***Ladies, Is Your Face a 10 and Your Speaking Voice a 2?

Yes, we are a sex very conce ed with the image we project. We exercise on a regular basis; we are more aware of the foods we are eating; we try to get a good night’s sleep. As women, we want to look good; and, as we age, we know it takes more work. Our clothing is of the latest fashion; we moisturize and wear makeup; and, our hair must make a statement as well. With all the time and energy spent on your visual image and your health, are you aware that the sound of your speaking voice is part of that image? If you are over 21 and sound like a teenager, a pre-teen, or, worse yet a six-year-old, how do you think that affects your image? What does your voice say about you? Bear in mind, the voice I am talking about is not how you think you sound but the voice by which everyone else recognizes you. It is the voice you hear when you change the message on your voicemail or answering machine. That sound is your vocal image. If you are like the majority of the population, then I just hit a nerve because most people do not like hearing themselves on recording equipment.

• How you think you sound is a lie.
• How you hear yourself on recording equipment is the truth!

If you take this message one step further, imagine the image you project over the phone where there is no visual. If you do not know the person on the other end of the line, what does your voice say about you? Do you sound too young or possibly too old? Do you sound wimpy, nasal, strident or harsh? Do you speak too softly or too loudly? Perhaps you speak in a monotone, expressing no emotion, no color, no life. I can’t tell you how many women I have met or have worked with who look fantastic but sound nothing like their visual image. Can you imagine someone who sounds like Fran Drescher or Melanie Griffith as the CEO of a Fortune 500 business? Not likely. On the other hand, a woman with a voice like that of Julia Ormond, Kate Beckinsale, Kathleen Turner, or Ashley Judd could very well be in that position. There are many wonderful voices just waiting to be discovered. You have a better voice inside – it is just a matter of finding it and making it a habit. It is richer, deeper, warmer and resonant; and, given the right tone, it can be very sensual. Imagine having a vocal image that matches or is even better than the physical image you are projecting.