The Approach

Voice

Of the 8 billion people that live on the planet, no two people have the same voice, no two people create the same sound. Like our fingerprints, our voice is unique. Yet how much do we know about our voice? How aware are we of what it is capable of? Because most of us learn to speak from an early age, we tend not to study the voice, unless our careers require us to. But the voice can influence and affect everybody. There is a reason that some of the world’s greatest orators employ voice coaches. If you can use your voice properly, engage the full range and timbre of the voice, your client will be more engaged with you, more likely to listen to you. A confident voice inspires belief. It will help you to maintain business, it will help you to win business. There are several techniques that can enhance the range of the voice, increase vocal stamina and allow your voice to become more mellifluous and captivating. It just takes practice.

Physicality and Presence

In the same way that we learn to speak from an early age, so most of us learn to move from an early age. And in the same way that we ‘just speak’, so we ‘just move’. But movement, like the voice, can have a profound effect on how people see us. If you enter a room exuding confidence, people will naturally be drawn to you. The importance of movement and positive body language is vital for establishing trust with a client, and physically showing that you are open for business. That confidence can be learned. And a person’s physical shape has nothing to do with it. So much of business building is about whether the client believes in you. By entering the room in a manner that gives the client confidence in you from the outset, the likelihood of your success is greatly enhanced.

Breath

Breath is at the core of everything that we do. But how can you use breath to improve your performance in business? Breathing techniques have been around for millennia. They help influence our mental and emotional state, can help improve posture, can calm a racing heart. Every one of us has had that feeling of the racing heart, the nerves, the adrenalin kicking in. And it manifests itself in many ways. Some of which can be hugely debilitating, especially in the middle of a high stakes pitch or a detailed presentation. So how do you control that? How can you be perceived to be completely calm even if that’s not how you’re feeling? And how can you consciously take control of your body, so that you do feel calm and collected when those high stakes situations arise? A huge amount of it comes down to how we take in air; literally how we breathe. Healthy breathing techniques are easy to learn, easy to practice and the results can be life changing.