PARAVERBAL COMMUNICATION: THE VOICE IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE MESSAGE

When we develop a corporate communications strategy, we spend a great deal of time choosing the right words. We review headlines, refine key messages and consider how best to explain an idea so that it comes across clearly to journalists, customers or employees.

However, when it comes to conveying that message out loud, another very important factor comes into play: paraverbal communication.

The tone, rhythm, volume or even the pauses can completely change the way the same words are perceived. How something is said can be just as important – or even more important – than what is said.

To begin with, what is paraverbal communication?

Paraverbal communication encompasses all those elements of the voice that accompany verbal language. It does not refer to words or gestures – which would form part of verbal and non-verbal communication, respectively – but rather to the way in which we use our voice.

Its main features include:

• The tone of voice, which can convey confidence, warmth, enthusiasm or concern.
• Pace, which influences how a speech is followed and understood.
• Volume is key to projecting confidence without coming across as aggressive.
• Pauses, which allow certain ideas to be emphasised and give listeners time to take them in.
• Intonation, which conveys meaning and prevents a speech from sounding flat or artificial.

The same sentence can inspire trust, indifference or even rejection, depending on these factors.

Why is this important in corporate communications?

A television interview, a conversation with a journalist, a presentation of results or a CEO’s speech at an event are all situations in which the written message is only one part of the communication.

Let’s imagine a spokesperson announcing positive business results in an excessively low tone, at a rapid pace and with hardly any variation in their voice. The figures are still positive, but their presentation is likely to convey less confidence and enthusiasm than the company intends to project.

The opposite is also true. Effective paraverbal communication can make a complex message more accessible, help convey a sense of calm during a crisis, or ensure that a corporate presentation connects better with its audience.

This is even more important at a time when companies are seeking to humanise their communication. Audiences expect people who can convey a corporate message in a natural and credible way.

The role of communication agencies

As communications agencies, we can work on paraverbal communication as part of our preparation of spokespersons. It is not just a matter of providing a document containing key messages and possible questions; it is also important to practise how to convey them.

Media training sessions, mock interviews and rehearsals ahead of a presentation help to identify aspects that often go unnoticed. Speaking too quickly due to nerves, using a monotonous tone, failing to pause, or raising one’s voice excessively are habits that can be corrected through preparation.

Furthermore, every situation calls for a different approach to communication. An interview on innovation does not require the same tone as a press conference during a reputational crisis. The agency can help the spokesperson adapt their manner of expression to the context, the channel and the audience without losing their naturalness.

The most effective corporate communication involves not only finding the right messages, but also ensuring that those messages come across as credible and human when they reach their audience.

Working on paraverbal communication helps to align words with the intention behind them. These days, trust and authenticity are playing an increasingly important role in organisations’ reputations, and paying attention to how a message sounds can be just as important as deciding what we want to say.