Get out of the Attic and into the Basement

Conversations should leave the listeners with a nice relaxed feeling and a confidence they have gotten something good out their time with us. A few days ago, I had a conversation with a man that left me with a vague idea what we talked about. His voice was tight and on the high end of the tones. I had a hard time focusing on what he said and I remember feeling tired after we parted ways. He was definitely in the attic during out conversation. What I mean by that is, his tone of voice was particularly high. In phone sales and appointment setting, we have all experienced this and knew when it happens even if you don't think you have.

You know that feeling when you hang up the phone and you let your shoulders drop, your chest lets go of that tightness near the throat and there is a ever so slight sense of relief the call has ended? Yeah, that is because you have spent the last few minutes way up in the attic and your prospect feels the exact same relief you do. Pay attention over the next week when you hang up from each call. Let me know when you realize you have just spent time up there. I know you'll do it and if you don't, congratulations on having trained yourself to stay in those sweet low spots.

When we talk to prospects and anyone for that matter, and we get stuck in the attic, it is extremely hard for people to listen. We sound rushed and the prospect feels a slight hint of desperation in us. The ear just can't listen to those high tones too long without growing tired. It's exactly why you feel that elation when you hang up from that kind of conversation, you're tired of hearing yourself. As an exercise to see if you are familiar with the attic, place your voice at the back of your throat, raise your chest and shoulders, then begin a quick practice session using your elevator pitch. If you have been in the attic frequently, you'll be quick to recognize that uncomfortable feeling. Feel it?

Now take a breath, let it out and place your voice in front of your teeth just under your nose. Think about what a baritone instrument would sound like then start your sales pitch without moving your voice from that sweet spot under your nose. this is what it's like in the basement. At first, you'll really need to focus but soon it will come natural. See how much easier it is to listen to your own voice? Your prospects will notice that too. You'll sound more confident, important and trusting that ever before. you pick up the phone to dial think about being in the basement. When I first started being in the basement, I posted a reminder where I would see it every time I dialed the phone. It read simply, "get down in the basement." Low tones are much easier on the ear and the brain. Stay there.

If you work from a script often, there is one more place you'll want to be in the basement. That's at the end of a sentence. There is a natural tendency, especially when reading a script or when you're nervous, to move your vocal tone upward an entire octave at the end of a sentence. You'll sound more natural and people will listen more intensely if you will drop that tone at least close to one octave at the end of each sentence. Its comfortable to the ear and helps everyone involved in the conversation to relax.

Remember we are not talking about speaking softly but in the sweet easy on the ears, low tones. If you are speaking softly, people may have to strain to hear you and that is also tiring. Your voice will naturally project if you think about the sound coming from the front of your face just under your nose. When you breath, you'll want to bring it up from your abdomen not the chest. Chest breathing will throw your voice back into your throat and you'll have to work hard placing it back in your face. A trick you can use to find the sweet spot is to purse your lips and hum. When you make the hmmmm sound, you'll feel the vibration slightly tickle your nose, lips and tongue. That is the sweet spot in the basement you want to sit in.

I know it might sound simple but, by getting out of the attic and into the basement, I was able to increase my production and kept rate by 50%. So if you want to make your production metrics and make more money, use this dirty little secret every single time you call someone. Even your kids will listen better. Practice being in the basement whenever you can, even when you're not at work.

Dirty little sales secret #4, Stay in the Basement.