Tips to Sound Better during Your Presentations

Gifted orators affect audiences not just by what they say, but by how they say it. You can carefully plan every word of a sales presentation, but if you don’t seem moved or excited about what you’re saying, your prospects probably won’t be either. The volume, speed and tone of your speech and the vocabulary and gestures you use to emphasize your words all help determine the success of your performance. Fine tune your speaking skills with these tips for presentations that move your prospects to buy.

1. Make yourself heard. Customers want to know their salespeople will be outspoken advocates for them, and you won’t look like you’re equal to the task if you sound soft-spoken and timid. If you’ve developed a habit of speaking quietly, practice talking in a large room with a friend or co-worker sitting in the back to tell you if you’re coming through loud and clear. For salespeople with naturally low-volume voices, a voice coach may be able to prescribe voice-strengthening exercises. Remember, too, that sounding confident on the outside starts with feeling confident on the inside. Make sure you have the skills and knowledge to sell effectively, and use motivational materials and self-talk to boost your self-esteem.


2. Slow down and enunciate. When the pressure’s on, many people have a tendency to talk at the speed of light and slur their words, which frustrates listeners and reveals your nervousness. Especially if you have a pronounced accent, you need to be sure that you speak clearly and at a reasonable speed. Make an effort to pronounce every syllable of every word, and don’t let your tongue, lips or jaw get “lazy.” Focus on opening your mouth wider when you talk to help keep your rate of speech under control. If you make an effort to listen to yourself as you speak, you’ll have a better chance of catching poor enunciation and too-fast speech. Remember that when you sound articulate, you sound authoritative.


3. Break your bad habits. When your listeners are distracted by a whiny tone of voice or too many “likes” and “you knows,” they’ll find it hard to concentrate on your message. Have a co-worker videotape your presentation and have a qualified person critique it and offer suggestions for improvement. To help you eliminate bad speech habits during your presentations, try to eliminate them from your everyday conversation as well. Also, think about what those bad habits may be costing you in sales. The more aware you are of what you say and how you say it, the more quickly you can correct mistakes.


4. Spice up your speech. Interesting speakers make for interested listeners. Polished speakers use their vocal range to help hold the audience’s attention. Try matching your tone of voice to the nature of the information you’re sharing. If you’re excited about your product and the chance to help your prospects, let it show, and when you’re sharing a disturbing statistic, adopt a more grave, serious tone. Concentrate on showing the listener that you’re passionate, but in control. Avoid reading your presentation – when you memorize it and become familiar with it you’ll be free to concentrate on your delivery rather than just the content itself.


5. Take a breath. The physiology of good speaking skills doesn’t begin and end with the voice – breathing also plays a critical role. Shallow breathing raises your voice’s pitch, making you sound unsure and nervous. On the other hand, breathing properly through your abdomen helps keep you calm and in control and improves the quality of your voice, giving it a richer, fuller tone. To teach yourself how to breathe correctly, lie down and concentrate on feeling your abdomen move up and down as you take deep breaths. Your abdominal muscles should expand and contract but your chest and shoulders shouldn’t move. Concentrate on projecting your voice so that all of your listeners can hear you easily.


6. Put some verve in your vocabulary. Ask yourself if the words you use in your presentation paint the most flattering picture of your product, and how you might replace some of your language with more appealing, vivid words and phrases. If you sell office equipment, for example, referring to your color copiers as “state-of-the-art” might spark your prospect’s interest a little more than if you just called them “new” or “modern.” Although both words mean “inexpensive,” an “affordable” used car sounds a lot more appealing than a “cheap” one. Avoid going overboard with too many “10-cent” words – improving your vocabulary should make your presentation clearer and easier to understand, not more difficult.


7. Let your gestures enhance and emphasize. In some cases, your image may count for as much as your words. You need to communicate confidence and competence not only with your voice, but with your body. Winning body language combines correct posture when sitting or standing (shoulders back, no slouching) with direct eye contact, a firm handshake and a smile. Animation equals energy, and the right gestures can also help you clarify, illustrate and add emphasis to important points, so work them into your presentation where appropriate. Avoid crossing your arms and legs, and stick with inviting, “green light” body language, with the upper body angled toward the customer, hands open, face relaxed and/or smiling.


8. Watch and learn. In learning to speak (or do anything else) well, there’s no substitute for observing the experts. Sit in on co-workers’ presentations and make notes of what strengthens and weakens their performance. Watch news anchors, actors, preachers and other professional speakers and incorporate the lessons you learn into your own performance. Pay close attention to all the elements of great performance previously outlined here: vocabulary, tone of voice, rate of speech, gestures, etc. How does the speaker interact with the audience and how does the audience respond? Watching the pros will give a better idea of not only what to do to improve your speaking skills, but how to do it.


Few abilities are as important as speaking skills for making a favorable impression on a buyer and securing a sale. A sales presentation shouldn’t just communicate a message, it should reflect your ability and personality, form a bond with your buyers and persuade them to make the right decision. Use speaking skills to help you accomplish those ends, and you’ll have fewer problems making the sale.