YOUR best VOICE FOR PUBLIC SPEAKING

Want to find out how to sound good for public speaking?  How can you develop your best voice for your presentation?  Sadly, we don’t give our voice as much care and attention as our more visible and physical counterparts, like our complexion, or hair, our legs and heart.  Your voice deserves some loving care too.

Drink plenty of warm water.

I must stress the word “warm” because it does soothe and help to lubricate your vocal chords and larynx.  Sip before, after and during your presentations to moisten your throat.   A regular dose of hot lemon with honey also helps to keep your vocal folds well lubricated. If you’re unwell, add a knob of grated ginger to the steaming hot cup and sip away, especially if you’re having nasal congestion due to colds and flu.

Lower your volume.

If there’s no need to pump up the volume, then tone it down.  If there’s a microphone, then use one.  If there isn’t one available then you need to learn how to use your voice to speak using your diaphragm so that you’ll project volume efficiently and effectively without straining your vocal chords.  Find out how you can learn to improve your voice and speech here.

Get Voice and Speech Coaching With Vocapedia Public Speaking Classes

Sleep early.

Nothing beats a good nights rest.  Wake up early, energized and your inner voice will thank you for it, by sounding great the next morning for your presentation.

Bad habits

You know the ones, smoking, drinking, late nights. Skip the pub-crawling till after your successful presentation maybe? If you’re watching live football with the lads at your local mamak at 3am in the morning, your “goal” to sound good and sharp could get affected when you need to step up at the podium a few hours later.

Warm up

You can do vocal warm-up drills to improve your oral agility and flexibility, to speak quickly and clearly. Breathing exercises, working on your resonance, loosening tightness in your masseter muscle near the jaw, a few rounds of tongue twisters should get things warmed up.

Eat light

Avoid eating a heavy meal just before your presentation.  This is probably not a good time to sample every morsel at the buffet line. Try to avoid anything too spicy.  Lay off the habanero peppers and the cili padi.  Try not to eat too much dairy products, milk, cheese, ice cream. etc.  For some people dairy tends to coagulate around the vocal folds and you might even find yourself producing phlegm.  You do not want to have to hack up the phlegm, and gulp it back down again in mid-sentence, do you?

Avoid carbonated drinks

If you are not prone to being gassy, then go for it. Consider though, the possibility of a massive involuntary burp while you’re trying to speak with authority and credibility in the presence of your business associates.

Reduce the caffeine

Coffee, tea, chocolate -This is a tough one, especially for coffee lovers.  Coffee is a stimulant and can tighten up your vocal folds.  It might cause your voice to quiver if you’re tense.  A cup or two is fine, but if you overdo it, you might end up looking neurotic at the podium.  If caffeine has no effect on you usually, then go for your usual cup of java if it makes you feel better.

No citric juices

This is included in the list because a few people have mentioned their reactions which include: under-salivate (dry mouth) or over-salivate.  However, it’s ok 2-4 hours before.  Know your own body and it’s reactions.

Love your content.

Not just love it, know it, and know it well.  This will show in your voice and in your entire presence. There’s nothing like a passionate speaker sharing his or her topic with great authority and zest.

We all know at least one person in our lives, whose voice is velvety and rich when they open their mouths to speak. Developing perfect enunciation, intonation and diction can be trained – the good news is, so can your voice.  All you need is a little guidance and some dedicated practice. Your voice can be trained to work for you.  Get some coaching if necessary.

About Vocapedia – Executive Voice and Speech Consultant

Vocapedia focuses on Voice and Speech and runs public speaking classes in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  Find out more.