Crisp Confidence

Don't you loathe telemarketing calls? How they waste our time, the intrusion!

Their first words in bland voices and boring monotones (or trained smarminess) turn us off. Stilted pace and lack of flow are give aways for script-reading. (You can gain peace; register at http://www.donotcall.gov.au)

Whether you speak one-on-one with clients, in phone calls or in formal presentations, BE INTERESTING! Vary your timbre, range and modulation.

Your voice is your instrument. Play with it. Make it music to listeners' ears.

Voice colour and range give vitality! As I remind in voice coaching and preparing candidates for speaking competitions, just listen to classical music, especially Romantic era. Such as Berlioz' Symphonie Fantastique which dramatically portrays his life and love for actor Harriet, ranging through frenzied passion, jealous fury, to longing tenderness. (I performed it last weekend with Brisbane Symphony Orchestra; Brisbane-ites, catch a repeat concert this Sunday 3pm - http://www.ruthbonetti.com/BSO.pdf) Within a bar we drop from punchy ff to a whisper and back to thunder. If music can paint opium-fuelled nightmares of murder, a march to the scaffold and witches' Sabbath dance (leaving Harry Potter for dead) surely speakers can portray pictures in words!

People love stories! Speakers, even the most boring topics can be livened and listeners' attentions hooked with a story or personal anecdote. Audiences are interested in people, the REAL you. Maybe live dangerously and add some drama!

Aha, revenge; tell telemarketers the story of your life. They'll hang up! Nah, waste of time...

Phone voices are revealing. (Thank God, I don't do cold calls as all my speaking and coaching work is referral, reputation and repeat business.) But we all face tough calls at times.

Top tip: smile! It injects warmth into your voice, eases issues.

IT Issues: Recently my URL suffered a malicious hijack attack, now rectified. If you received lowlife spurious emails in my name, truly that's NOT my style! Be assured, my virus protection is high and regularly updated.

Did they live happily ever after? Yes and no. Berlioz married Harriet but they separated 9 years later. C'est la vie.