A lawyer has his writings and his arguments. A basketball player needs a basketball and a plumber uses a snake to clean a drain. What do these professionals (who are paid a lot of money) have in common? Without a specific tool, they cannot do their job properly. Also, if that tool isn’t in top working condition, your job will be more difficult, if not impossible to do!

Well guess what? If a public speaker wants to impact his audience, the only tool he needs to protect is his voice. If he does, he will allow you to do your job effortlessly so that your audience can enjoy his message and content.

Before working as a professional broadcaster and comedian, I trained as a professional actor. I’ve done lots and lots of stage work that allowed me to speak on stage and be fully heard (without straining) in the back row of the theater/auditorium.

I accomplished this with hours of voice training and proper use of my voice using my diaphragm.

You see, your larynx is a muscle, and just like any other part of your body, if you overuse it, you’ll lose it! And if you don’t take care of your body and don’t get enough sleep or are tired, I guarantee that when the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, your voice will be the first thing in Let’s go! Hello, laryngitis!

Your body and voice need to be in peak performance mode for your inspirational message and content to ring loud and clear as a bell.

Don’t rely on the sound system to help you if your voice is scratchy, hurts, or fades from fatigue.

The result will be a harsh voice that is NOW louder for your audience and more annoying to listen to. Remember: if your voice fails, you are lost! Also, apologizing to your audience every few minutes won’t help matters. They don’t care. They want a speaker that EVERYONE can enjoy now!

What to drink to protect your voice

Yes, drinking is very important. Of course, we are talking about drinking the right fluids that are NOT alcoholic. Working professionals know that alcohol is clearly prohibited before preparing to speak in front of an enthusiastic audience.

I can’t tell you how many times in the evening before doing a corporate show, a client or attendee has offered me a cocktail before jumping on the platform.

I always rejected it, and I hope you do the same. He will see, not only will alcohol dry out his throat, but the combination of drinking it and talking to a crowd is fraught with danger.

Try this on for size. You could forget what you wanted to say; you could trip offstage and fall into the audience. Landing off the platform and into the lap of an audience member is NOT how you want to be remembered, is it? And imagine what the evaluation forms will point out.

“The speaker was pretty decent until she tripped off the platform and landed on me breaking my collarbone! I’d enjoy listening to her again when she’s sober and I’m healed!”

Again, do yourself a favor: drink alcohol AFTER your performance during your free time at the hotel bar!

That said, you should do everything you can to lubricate your voice so that phlegm doesn’t rear its ugly head. The best thing to drink is H2O. In fact, you should drink plenty of water (hydrate as they say) the day BEFORE your scheduled speaking date.

Doing this will moisten your vocal cords, not to mention your entire body (which is always a good idea anyway). Then, during your speech, have a cup of room temperature water next to you on the lectern and drink from time to time. .

Another big no-no is to avoid sodas and other carbonated beverages just before your presentation. If you want to protect your voice, remember to stay away from carbonation, especially if you do NOT want to burp or lightly burp on stage. Imagine the embarrassment when you burp a word or two in the middle of your talk!

If water isn’t your thing, try drinking something naturally sweet, like orange juice or grapefruit juice. They are astringent and can help clear any congestion from the vocal cords. Again, doing this will allow you to NOT have to clear your throat after each sentence.

Pamper your voice like a baby!

Just as you wouldn’t send your toddler out into the cold without a sweater and scarf, do the same with your voice.

Protect your voice by wrapping a winter scarf around your neck in winter. Wear turtleneck sweaters and shirts (in season, of course). Wisely do what you have to do to keep yourself and your voice warm and welcoming.

Don’t go too far wrapping a wool scarf around your neck in mid-July. Sure, other speakers may know that you’re protecting your voice. BUT some people may think you are crazy and could possibly alert the authorities. (And no, that never happened to me!)

there’s more you can do

Does the word “tension” evoke feelings of pain or tension? Well, your voice thinks so! Common sense dictates that a microphone should always be used when speaking to an audience. Certainly if you are in an intimate setting, say less than fifty people, you may not want to do this. But only do it if you can project your voice correctly to your listeners without hurting them.

In addition to having trained as an actor, I also trained earlier in my life as a singer. And since it was, I always want to keep my voice nimble by singing scales and doing certain vocal exercises.

If I’m traveling (and I usually am when giving a presentation), I make my layovers in my hotel room (preferably in the shower). My public speaking program has certain voice exercises that can help give your voice more timbre, vocal range, and flexibility.

Remember: Just as an athlete stretches their arms and quads for flexibility, the speaker must flex their voice to get the job done!

Be careful: if there is a break during the day before you need to speak, protect your voice by taking that time to be alone.

Do your best NOT to talk to anyone. Explain to your host or client that you are not being antisocial; you’re just reserving your voice for the time you’re scheduled to speak. (Hopefully they understand and move away so you’re alone!)

Again, it bears repeating: Before you begin your speech, find a quiet area (preferably your hotel bathroom) and warm up your voice. Do this the same way you would warm up your muscles before going for a run or whatever type of exercise you enjoy doing.

Don’t worry if some people can hear you doing those weird vocal exercises to continually protect your most important asset: your voice!