What's inside
- Recording setup instructions (score the tape, not your memory)
- 12 self-rated statements across 6 delivery dimensions
- Dimensions: Pace, Pitch & Inflection, Volume & Energy, Word Choice & Filler, Pausing, Authenticity
- Scoring key per dimension (out of 10)
- A habit-to-fix mapping table
- A 2-week practice drill for your lowest-scoring dimension
Most delivery habits are invisible to the person doing them — you can't hear your own uptalk or monotone the way a prospect does. This quiz forces an outside-ear check by having you score a recording of yourself, not your memory of how the call felt.
Before you start
- Record yourself on your next 3 cold calls (a phone voice memo app is enough — you only need audio).
- Play back one full call, start to finish, before scoring anything below.
- Score based on what you actually hear, not how you intended to sound.
Rate each statement 1 (not at all) to 5 (strongly) based on the recording.
Part 1 — Pace
| # | Statement | Score |
|---|
| 1 | I speed up noticeably in the first 10 seconds compared to how I speak normally. | |
| 2 | I run sentences together with no breath or pause between them. | |
Part 2 — Pitch & Inflection
| # | Statement | Score |
|---|
| 3 | My voice rises at the end of statements that aren't questions ("uptalk"). | |
| 4 | My tone stays flat/monotone through most of the call regardless of content. | |
Part 3 — Volume & Energy
| # | Statement | Score |
|---|
| 5 | My energy noticeably drops after the first 15 seconds. | |
| 6 | I sound quieter or more hesitant than my normal speaking volume. | |
Part 4 — Word Choice & Filler
| # | Statement | Score |
|---|
| 7 | I use filler words ("um," "like," "just," "sort of") more than twice in the opening 30 seconds. | |
| 8 | I over-apologize ("sorry to bother you," "I know this is random") before stating my reason for calling. | |
Part 5 — Pausing
| # | Statement | Score |
|---|
| 9 | I fill every silence instead of pausing after a question to let the prospect answer. | |
| 10 | I don't pause at all after my opening line before continuing. | |
Part 6 — Authenticity / "Read" Quality
| # | Statement | Score |
|---|
| 11 | It's obvious from the recording that I'm reading or reciting rather than speaking naturally. | |
| 12 | My recorded voice sounds noticeably different (more robotic, more rushed) than how I sound talking to a colleague. | |
Scoring
Add the two scores in each Part (range 2–10 per dimension). A dimension scoring 7 or higher is an active, connect-costing habit worth fixing first. Score all six dimensions, then rank them — fix the highest first; the others often improve as a side effect.
| Dimension | Score (out of 10) |
|---|
| Pace | |
| Pitch & Inflection | |
| Volume & Energy | |
| Word Choice & Filler | |
| Pausing | |
| Authenticity | |
Habit-to-fix table
| Dimension | What it costs you | Fix |
|---|
| Pace | Prospects can't process a rushed opener fast enough to decide to stay on the line | Read your opener at 20% slower than feels natural — it will sound normal-paced to the listener |
| Pitch & Inflection | Uptalk reads as uncertainty; monotone reads as disinterest | Practice ending statements on a level or falling pitch; add deliberate emphasis on one key word per sentence |
| Volume & Energy | Flat energy in the first 15 seconds gets matched by flat prospect engagement | Stand up and smile before dialing — both measurably change vocal energy |
| Word Choice & Filler | Filler words signal unpreparedness in the exact window where credibility is being decided | Rehearse the opening 30 seconds until it needs zero filler; silence beats "um" |
| Pausing | Filling silence after your own question steals the prospect's chance to engage, and reads as nervous | After every question, count two full seconds before speaking again, even if it feels uncomfortable |
| Authenticity | A "read" voice is one of the fastest disqualifiers a prospect's brain applies | Rehearse the words until they're internalized, not memorized verbatim — practice the meaning, not the script |
Practice drill
- Pick your single highest-scoring (worst) dimension.
- Record 5 practice openers today, applying only that one fix.
- Play back #1 and #5 back to back — the difference should be audible even to you.
- Re-run this quiz in two weeks on a fresh recording.
How to use it
Record three real cold calls, score the recording (not your memory) against all six dimensions, then drill your single worst-scoring habit for two weeks before rescoring.