An Exploratory Investigation of Voice An Exploratory Investigation of Voice Characteristics and Selling EffectivenessCharacteristics and Selling Effectiveness

by Robert A. Peterson, Micheal P. Cannito and Steven P. Brownby Robert A. Peterson, Micheal P. Cannito and Steven P. Brown 直銷通路管理報告直銷通路管理報告 指導教授﹕陳得發教授指導教授﹕陳得發教授 學生學生 :: 王昭雄 王昭雄 學號﹕學號﹕ 89418128941812 中華民國九十一年五月二十九日中華民國九十一年五月二十九日

AbstractAbstract

An exploratory investigation of selected voice An exploratory investigation of selected voice characteristics of 21 direct salespeople revealed that characteristics of 21 direct salespeople revealed that rate of speaking, average rate of speaking, average pause durationpause duration, and , and fundamental frequencyfundamental frequency contour contour were significantly were significantly related to a measure of output sales performance. related to a measure of output sales performance.

Relative to a comparison group of 13 Relative to a comparison group of 13 nonsalespeople, the salespeople spoke more rapidly nonsalespeople, the salespeople spoke more rapidly and produced fundamental and produced fundamental frequency contoursfrequency contours that that fell more.fell more.

IntroductionIntroduction

The purpose of the present research was to explore The purpose of the present research was to explore possible relationships between selected possible relationships between selected voice voice characteristicscharacteristics and output and output sales performancesales performance in the in the context of a personal selling situation.context of a personal selling situation.

A secondary purpose was to explore possible A secondary purpose was to explore possible relationships between the relationships between the voice characteristics of a voice characteristics of a sample of salespeoplesample of salespeople and and consumers’ perceptionsconsumers’ perceptions regarding the salespeople.regarding the salespeople.

Background HypothesesBackground Hypotheses

The review focuses on three categories of voice characterThe review focuses on three categories of voice characteristics:istics: speaking rate, fundamental frequency, and varia speaking rate, fundamental frequency, and variability in voice intensity (loudness)bility in voice intensity (loudness)speaking rate:speaking rate:

refer to the number of utterances per unit of timerefer to the number of utterances per unit of time ，， it is a functioit is a function of articulation rate and the number and durationn of articulation rate and the number and duration

fundamental frequency:fundamental frequency: Measurements typically used to characterize fundamental frequeMeasurements typically used to characterize fundamental freque

ncy include its mean, variability, and contour.ncy include its mean, variability, and contour.

variability in voice intensity variability in voice intensity (loudness):(loudness): Research indicates that dominance, assertiveness, and aggression Research indicates that dominance, assertiveness, and aggression

are convey loud voices.are convey loud voices.

振幅 (Amplitude) ：圖一 振幅指的是聲波的強度，振幅大小的改變，就是我們人類聽覺中所認知得“大聲或小聲” ，國際上對於振幅的通用單位是 dB ，也就是分貝，而人類的聽覺範圍通常是-1/4dB~140dB 。

頻率 (Frequency) ：圖二 頻率指的是 1 秒時間中有多少個聲波產生，頻率的改變就是我們聽覺中所認知的“高音或低音”，國際上對於頻率的單位是 Hertz(Hz ，赫茲 ) 人類能夠聽到的頻率通常在20Hz~2000Hz ， 20Hz 就是指每秒中有 20 個完整聲波產生的聲音能量， 2000Hz 就是 2000 個，而發生物體震動的次數越頻繁，頻率也就越高，聲調也就越高。

我們在圖一和圖二所看到的是單一的正弦波形，事實上在日常生活中所聽到的聲音和樂器所發出的波形，都是許多頻率混合在一起的混合波形，例如我們聽到的人聲，和鋼琴單鍵所發出的聲音，都是結合了許多頻率的混合波形，而每一種聲音，都有他自己唯一的一種波形。

HypothesesHypotheses

Speaking rate:Speaking rate: HH1: Salespeople with : Salespeople with faster speakingfaster speaking rates will exhibit rates will exhibit higher outputhigher output performance (i.e., sell more) than salespeople with performance (i.e., sell more) than salespeople with sloweslower speaking rates. r speaking rates.

Fundamental frequency:Fundamental frequency: HH2a2a: Salespeople with : Salespeople with lowerlower fundamental frequencies will exhibit fundamental frequencies will exhibit higher output performance than salespeople with than salespeople with higherhigher fundamental frequencies.fundamental frequencies. HH2b2b: Salespeople with : Salespeople with largerlarger fundamental frequencies fundamental frequencies variabilityvariability will exhibit will exhibit higher output performancehigher output performance than salespeople with than salespeople with smallesmaller fundamental r fundamental frequency variability.frequency variability. HH2c2c: Salespeople with: Salespeople with falling falling fundamental frequencies contours will exhibit fundamental frequencies contours will exhibit higher output performancehigher output performance than salespeople with than salespeople with rising rising fundament fundament frequency frequency contours.contours.

Variability in voice intensity Variability in voice intensity (loudness):(loudness): HH33: Salespeople with more variability in their voice intensities will exhibit : Salespeople with more variability in their voice intensities will exhibit higher output performance than salespeople with less variability in their higher output performance than salespeople with less variability in their voice intensities.voice intensities.

Acoustic data derived from audio tape recordings of Acoustic data derived from audio tape recordings of presentations made by salespeople were obtain and presentations made by salespeople were obtain and correlated with a measure of output sales correlated with a measure of output sales performance to test the formal hypotheses.performance to test the formal hypotheses.

A sample of A sample of housewiveshousewives listened to the taped sales listened to the taped sales presentations and reported their perceptions of the presentations and reported their perceptions of the salespeople base on the presentation.salespeople base on the presentation.

MethodMethod

Output sales performanceOutput sales performance

Vocal behavior (acoustic) variables Vocal behavior (acoustic) variables 1. Total speaking time (TST) 1. Total speaking time (TST) --H1--H1 2. Average pause duration ( PSDUR)2. Average pause duration ( PSDUR) 3. Mean fundamental frequency (MFF) 3. Mean fundamental frequency (MFF) --H2a--H2a 4. Fundamental frequency variability (FFV) 4. Fundamental frequency variability (FFV) --H2b--H2b 5. Fundamental frequency contour (CNTOUR) 5. Fundamental frequency contour (CNTOUR) --H2c--H2c 6. Loudness variability (LOUDVAR6. Loudness variability (LOUDVAR) ) ----H3H3

Variables

ReliabilityReliability

The resulting reliability coefficient for the The resulting reliability coefficient for the variables across the research assistant two variables across the research assistant two ranged fromranged from .80 to .99 .80 to .99

Fundamental frequency contourFundamental frequency contour .72.72

Average pause durationAverage pause duration .90.90

Perceptions of Vocal Behavior A sample of 26 housewives listened to the tape-recorded target

presentation of each salesperson and evaluate the salesperson in several rating scales.

Comparison Group A comparison group of 13 college males with average age equal

to that of the salespeople was asked to role-play the part of a salesperson and make the same presentation.

Analysis

H2aH2b

H1H3H2c

1. Total speaking time (TST) --H12. Average pause duration ( PSDUR)3. Mean fundamental frequency (MFF) --H2a4. Fundamental frequency variability (FFV) -H2b5. Fundamental frequency contour (CNTOUR) -H2c6. Loudness variability (LOUDVAR) --H3

Analysis

Analysis

Analysis

ConclusionsConclusions

How a sales message is communicated may be as important as what is communicated with respect to output sales performance

The result suggest that salespeople should consider utilizing falling fundamental frequency contours wherever appropriate and consider having at least a modicum of variability in their voice’s fundamental frequency

Salespeople attractiveness is positively related to favorable consumer perceptions as well as effective selling, and that the effect of attractiveness is greatest on initial buyer impressions (Reingen and Kernan 1993).

Limitations and Future ResearchLimitations and Future Research

By design the findings cannot be generalized to female salespeople or personal selling in industrial or fixed-location retailing contexts.

The limitation of the present investigation was that, because of its exploratory nature, it did not attempt to explain why the observed relationships occurred. To do so would require some sort of experiment design.

In future research it is imperative that theoretical explanations regarding the mechanism and mediating variables through which voice characteristics operate be developed and empirically tested.

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