How Influential is Your Voice?

What is the most sensual voice you've ever heard?  YIKES!  Where are we going with THAT question? 

Vocalics.

Vocalics is the study of all stimuli produced by the human voice that affect the auditory sense.  It's not the words themselves, but how the words sound.  Even pauses and silence are our instruments of vocalics.

Have you ever thought about how you sound?  It's time to hike up your awareness and skills of vocalics because people hear the emotion in your words maybe even more than the meaning of the words themselves! 

When we project our voice, we think of it as our voice.  We may initialize it from within our body, but once it gets out there, it really isn't ours anymore.  Once our voice leaves our bodies, three little ear bones vibrate in the other person's body. 

How intimate is THAT? 

Let's do our own experiment.  Hum a really low note.  Where do you feel that in your body?  Now hum a really high note.  Different place vibrates, right?  We can create vibrations all over! 

For trivia nuts, those three little bones, the malleus, the incus and the stapes, are capable of hearing vibrations from 20-20,000 hertz.  Sensitive little guys, right?

Okay, so now we know that our voice is not for us, but it's really our attempt to move other people.  Some scientists claim that emotions are transmitted by the sound of words, not by their meaning.  And people are influenced by both logic and emotion.  Doesn't it, then, make sense to skill yourself up on how to make your words sound?

Hum a low note if you agree.

I met my wife on a blind date which was preceded by a long phone call.  Two hours!  As we talked, I remember being smitten by her calming voice.  Quiet yet strong.  Slow, but the kind of slow that makes you lean in to catch every word.  Her voice reminded me of my Aunt Helen.  And my Aunt Helen was an angel on Earth.  Yes, I was convinced I was talking to an angel.  I really thought all that during our call. 

Vocalics influence. 

Did you know that surgeons who have a high volume without melody in their voice get sued more often! 

Vocalics matter!

So, let's get to some simple practices. 

If you want to sound grateful, how does that sound? 

• Is the Pace of gratitude slow or fast?
• Is gratitude high or low Volume?
• Is the Melody of gratitude monotone or varied?

Now you're getting it!

Let's try the same activity with your business.  What's the name of your business or initiative?  Say it aloud.  What emotion do you want it to evoke in your clients or customers?  How would that emotion sound?  Loud?  Gentle?  Innovative?  Fast-paced?  Serene?  Hip?  Bouncy?  Fierce?  Go out on the edge and try saying your business or initiative name with different emotions.   Maybe even try a couple emotions that are the antithesis of your business or initiative name.  You might make yourself LOL! 

Vocalics is the study of all stimuli produced by the human voice that affect the auditory sense.  It's how words sound.  We move bones in people bodies when we speak.  It's sensual.  It's intimate.  It evokes emotions and emotions influence.

Today, we just scratched the surface of Vocalics! 

Time to Learn Deeply!