The Importance of Voice When Presenting Virtually (Part 5)
Photo by George Milton from Pexels
In addition to our previous posts on the importance of voice (part one, part two, part three, part four), there are a few other concepts we would like you to know about the topic. What we discuss below are habits that may distract from your message. Again, a goal for you to work toward is reducing barriers that detract attention from your ability to place your message at center stage.
Chunking – At times, speakers combine words into a single chunked phrase, which makes it sound like one word or a continuous bombardment of content. This can occur when a speaker’s pace is too quick or when English is not an individual’s native language. Examples include “know-what-I-mean?”, “what’s-up-with-that?”, or “whatcha-been-up-to?” In the southern United States, “all y’all’s” often replaces “all of you.” In a professional setting (and especially when you are presenting online where internet connections can vary), it’s important that you let each word stand on its own and focus on slowing down.
Articulation – Articulation is the movement of the tongue, lips, jaw, and other organs to produce a sound. Articulation is important because it helps the audience better understand your message. Similar to chunking, inarticulate speech can occur when a speaker’s pace is too quick or when English is not an individual’s first language. Slowing down and carefully pronouncing words and phrases can help a speaker improve their articulation, which will then enhance the clarity and impact of what you are saying. Here is a cool video to give you some strategies for improving your articulation.
Vocal Fry and Upspeak – Readers familiar with any of the Kardashians have experienced this concept in action. In many ways, this concept is best learned through experience, so we encourage you to watch the video Vocal Fry and Upspeak—Kate Kelleher. According to research, individuals experience these two in different ways. Some will experience vocal fry as annoying and may perceive the speaker as immature, unpleasant, lacking experience, and lacking authority. (1) Of course, there are cultural and gender differences, so there are no hard and fast rules. However, it’s important to be aware of these verbal habits that could inhibit your ability to connect—especially with older audiences. (2) From recent observation experience, we can say that for some, upspeak is a natural (i.e., unconscious) tendency; the problem, though, is that it makes every sentence sound like a question. Upspeak can also make a speaker sound hesitant or unsure of themselves. As you are speaking (or even if you are listening to a recording of yourself), imagine the punctuation mark that should appear at the end of a sentence…and then identify the punctuation mark that sounds like it is ending the sentence. Do they match?
Trailing Off – Trailing off (i.e., dropping phrases), means that the speaker’s volume fades away at the end of a statement; if written out, there would be ellipses at the end of the sentence. Trailing off can communicate nerves, a lack of confidence, or a lack of experience. This habit most often occurs at the conclusion of a segment or worse, the end of the presentation, leading to awkward pauses where the audience doesn’t know if they should applaud (virtually), if it’s time to shift into Q & A, or if they can sign off. In short, trailing off at the end is not the best way to finish strong. To avoid trailing off, pay close attention to your conclusion and ensure that your volume and pitch stay consistent through your final sentence. In our experience, trailing off is often associated with poor eye contact with the camera, which is a terrible final impression. Keep the volume, pitch, and eye contact consistent and finish strong. You could even add in a smile, a nod, and a “thank you” to clearly signal the end.
We have covered a lot of topics with voice—and if you have read all of these blog posts, we applaud you and thank you for sticking with the series! As you can see, there is a lot to examine when it comes to controlling and modulating all elements of your voice to the best of your ability. Listening to your own voice in order to determine where you may be able to improve may be uncomfortable, but we promise that your listeners will thank you!
References
1 Gross, T. (2015, July 23). From upspeak to vocal fry: Are we ‘policing’ young women’s voices? [Audio podcast]. https://www.npr.org/transcripts/425608745?storyId=425608745
2 Gross, T. (2015, July 23). From upspeak to vocal fry: Are we ‘policing’ young women’s voices? [Audio podcast]. https://www.npr.org/transcripts/425608745?storyId=425608745
Did you enjoy this blog post? Learn from the best in the world. Check out our podcast! The Captovation Podcast.
We explore this topic and others in our new book Captovation: Online Presentations by Design.