The Voice Over Approach

Selling a product or service requires a voice, but we know it’s not just a voice, which is why a lot of advertising agencies go through a lot of trouble and spend a good amount of time holding auditions and sifting through the audio to listen to these voice demos to choose the right voice for their ad to represent their products or services.

This article is inspired by “Use voice to win over customers” by Wes Atwood, who is president of Dale Carnegie Training of South Texas.  The article was published in the Caller Times in October of 2016.  Wes Atwood said that as a salesperson, he has to talk to people every day.  He says he’s learned that as a salesman, how he uses his voice can either influence a prospective customer or drive them away.  So how does one effectively use their voice to win people over?

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When auditioning, voice over actors are given directions about what the client wants in terms of how the recording should go.  However, some directions don’t include the basics, which should be a given anyway.  As far as radio and TV commercial voice overs go, there are a few basic steps to help improve speech to deliver a strong impression.  

Articulate.

Even Morgan Freeman appreciated having learned this from his professor.  Articulate your words properly.  Mumbling will cause people to tune out, and of course you don’t come across as professional when mumbling.

Vary Your Tone.

Vary your pitch and accent the power words. If it isn’t provided off the bat, you can look to your client for additional direction on which are the power words in the script.  According to Atwood, this will help keep the audience involved.

Use The Right Tempo.

The speed of delivery of your message can affect how your listener interprets your message.  The idea is to allow your message to sink in with your audience.

Control Your Volume.

Project your voice.  Also, raise and lower your voice when you want to underline certain words or concepts.  You want people to hear you and understand you easily.

Listen To Your Recording.

It’s always good to listen, really listen, to how you sound in your recordings and to have an honest assessment of yourself.

Five basics every commercial read needs © The Voice Realm

As voice over actors, how you sound is everything.  It’s what voice over talents get hired for, and sometimes even experienced voice over professionals can use a good reminder.  A lot of hires from The Voice Realm are for ads, whether they air on the internet, inside an airplane, or on radio or TV, so practicing to sound influential and convincing is always a good idea.  Besides, these tips can also come in handy in your daily conversations when you’re trying to get someone to do things your way!