I had the opportunity to speak with 100 marketing students at a prestigious Chicago university this week. I asked them if they knew what the W.A.V. was and one student sheepishly raised his hand to share that the wave was something the crowd did at a sporting event. He gave me the perfect opening to explain that the W.A.V. represented wording, attitude and voice which are used strategically in marketing and sales efforts. My objective was to show them that their personal W.A.V. would affect their future. The students had 3 specific “ah hah” moments and we can learn from them, too.
The Phone Interview
A panel of students was instructed to assess the Wording, Attitude and the Voice of a job candidate as they listened to less than 1 minute of a phone interview. They had to decide on whether they would offer the candidate the job based on his W.A.V. The panel and all the students were unified in their assessment and decision to not offer the candidate the job because:
1. His wording showed he was only interested in himself and what the company could do for him.
2. The attitudes he projected were bored, tired and sarcastic.
3. His voice was monotone and lifeless which made anything positive he may have done in the interview to go unnoticed.
The “ah hah” moment for the students: A diploma isn’t enough to get the job.
Sales and Marketing
Several students were given the role of salesperson and they were provided a scripted phrase to deliver to the group using their voices to project a specific attitude. The group of students who were the observers needed to vote for 1 salesperson they would give their money to and they needed to be able to explain why.
Student #1- Used a perfectly worded statement to close on the sale but, the student sounded bored and tired. No one chose this student. Because of his lifeless voice they stopped listening and didn’t like him.
Student #2- Had a friendly voice and attitude as she said, “The price is $250.00. Is there anything else I can help you with?” Half of the students really liked this approach although they weren’t sure if they would have given the student their money. But they liked the salesperson!
Student #3-Projected a caring attitude but, had disastrous wording for a salesperson. “Do you want to start service or call around for other prices?” Most students thought this was the most considerate approach and would have taken the advice given and called the competition.
I did tell the students that if student #3 worked for me he would have been fired for intentionally sending my prospective customers to the competition. That got their attention! Words matter.
The “ah hah” moment for the students: My W.A.V. matters and when the right words are partnered with a friendly attitude and confident voice it is easier to succeed.
Choosing Your W.A.V.
I wanted to help each person in this large group realize that what comes out of them, their W.A.V., demonstrates who they are. I asked the group if they had all heard their voices recorded and of course they said they had. I asked for a show of hands if they liked the sound of their voice and only 3 people raised their hands. There was a lot of nervous laughter. Each student had the opportunity to speak and share the two main attitudes they wanted to convey to others through their W.A.V. Both confident and knowledgeable were at the top of everyone’s list. Unfortunately, many of them sounded timid and tired.
The “ah hah” moment for the students: I may feel a certain way inside, but if I don’t work on my voice, I may alienate people or be passed over for opportunities.