How to Project One's Speaking Voice

Projecting your voice does isn't the same as shouting at your audience. Use the following steps to properly project your voice without straining your vocal cords or sounding like you are yelling. Speak clearly, and use your entire body to relax and project your voice.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Exercise your voice by laughing. Laugh loud and often. Laugh in front of a mirror to watch your self laugh. Notice the projection of your voice when you laugh.

2. Stand up straight, and keep your head up. Your voice won't project well, if your mouth is facing the floor.

3. Breath from your diaphram, or your stomach. Take deep breaths from low in your center of gravity. The breath supplys you with the air you need to project your speaking voice, it also helps calm your nerves and relax your muscles.

4. Focus on where you want your voice to project. When you're speaking to one person in a job interview, focus on that person's face. If you're speaking to a large crowd, try to project your voice to the person in the last seat in the back row.

5. Drink water to keep your mouth moist. Keeping your mouth moist makes projecting your voice much easier.

6. Relax your throat by breathing slowly. If you feel your throat closing up with nervousness or dryness, take a break to swallow or drink water.

7. Use a microphone or other projecting device if you are speaking to a very large crowd or in a big area. No one can project an authoritative voice through an entire auditorium.

Tips & Warnings

• Don't strain your vocal cords or try to speak louder than what feels comfortable.