Archive for November, 2005
You are currently browsing the Your Voice Speaks Success Blog archives for November, 2005.
Your Voice Matters November 22 2005
Tuesday, November 22nd, 2005 Your Voice Matters
November 22, 2005
Published by Marlena Reigh
______________________
© Marlena Reigh2005
http://myvoicespeakssuccess.com
Welcome to our many subscribers who signed up through
our web site or at an event where Marlena Reigh
presented.
This ezine is subscription based and sent only to those
who ASK to be on the mailing list.
If you have received this ezine in error we apologize.
To unsubscribe please see instructions at the end of this
ezine.
==============================================
IN THIS ISSUE
==============================================
1. Greetings From The Author Marlena Reigh
2. Telephone Tips Series:#2 Delivering Great
Customer Service With Your Voice
3. Quote of The Month: John Corry
4. Voice Skills Tips: Look Ten Years Younger in Ten
Minutes A Day And Sound Great Too-The Posture Factor
5. Personal Communication Story: Even a Thirteen Year-
Old Knows.
6. We’d Love To Hear From You
==============================================
1. Greetings From The Author Marlena Reigh
==============================================
How we communicate to others can make them feel good
about who they are and it can make us feel good about
who we are and the value of our product or service.
The Telephone Tips Series #2 can apply to anyone
doing any kind of business on the telephone. It’s
a matter of a warm voice means a warm heart.
The quote is an powerful observation of the voice of
Ronald Regan. Do you want to look and feel younger
in only ten minutes and day AND it doesn’t cost
a thing! Check out #4. Also, the story about the
thirteen- year-old is my favorite because it really
demonstrates how the voice can have an impact on our
personal lives.
==============================================
2. Telephone Tips Series: #2 Delivering Great
Customer Service With Your Voice
==============================================
The sound of the voice is a physical experience for
the listener and accounts for up to 97% of the impression
we make when on the telephone. On top of that, 30% of our
voice energy is lost over the telephone equipment making
us sound more impersonal.
We all have dealt with customer service, often with
mixed feelings about receiving care with our best interest
at heart. Much of our misgivings are directly correlated
to how the customer service person “sounds” when taking
care of us.
In audiences I have polled, attendees said the voices that
turn them off when on the telephone sound: abrupt,
in a hurry, indifferent, pushy, rude, insensitive, and
sometimes not professional in the words and language
being used.
Sue, an audience member and an operator for a large telephone
company, told us that her call goal was to make each person
she talked to feel they were special. I asked the audience
if they experienced this with calls they received and almost
all said “No”. “How would you feel about having a conversation
with Sue?” The response was, “It would be great.”, ” I would
want to talk to her and do business with her.” Sue knows the key.
Our voice reflects our intentions and attitudes. What she was
talking about was building a relationship with each client.
She made them feel good about themselves and doing business
with her.
We too can help others feel good about themselves and
the choice they made to do business with us.
Here are ways for you to boost your energy and your
intentions for building customer rapport over the
telephone:
=> Know what you want your voice to project
Enthusiasm, sincerity, caring, warmth?
=> Warm up your voice before speaking
(see warm up exercises on our web site)
http://www.myvoicespeakssuccess.com
=> Put a smile in your voice by smiling
=> Sit erect at your desk
=> Use your voice to guide them at a feeling level
=> Listen-really listen for needs
=> Use a moderate volume
=> Demonstrate sincere interest
=> Stand up or walk around to relieve stress
=> Use a mirror and look at it before and during the call
=> Be patient
=> Respond not react
=> Think before you think before you speak-make each word count
When you have a tone of voice that others love doing business
with, you will making and receiving your calls with more personal
satisfaction.
Add a friendly and sincere tone to the following
words and language and you will truly be appreciated
by your customers and well remembered.
Acceptable words and language that build relationships:
This: “Hello, Good morning…”, “Good afternoon…”
* Not: “Hi there”, “Hey…”, “What’s up?”
This:”My pleasure…”, “I’m glad we could help.”,
“Happy to do so.”
* Not: “No problem.”
This:”May I put you on hold?”
* Not:”Can you hold please?”(and you don’t wait for a reply),
“Hold on.”, “Just a sec.”
This: “Yes. Certainly.”
* Not:”OK.”, “Sure.”, “Uh huh.”, “Yep”, “Yeah.”
This: Listening to complete sentences from customer
* Not: Interrupting while someone is already talking
This: Getting clarity by rephrasing back, “What I hear you
saying is…”
* Not:Being defensive, rehearsing your answer, making
assumptions.
This: “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
* Not:(hanging up first)
This: Proper grammar
* Not:Ain’t, got none
Always listen for ways to respond that serves your customer.
As a professional communicator it is your job to maintain
a positive win-win attitude. Say “Today my customers will
hear a warm voice that will let them know we have a warm heart.”
Build your communication muscle every day.Practice talking
out loud before you get to work to warm up the voice,
body, and mind. Or you can talk to the other drivers
if you don’t already do that!
**********************Sponsor*****************************
” Voice Skills For Telephone Success” is one of the hottest
programs Marlena Reigh offers. Have Marlena come into
your organization to evaluate and coach the voices on your
team. Email marlena@myvoicespeakssuccess.com
*****************************************************************
==============================================
3. Quote Of The Month: John Corry
==============================================
“His voice is his great weapon. It is not an orator’s voice.
It is husky, and sometimes it fades to a whisper. Meanwhile,
it is extraordinarily intimate. Mr. Regan does not speak to
audiences; he speaks to individuals.”
John Corry Historical Writer
==============================================
==============================================
4. Voice Skills Tips: Look Ten Years Younger in Ten
Minutes A Day And Sound Great Too-The Posture Factor
==============================================
Would you like to look younger? Feel younger?
And with no monetary cost? It’s easier than you think.
All you need is ten minutes a day and the tenacity to make
these practices part of your health regime.
Looking and feeling younger is a big market for various
products and services that promise the “fountain of youth.”
They focus on wrinkles, gray hair, or sagging chins.
Yet there is one major tell-tale sign that is overlooked
and can make a major difference on your appearance. The
best part is that the cost is only ten minutes a day!
When you get in the habit of developing good posture,
you will not only look and feel younger but you will
gain other health benefits too-
Oh, and did I mention that your voice will be more
resonant and attractive.
The benefits of great posture include:
=> More youthful looking appearance (poor posture is often
a sign of aging.)
=> Allows for proper breathing and clearer thinking.
=> Supports voice production for fuller sound and projection.
=> Permits better digestion with more room for the organs
to function at maximum capacity.
=> A lighter and more energetic demeanor.
Poor posture inhibits the expansion of the ribs and back
and is often a symptom of weak abdominal muscles. Poor posture
problems tend to become habit and are often difficult
to spot on your own. Evaluate your posture by having
someone take a photo of you standing straight on
and one with a side view. Don’t cheat because you
want to look better. This will be your improvement guide.
Ask yourself:
> Is my head straight or do I tilt to one side?
> Is my head on top of my spine or is my chin hanging out?
> Are my shoulders square, back and down or do I slouch or
have rounded shoulders?
> Is my stomach held in or is it protruding?
> Is my pelvis tucked under or do I have a sway back
(hips tilting back)?
> Is my weight on the balls of both feet or is it on my heels?
> Is my weight on both legs or do I favor one leg?
Good posture means good balance of the entire body.
Here are some exercise you can do on a daily basis to improve
your posture. The goal is to have good posture all of
the time, and that it becomes second nature. But it is an
ongoing process due to stress and outside influences on our
physical and mental environment. Think of yourself as an
athlete.
#1. Clasp your hands behind your back, straighten your arms
and raise them while squeezing the shoulder blades together.
Feel how the chest is high. Now slowly release the hands
while maintaining the position. Notice how it feels on a
physical level. This is a yoga exercise called chest expansion.
#2. Stand against a wall with your head, back, shoulders,
and heels touching the wall, with the pelvis tucked under.
Now move forward as though being pulled from your solar plexus,
and keep your weight on the balls of your feet. Get in touch
with the way it feels. Practice so the body can mentally
memorize what it feels like when you are in good posture.
#3. Stand tall, not rigid, and feel space between your
vertebrae. Think of yourself as one inch taller.
#4. Do stomach and abdominal exercises to strengthen muscles
that support good posture.
#5. Walk twenty minutes a day, weight on balls of feet, expanding
ribcage breathing in and breathing out.
The posture robbers that can age you:
- Slouching at the steering wheel when driving. Remedy by putting
your head on the head rest and drive with a high chest.
- Allowing stomach and chest muscles to give in when sitting
at a desk for a long time.
- Shifting weight from one side to the other.
- Weakened abdominal muscles from lack of exercise.
- Not standing up straight and erect.
- Protruding stomach.
- Rounded shoulders.
- Chin jutting out.
**********************Sponsor*****************************
Have a voice that gains credibility and gets results. Contact
Marlena about personal voice coaching.
*************************************************************
==============================================
5. Personal Communication Story: Even a Thirteen Year-
Old Knows.
==============================================
Thirteen-year-olds are notorious for speaking their minds
often with no regard to how others feel. Perhaps there is
something to be said for blatant honesty. As we grow older,
we learn to be discreet and sensitive. But what would
someone tell you about your voice if they adopted the
honesty of a thirteen-year-old?
Jenny was thirteen when she came to work with me on her
speaking voice. She told me that her friends said her voice
annoyed them and asked that she not talk at all. A thirteen-
year-old girl not talk?
This was serious, and this bright young girl knew the cost.
Not being able to converse and share could mean losing
friends, being ignored by new friends, turning off her
listeners–especially boys, and basically cutting off her
potential to be the outgoing and sociable girl that she was.
Jenny’s problem was that of an extreme nasal and shiny
sounding voice. It had an edge to it that made it difficult to
listen to. These were habits that Jenny had, not a physical
condition.
Teenagers like to have a lot of fun, so creating a program
that Jenny would enjoy was essential. Articulation
exercises along with fun readings to eliminate nasality
were some of the activities I asked her to practice. Due to
her commitment to working through our sessions and her
dedication to doing exercises specifically designed for her,
at the end of three months her voice had been transformed
into that of a young adult. When Jenny answered the phone
one day, the family friend on the line couldn’t believe it was
her. Jenny was on a social roll again. Today, Jenny is a
successful student at Yale.
So even a thirteen-year-old knows that having a good voice
can make or break her personal success. Do you know?
=======================================
**********************Sponsor*****************************
Free one-on-one voice evaluation with purchase of
“7 Exercises For A More Dynamic Speaking Voice” program.
Find out what your voice says about you. Let Marlena tell
you how to have a powerful and compelling voice.
Only $29.95 Order now before this offer expires!
http://myvoicespeakssucess.com/tools
************************************************************
==============================================
6. We’d Love To Hear From You
==============================================
Your questions, voice stories, input, and feedback
are always appreciated.
***************Please Forward*************************
Please forward Your Voice Matters ezine to friends,
colleagues, and organizations who could benefit from
developing a voice image that projects
confidence, credibility, and motivates others to take
action.
To get your own subscription visit us at:
http://www.myvoicespeakssuccess.com/
*****************************************************************
==============================================
FREE ARTICLES FOR YOUR PUBLICATION
==============================================
I have articles available for reprint in your publication or
company newsletter. You may use these articles that you
see in Your Voice Matters.
For more articles:
http://myvoicespeakssuccess.com/articles.html
To reprint these articles:Print the article in its entirety,
include the by line at the top, the credits, and the complete
contact information at the end of each article. Send a tear
sheet or electronic copy to:
marlena@myvoicespeakssuccess.com
Thank you!
==============================================
About Marlena Reigh
Marlena Reigh has been a voice image specialist for over
twenty years and has worked with over 1,000 individuals
voices. She offers one-on-one coaching to executives,
leaders, and professionals. Her seminars and programs
in voice for professional excellence in presentation, sales,
and telephone success are in high demand with
organizations in various industries.
Contact information:
Marlena Reigh
2359 Prairie Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48105 USA
(734) 668-6074, Fax (734) 663-7190
mail to : myvoiceimage @aol.com or
marlena@myvoicespeakssuccess.com
http://myvoicespeakssuceess.com
=====================================
