High Impact Virtual Presentations: Virtual Skill Set Check-In

High Impact Virtual Presentations: Virtual Skill Set Check-In

“How well do you come across on conference calls or on the phone in general?”

Our voice is our biggest asset or our biggest liability over the phone.

To create a positive impression, check your:

(1) Volume & Speed – ask a colleague to let you know if you are too soft or too loud.

(2) Vocal Variety – a monotone voice is common and causes your listeners to check email or start a solitaire game. To be more engaging, sit up in your chair, work on inserting energy into your voice and speak with energy and enthusiasm.

(3) Be Prepared – silence on a call while you are looking at notes or thinking of what to say will slow down the cadence and lose your listeners.

(4) Eliminate filler words – “um, so, you know, like, ah” are syllables we use to bridge from one word or thought to the next. On the phone, our habits of using filler words becomes magnified and can be very distracting. Work to eliminate these by pausing rather than using a filler word.

Fine tune your vocal qualities to improve your image as professional communicator. Simple attention to eliminate bad habits and practice good habits can improve your verbal skills significantly.