The six tones
Confident, curious, calm, authority, empathetic and excited — and when each one belongs.
The toolkit
Every tone below is correct somewhere and wrong somewhere else.
- Confident — statements land as statements. Downward inflection at the end.
- Curious — genuine interest, slight upward lift, used for questions.
- Calm — slower, lower, unbothered. Use it the moment things get tense.
- Authority — measured pace and pauses. Use when giving a recommendation.
- Empathetic — softer volume, slower. Use when they describe a problem.
- Excited — controlled energy. Use sparingly, only about their result.
The most common mistake
Ending statements as if they were questions. 'We'd start with the website?' turns your recommendation into a request for permission.
Say it like this
Weak
Would you maybe be interested in marketing?
Meri standard
I noticed a few opportunities where you could probably be getting more customers.
Same intent. One asks permission to exist; the other offers an observation.
Weak
So… we could maybe start with the website? If that works for you?
Meri standard
I'd start with the website. It's the piece costing you the most right now.
Practice drill
Say 'I'd start with the website' six times, once in each tone. Notice which version you would buy from.
Run this drill with Meri CoachKnowledge check
Which tone should you switch to the moment a prospect becomes defensive?
Lesson 10 of 23 in the Meri Academy curriculum.