How You Speak Can Affect Your Small Business

Good public speaking skills can significantly benefit a small business by enhancing communication, building credibility, fostering connections, and boosting sales. Effective communication, a core component of public speaking, reduces misunderstandings, improves team collaboration, and ensures clarity in messaging. Additionally, public speaking allows business owners to establish themselves as experts, attract new clients, and build stronger relationships with stakeholders.

I saw a recent post on Instagram from Tawny Platis who is a professional voice artist that offered some excellent tips on how to improve the way you sound.

1. Proper breathing provides power, control, and clarity, helping you speak with confidence and ease.
2. Slowing down when speaking ensures your message is clear, gives your audience time to absorb your words, and helps you sound more confident and in control.
3. Good posture projects confidence, strengthens your voice, and helps you connect more effectively with your audience.
4. Adding variety to your voice and tone keeps your audience engaged, emphasizes key points, and makes your message more memorable.

If you’re not comfortable speaking in public, start by practicing in small, low-pressure settings, focus on deep breathing to stay calm, prepare and rehearse your key points, visualize success, and remember the audience wants you to succeed. Of course, you can always hire a speaking coach or enroll in Toastmastermasters which is a is a non-profit educational organization that helps people improve their communication and leadership skills through a network of clubs.

You want your voice to be as professional, authentic and impactful as your product or service. Improving your public speaking skills will help your company by showcasing expertise, building trust with your audience, and creating a memorable impression that strengthens your brand and attracts new opportunities.