How to Use Voice Inflection in Sales

The inflection in your voice is your verbal handshake.

Sales involves convincing people with your voice. The words you say are important, but how you say them is a vital part of the message. Some outdated vocal techniques still permeate sales methods, and you can improve your effectiveness by working on just one of them: inflection. Make some choices about how your end your sentences, and you may end your sales pitches on a positive note.

Instructions

1. 

   When you're glad to see someone, the voice tends to rise in pitch at the end of your greeting.

   Identify the times when you use upward inflection. This rise in pitch at the end of sentences is meant to convey that you are glad to see someone. While this may have worked in the past, potential clients have become wary of people they don't know who are glad to see them.

2. 

   Replace eagerness in your voice with a confident tone.

   Replace upward inflection with downward inflection. Drop the pitch of your voice at the end of your sentences where you used to raise the pitch.

3. 

   Put confidence in your voice that says you have solutions.

   Try your new vocal approach on ten prospective clients. You will find that the eagerness and overly-happy messages from an upward inflection have given way to a tone of confidence that comes from downward inflection. You will have stopped sending signals that your a sales person and started sending signals that you are a business person offering solid solutions.

4. 

   A drop in tone can mean a rise in sales.

   Draw down arrows on your scripts. Identify places in your phone script or your speaking script where you want to remain conscious of replacing the insecure, questioning tone of an upward inflection with the confident tone of downward inflection.

References

• Top Sales Managers.com: Julian Blee -- Telesales Secrets -- Voice Inflection
• Real Estate Proven Profits: The Power Of Voice Inflection & Closing The Sale
• Derek McKenzie: Voice Inflection