Smile When You Say That
4
As you’re listening to your own podcast, do your recordings sound flat to you? Do they fail to hold your interest? Another tip for recording: smile.
I’m not kidding. It changes the shape of your mouth, and therefore your tone, in a way that people naturally find more energetic and likeable. You’ll get more brightness and range. It also changes your own frame of mind, and impels you to have more fun, if you don’t fight it. You’ll enjoy yourself more; and therefore you’ll sound like you’re enjoying yourself more; and that predisposes your audience to enjoying themselves more too.
Will you feel stupid making yourself smile and talk? Yeah. You’ll feel like a complete idiot. But when you listen to your podcast a couple days later, you’ll hear the difference; and next time it’ll be a bit easier, and the time after that it’ll be easier yet.
It’s something to try.
This public service message was brought to you by too much wine and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai.
Comment by SFEley — May 24, 2006 @ 8:47 pm
You’re right on the money Stephen. I realised this recently after my girlfriend cautiously broached the subject that a few intros i did were dead boring.
I knew they were because i’d recorded them at 1am after editting interviews for a few hours. I since made a rule that i don’t record anything unless i’m feeling fresh and happy.
Comment by Hugo — May 24, 2006 @ 10:06 pm
Dear Wine-drenched Banzai,
Back in the day when I was a young sales guy for a service company, my General Mgr. would comment to me that when i was on phone talking to customer I should smile, because it would come across in my presentation and the customer would be more likely to buy from me. So what is my point (you are the same guy and you owe me money)? Forgive my lack of wine and bonzai humor-I agree with your observations and know it to be true.
Comment by Mark Forman — May 24, 2006 @ 11:05 pm
Radio people have known this for oh so many years. I need to make a list of “things radio people do that would help podcasters.”
–*Rob
Comment by Rob Usdin — May 25, 2006 @ 2:24 pm