I was never really fond of my sales manager when he strode into the call center and bellowed: “It sounds dead in here. Raise your voices!”

Was he crazy?

Here I was, having another intimate chat with a prospect about Time-Life’s Nature Library and suddenly, I sounded like I was calling from a zoo!

Later, after becoming the top seller and then a sales manager in my own right, I came to appreciate the validity of his rude advice:

Bigger voices sell better.

Period.

This may seem counterintuitive to you, as it did to me, long ago, but it’s actually true.

Here are three reasons you want to raise the volume, whether you are a salesperson or a manager:

(1) Louder voices sound more confident than whispery ones, and confidence is contagious. Prospects must believe in what you’re saying, and they defer to you more often when you sound big and extroverted.

(2) When you can hear other reps as they sell, it picks up your spirits, and you feel less alone and self-conscious. So, you enjoy yourself more, just as you do at a louder party.

(3) This works in a sales context in the same way that Dale Carnegie’s advice works in public speaking: Act enthusiastic, and you’ll be enthusiastic. In other words, your attitudes follow your behavior. If you can get yourself to sound confident and successful, you’ll become so.

I know, you may be thinking, “I don’t like that; I don’t want to sell that way!”

I can relate. If your want to argue with success, go ahead.

Just do it LOUDLY!

Dr. Gary S. Goodman, President of www.Customersatisfaction.com, is a popular keynote speaker, management consultant, and seminar leader and the best-selling author of 12 books, including Reach Out & Sell Someone® and Monitoring, Measuring & Managing Customer Service. He is a frequent guest on radio and television, worldwide. A Ph.D. from USC's Annenberg School, Gary offers programs through UCLA Extension and numerous universities, trade associations, and other organizations in the United States and abroad. He is headquartered in Glendale, California, and he can be reached at (818) 243-7338 or at: gary@customersatisfaction.com