In the professional world, an individual can only be taken seriously when they are capable of conducting themselves professionally. One of the great ways to conduct yourself as a professional is by how you speak. Hence, you need to know how to speak professionally.
We want you to be capable of holding your own in the world of business.
Hence, we are going to share with you essential information that will enable you to speak professionally.
Let’s begin by explaining what it means to speak professionally…
What Does It Mean To Speak Professionally – How to Speak Professionally
To speak professionally means being capable of communicating with confidence and clarity while persuading or informing people.
When you can speak professionally, you will be able to address different sorts of people and put them at ease.
You will also be capable of communicating effectively with people.
All of which you will do while keeping things professional.
If you do not know how to do this, there is no need for you to fret.
Know that you can work to better yourself and we are here to ensure that.
Benefits Of Speaking Professionally – How to Speak Professionally
There are several benefits of speaking professionally.
However, we are going to share with you just a few that will motivate you to get better at speaking professionally.
Let’s see them…
It shows that you are an Expert– How to Speak Professionally
When you can speak professionally, it shows that you are an expert.
This is because you can confidently persuade and inform people about things.
The people who you talk to about those things will see you as someone who knows what they are doing or saying.
It Helps Prevent Misunderstandings
Another importance of speaking professionally is that it helps prevent misunderstanding.
Your ability to speak with clarity will help to facilitate this.
It Helps You to Work Effectively with Others – How to Speak Professionally
For you to work effectively with people you have to be capable of listening to other’s ideas as much as yours.
This will help create a good working environment that will facilitate effective work.
Your ability to speak professionally ensures that this is possible.
It Can Encourage Others
Your ability to speak professionally can serve as an encouragement to others.
This is because people want to be better and when they see something good they want to imitate it.
When they see how effective your ability to speak professionally is, it will encourage them to do better.
It Will Boost Your Business Growth– How to Speak Professionally
As a business owner, you are an ambassador of your business.
What you do affects your business.
Hence, your ability to speak professionally will bring a positive effect on your business.
You will be able to speak to people in a manner that they will want to do business with you.
This will help to boost your business growth.
Components of Professional Speaking
Certain things make up professional speaking.
These things are the components of professional speaking.
Knowing them will give you a better understanding of how to speak professionally.
Let’s take a look at these components:
Your Voice Tone– How to Speak Professionally
One of the most important components of professional speaking is your voice tone.
The voice tone of a person is said to affect the way people perceive a person.
Therefore, you need to develop your voice tone to be pleasant.
Do not make it too low-pitched or high-pitched.
Instead, strive to maintain a balance.
Your Attitude
The attitude you give people when communicating with them matters a lot.
This is a component of professional speaking that should not be lacking in a professional.
You cannot speak to people and give off a wrong attitude.
It will ruin whatever you are saying.
When speaking professionally ensure that your attitude is right.
Regardless of what you might be feeling at the moment, do not give off a bad attitude.
Using the Right Professional Terms – How to Speak Professionally
This is a component of professional speaking that is very critical.
When speaking to people in your profession, you have to make use of the right terms.
Also, the correct pronunciation should be used.
This will prove to others that you are an expert in your field.
Tips on How to Speak Professionally
We are going to share with you tips that will enable you to speak professionally provided you practice them.
Some of these things might seem irrelevant because they do not necessarily involve speaking.
However, they are important and will help you to speak more professionally when you practice them.
Let’s take a look, shall we?
Be Concise – How to Speak Professionally
To speak professionally, you need to be concise.
You don’t need to say a lot to pass information to people.
Practice summarizing your thoughts before speaking, but do so in a way that all useful information will be included.
When you are asked to elaborate or give more details, ensure that you still keep things concise.
Speak With Clarity
You have to learn to speak with clarity if you intend to speak professionally.
Ensure that each word you speak is clear and not ambiguous.
People do not need to start thinking about the meaning of what you said.
People need to be able to understand everything you say.
Avoid Fillers – How to Speak Professionally
For you to be proficient in the art of speaking professionally, you need to steer clear of the use of fillers.
Fillers are those sounds or words used to fill the pause that occurs when a person is trying to decide on the next thing to say.
Fillers are words like Ah, and Hmmn.
When you make use of too many fillers it portrays you as someone who does not know what they are saying.
Use the Active Voice When Speaking
You need to make use of the active voice when speaking.
This helps to show that you own the actions you take.
It also shows confidence and responsibility.
For example, say ‘I planned’ instead of “a plan was made”.
Do Not Make Use of Slangs – How to Speak Professionally
You have to keep things professional.
Therefore, you need to avoid the use of slangs.
Practice using the appropriate formal words used in your line of business.
Ensure that you remember to do this whenever you are speaking as a professional.
Learn to Speak Naturally
You will need to learn to speak naturally for you to speak as a professional.
When speaking, ensure that your voice’s pitch moves along with what you are saying.
Learn to practice effective fall and rise of your voice.
Make use of a calm and steady tone.
Also, you need to avoid turning your statement into a question by raising your tone or pitch.
Be Specific – How to Speak Professionally
You need to be specific when speaking.
Instead of beating around the bush, concentrate on what you are saying to people.
Tell them the exact thing you mean.
Ensure that all the details you share with people are specific.
Know Your Listeners
When speaking to people, ensure that you know them.
What we mean is that you need to know what matters to them.
This way, you will know how to tailor your words to suit them.
For example, when promoting your tech device to people who are not tech-wise, you have to avoid using tech words.
This way, they will easily understand what you are telling them.
However, when you are speaking with professionals in your field, you can make use of your profession’s jargon or terms.
Be Diplomatic – How to Speak Professionally
As a professional, you need to be diplomatic.
When you are diplomatic you will be capable of handling people and situations skillfully and smoothly.
It will enable you to speak with people properly
This way, you will speak and keep things professional.
Learn to Remain Calm Under Pressure
When communicating or asked tough questions you need to be calm.
Do not panic or get nervous, instead calmly think of an answer.
In a case where you do not have an answer, diplomatically tell your listeners that you will get back to them.
Then, do your research and get the answers to the questions.
Once you get the chance, ensure you relay the answer to your listeners.
Do Not Feel Inferior
As a professional, you should remember your self-worth at all times: Do not feel inferior.
Whenever you feel inferior, you will not be capable of speaking like a professional.
You will stumble with your words and second-guess yourself, and this is not good.
Hence, you need to learn to be confident when you speak.
Articulate Your Words
You need to speak in a way that people will hear each word you utter.
Hence, you need to learn to articulate your words.
Ensure that you listen to yourself as you speak at all times.
Speak With a Steady Pace – How to Speak Professionally
Your pace is also another thing you should consider when speaking professionally.
You do not want to sound unsure or nervous.
Hence, you need to learn to speak at a steady pace; not too slow or too fast.
When you speak at a steady pace, people will hear you clearly and believe in your expertise.
Study Grammar
It is very undermining to hear a supposed expert or professional speak bad grammar.
When such professional keeps speaking bad grammar they lose all their credibility with their listeners.
If you do not want to be that professional, you need to study grammar.
Read and study grammar books.
You could also study grammar on sites that offer such.
Ensure that you make use of what you learn correctly.
This way, you will gain credibility and talk as the professional that you are.
Make use of Current Phrases in Your Field – How to Speak Professionally
You might find out that people are making use of certain phrases in your field.
Ensure that you take notes of those phrases.
You can also make use of them if you find them working well for others.
Do not be left behind; follow the trend and keep up.
Observe and Learn From Successful Professionals
You can learn to become better at speaking professionally by watching and learning from successful professionals.
Watch the way they speak and conduct themselves.
You can pick up their styles, vocabulary, and even energy level.
Ensure that they are successful professionals in your niche.
There might little things that you would notice when you watch them.
It could be the way they make use of less jargon whenever they speak or something else.
However, make sure that you pick up good things that they do and practice.
Avoid Making Use of Potential Offensive Words
When speaking professionally you should avoid using foul words.
That is do not use any words that you think or feel might trigger or offend your listener.
Do not cuss or swear; keep things professional.
Have Carefully Selected Transition Phrases or Words
When moving on to another subject or thought while speaking, ensure that you have good transition phrases or words
These words or phrases can have big impacts on your speech depending on how good it is.
It helps to guide your listeners into the next subject or thought you intend to discuss.
An example of a good transition phrase is “Another feature to consider…”
Learn To Smile – How to Speak Professionally
Regardless of the information, you are passing across to your listener; smile as you do so.
When you smile, you keep your listeners at ease and make it easier for them to believe what you are saying.
However, do not overdo it.
Smile modestly; keep it genuine and not forced.
Make Use of Good Hand Gestures and Posture
Your hand gestures and posture matter a lot when communicating with people.
You should keep proper postures when sitting or standing.
Also, ensure that your hands are visible to your listeners.
Do not keep them in your pocket or crossed at your back.
You should also not cross your hands in front of you; it is portrayed as a defensive position.
Additionally, do not clench your fists.
Instead, gesticulate with your hands to shows your palms.
You are to portray confidence, not aggressiveness or dominance.
Do Not Look Down. Maintain Eye Contact – How to Speak Professionally
As earlier stated you are to portray confidence when speaking professionally.
Hence, you need to keep your gaze up and not look down when addressing people.
When you keep looking down when speaking to people, they will feel like you are not sure of yourself.
To prevent them from thinking this, you need to learn to not look down.
However, when looking up, ensure that your gaze is in a good position.
What we mean is that you shouldn’t make it seem like you are far away by looking at far distances.
Instead, keep eye contact with your listeners.
If you cannot do that, you can keep your gaze on your listener’s head.
To them, it will seem like you are concentrating on them, and this is good.
However, do not keep eye contact with one person for too long.
When you have maintained eye contact with a person for up to 15 seconds, break the contact with that person.
When you do that give yourself up to 5 seconds break before making contact with that person.
Or you could move to create eye contact with another person if you have more than one listener.
Show Empathy
Speaking professionally does not stop one from showing empathy.
You need to learn to care and be empathetic to people.
This will make people believe and associate with you.
You will find it easier to persuade them this way.
Professionalism can also be comforting and warm.
Be a Listener
A good communicator is capable of listening to others.
You cannot expect to speak professionally if you do not listen to others.
This is because speaking professionally goes together with listening.
When dealing with customers or clients, investors, suppliers, or employees you need to ensure that you have all-round communication.
Hence, you need to be a listener.
You can improve or develop your listening abilities.
One way to do this is by focusing on the other party, give affirmations like a head nod or a sound to show you are listening.
Also, learn to rephrase their words and summarize when you are to speak.
Practice being a better listener and watch how you will become better at speaking.
Study/ Read
Yes, you need to study.
You cannot speak about things you do not know about.
Hence, you need to study your profession well.
If you are a business person who deals in car spare parts, you need to know everything there is about cars and their spare part.
This will enable you to talk with confidence which is needed when speaking professionally.
Additionally, studying allows you to improve the way you speak.
Generally, it provides several opportunities for one to get better at different things.
Do Not Share Excessive Personal Information
It is okay to share some details of personal life with people you see daily.
However, when you do this, ensure that you do not share excessive personal information.
This way you will keep your conversations warm but professional.
Conclusion on How to Speak Professionally
Being able to speak professionally is important if you want to be taken seriously as a professional.
Also, speaking professionally helps one to inform and persuade others with ease.
The component of speaking professionally includes attitude, voice tone and the usage of profession terms.
Some benefits come with speaking professionally.
However, the common benefits are; it shows your expertise, and it helps you to effectively work with others.
When speaking professionally ensure that you are confident and avoid using ambiguous words.
Also, watch your tone and attitude.
The tips we shared with you will enable you to speak professionally.
You should not consider any of these tips as irrelevant; all are important.
You should note that the only way you can become better is through practice.
Therefore, start practicing these tips today…
