February 8, 2023 

“I Hate the Sound of My Own Voice”

This phrase is one of the most common I hear from guests on shows I host at Business RadioX® - North Fulton.

It’s also a significant objection–often unstated–that professional services providers have to hosting their own podcast (or anything which involves recording their voice).

I’ve hosted/co-hosted a ton of shows myself, and I’m no different. I don’t like the sound of my own voice, either. The only reason I ever go back to listen to an episode might be to review a terrific point a guest made. I have ZERO interest in listening to myself.

There’s a scientific reason why everyone hates to hear their own recorded voice.

When sound waves enter our ears from the outside, those waves go into the ear canal to the eardrum. The eardrum, in turn, creates vibrations that the brain processes.

When we talk, however, there’s a lot going on inside our bodies. Beyond the sound of our own voice hitting our eardrums, our vocal cords and airways vibrate as we speak, and those sensations are processed as well. Those vibrations create a richer tone in your voice than the sound carried through the air. The combination of all that is what your brain processes, and it’s that version of the sound of your voice that you’re used to.

So when you’re listening to your recorded voice, you only get the sound waves that enter the ear canal. The effect of the internal vibrations in your body has in effect been stripped away. You're listening to a thinner version of your own voice, and because it's not what you hear from yourself all the time, you don't like it.

So, if you’re a guest on a podcast, don’t worry. Your family and friends, your colleagues, and other listeners will think you sound fantastic because they’re hearing the voice they’re used to hearing.

An aside related to business development: the most common objections are often never brought up by prospective clients, particularly those objections which, like this one, might be personal to them or to you. Do yourself, and more importantly, the client in front of you, a favor. Address the objection head-on. In this case, I bring it up by saying something like, “By the way, some hosts don’t like the sound of their own voice. There’s a reason why, etc., and know the people you’re trying to reach will think you sound terrific.”

Here’s another example, related to financial advisors and mortgage lenders. Industry stats for both these groups reveal that the average tenure is very low. On average, they move around a lot. If you’re long-tenured at your firm and you're a financial advisor or mortgage banker or in some other vertical where you know a client might have this worry on their mind, bring it up directly. Let them know you’ll have the same contact information next year or two years from now that you do today. It may be an unsaid sticking point that, left unaddressed, costs you a client.

 

Image created using Craiyon (Formerly DALL-E Mini)

(This blog post was also posted on LinkedIn.)

©Ray Business Advisors, LLC and John Ray

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About me: I help solo or small professional services firm owners with the confidence and positioning necessary to improve their pricing and change the trajectory of not only their business but their life.

I have a podcast called The Price and Value Journey, which features interviews with industry leaders and audio versions of my blog posts. You can find the podcast on your favorite podcast app.

I also have a book coming out in 2023:  The Price and Value Journey: Raise Your Confidence, Your Value, and Your Prices to Grow Your Business Using The Generosity Mindset.

For more information, go to PriceValueJourney.com