Researchers from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business wanted to know whether the way someone makes their pitch changes how clever they seem.
They recorded MBA students pitching themselves to the company they most wanted to work for, then asked people to watch the video, listen to the audio or read a transcript of exactly the same words.
Hearing the pitch made candidates seem more competent, thoughtful and intelligent than reading it did, and made evaluators more interested in hiring them.
Adding video on top of the voice made no measurable difference. The researchers then ran the test with 39 professional recruiters from Fortune 500 companies. On a 0 to 10 scale, recruiters who listened to a pitch rated their likelihood of hiring the candidate at 4.71, while those who read the very same pitch put it at 2.89.
When could you use your voice more?
The words were identical, so the difference came from the voice. Hearing someone speak gives a chance for the listener to connect to the individual - in a way that words on a page don’t allow.
If you’re hesitating to get a client or prospect on a call - let this be your nudge to to do so.
Fancy hearing my voice instead of reading me? Book a free 30 minute consultation and let's chat about your sales conversations.
Source
Schroeder, J., & Epley, N. (2015). The sound of intellect: Speech reveals a thoughtful mind, increasing a job candidate's appeal. Psychological Science, 26(6), 877-891