Trust is paramount in financial advice. While it can be built in many ways, one effective method is to use your voice to develop empathy and rapport.
Dr Louise Mahler explained to delegates during her session at the FPA conference that trust comes from clarity.
“Most of our communication happens through our body and our voice. An upright posture, smooth rather than jerky gestures, direct eye contact and movement that makes sense spatially is important. The way you use airflow with the voice is another way to build trust,” says Dr Mahler, a former international opera singer.
“The voice of trust has air continually flowing. It does not have air that breaks, which is not trustworthy,” she explains.
Mahler’s doctorate is in a field called vocal intelligence. Her work is about understanding the voice is like a computer printout of what’s happening in the body, which is influenced by the mind.
“Vocal intelligence is about managing airflow, getting enough air out of your body to show you care,” she says.
Part of Mahler’s research looked into how ancient Romans, who were famous orators, communicated. She found their influencing skills were based on spatial awareness, airflow, gesturing and body posturing.
These skills, while often not given enough emphasis, build trust and anyone can learn them.
“We’ve lost our connection with sound and we need to get back in touch with being true, trustworthy and clear,” she argues.
Mahler says Donald Trump is an excellent example of an effective communicator. “He uses musical flow in his sentencing and clear gesturing. He never crosses his body with his hands; they are always revealed, palms facing outwards to show trust and that he has nothing hidden. He turns towards strangers and people who are angry with him.
“His voice is always clear, he never withdraws the air like many people. He speaks with full air and he may shout, but he never screams, so he doesn’t get tension in the throat. He stands up straight, he never buckles over and his posture and eye contact is direct.”
Dr Mahler’s advice to financial planners who wish to project a more trustworthy impression is to use a technique called: nod, blink, smile.
These non-verbal cues give the listener the impression you are engaged in the speaker’s words and are an effective tool financial advisers can use to build trust with clients at every meeting.
