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Tips about how to project your best voice during a phone interview are delivered by T.J Walker, one of our favorite experts in media and presentation training. Sounds like much of T.J.’s advice can apply to both interviewees and interviewers.
You must have high energy. You must sound like you are excited, not bored by your subject matter. People tell us all the time that their topic is too serious and that they wouldn’t want to sound like some infomercial salesman. That’s not what we’re suggesting you do. We realize that your voice is the only criteria an audience has to judge you by. If you sound boring, they will think you are boring and just tune out. It’s as simple as that. Every time we practice with a CEO or executive on bringing their voice above their comfort zone and have them record it and watch the results, they are always pleasantly surprised. It doesn’t sound like an infomercial salesman at all. It sounds like someone who is just plain interesting and compelling.
Here’s a little tip: When talking on the phone stand up (even when people can’t see you.) This will help loosen your vocal cords and give you more energy. It also helps to bring out natural highs and lows in your voice.
USE NOTES – This isn’t a high school exam, you can have a sheet of paper in front of you with a FEW key bullet points that you want to bring up.
If you add some preplanned SOUND BITES to that sheet, that’s good too.
However, DON’T READ paragraphs off your sheets of paper. Even if your audience can’t see you, your reading will be obvious to them. You will sound flat and boring. Bullet points are just memory joggers.
Your message trumps production values. Spend less time worrying about the technology and what microphone is being used, and more time making sure you stay on message.
With permission © 2010 TJ Walker Speaking
Ready for your next phone interview? Whether you’re the interviewer or interviewee, you can record it using Evoca. Check out our How To video: Record phone interviews. This informative video and other Evoca How To videos are available at www.youtube.com/evoca.
