Why I decided to upgrade my announcing skills
Honestly? Got absolutely roasted after hosting my nephew’s birthday party last month. Couldn’t even introduce the magician without stumbling over my words. Everyone was staring at me like I grew a second head. Felt my face burning hotter than cheap pizza oven.
The brutal first recording session
Grabbed my phone, hit record, and tried reading a soup can label like it was breaking news. Played it back and cringed so hard. My voice sounded like a nervous squirrel on caffeine. Every third word had “uhh” or “um” stuffed in there. Even my dog left the room halfway through.
What actually worked for me
Started doing this every single morning without fail:
- Straw exercise: Put a straw in my mouth and read junk mail out loud for 5 minutes. Felt ridiculous but man did it train my mouth muscles!
- Whisper shouting: Practiced projecting my voice without waking the neighbors. Stood in shower yelling whispered news headlines like a crazy person.
- Record-repeat-delete: Did 10 takes of same weather report daily. Deleted all garbage versions immediately so I wouldn’t obsess.
The turning point nobody tells you about
Tried mimicking my favorite basketball commentator during games. Like literally talked over his broadcast while muted. At first sounded like drunk karaoke, but after two weeks? Caught myself naturally copying his energy and pauses. Pro tip: Steal delivery styles like you’re Robin Hood stealing from rich announcers.
Real test drive at the grocery store
Volunteered to announce manager’s specials over PA system. First announcement – hands shook so bad the mic rattled. By the third one? Found myself cracking jokes about discount avocados. Cashiers actually clapped when I signed off. Felt like winning the World Cup of produce announcing.
Where I’m at now
Can rattle off my Starbucks order like it’s a presidential decree. But still mess up constantly – last week introduced my cat as “the furry co-host” during Zoom meeting. The grind never stops, but at least now my voice doesn’t crack reading birthday cards.
