you present. Do some lovely big loud yawns - probably better in the bathroom than in the middle of the office - as they open up the back of your throat so that the sound doesn’t get stuck there. Humming a little tune to yourself as you walk to the office will set you up by warming up your vocal folds, as well as making you feel better! Don’t clear your throat as it slams together your vocal folds and can damage them. Then breathe in through the nose and sigh out. Next, concentrate on your breath, making your stomach inflate as you inhale. Breathe in through your nose and blow the air out to a point on the wall; this is using your diaphragm to support your voice as you speak and gives you a strong, rooted tone.
Stretch - we’ve all been to presentations where somone has delivered in a monotone and we’ve switched off after a few seconds. For our message to be dynamic we need it to be varied, and this means stretching the tone, pace, pitch and volume. Use a poem or script to play about with these, taking a few lines and mouthing, whispering and then singing them. Try underlining different words that you then emphsise, thinking about how it changes the meaning of what you’re saying. Then say them as if to a small child, and then imagining you’re on the stage at Wembley. Next work on a few tongue twisters to make sure your articulation is really precise. Pronounce each word clearly and rhythmically, as if you were doing scales on a piano. When you can say the sentence through perfectly, increase the speed.
Supple - for your voice to stay strong and flexible, you need to keep it supple, and this means looking after it. Do a warm-up if you know that you’ll be speaking all day, particularly if you’ll be speaking to a larger group. Keep your throat warm in cold weather to protect your vocal folds, and keep it moisturised by steaming it - mouth breathing in from a cup of hot water. Sip on some luke-warm water or herbal tea to keep your vocal chords lubricted. Caffeine isn’t great as it’s a diuretic so can dry out your voice. But if the idea of doing without your morning cup is too much, make sure you drink plenty of water, as well.
Remember that your voice is an instrument which can have great effect and influence, if used well. It is as individual to you as your finger print and can be developed as it’s made up of muscles. So if you’re not happy with your voice for whatever reason, get in touch and we can chat to you about how we can help.
