Phone Tips to Really "Nail" Your Business

Phone Tactics

 Here are Some Valuable Tips for Phone Management.

So you have got the list of leads to ring. You’re excited about the product. Consider these tips first to help you “Nail the Call“.

1 Phone control:

When you work from home it is easy to fall into the trap of talking on the phone for much longer than needed. After all there is no-one watching over your shoulder and you think you have time on your side. Really this is poor time management. The answer - put a “value” on your own time. Develop a sense of urgency in your voice and keep an eye on  the time so you are talking about “the business” but not chatting away “the time of day”. You will be more effective and come across as someone who respects their own time and their listeners.

2 Sound of Voice

Your tone of your voice is important. I have a natural high pitched voice which doesn’t portray the right image on the phone, so I used a tape deck to get my voice tone sound right to project the right impression. Keep practising till it sounds effective then ask someone you respect to check your voice level and tone. Imagine as you listen that you are the other person on the end of phone. Ask yourself “How do I sound?”.

3 Speed of Voice

In New Zealand we tend to talk too fast and mumble , this may be fine with each-other face to face but if you are trying to listen to something important on the phone it can get exhausting and frustrating. Remember the people you are speaking to may have English as a second language or a hearing disability, so try to talk slowly and clearly to be understood.

4 Practise the pronouncation of names

If you want to start of with the right impression make  sure you can pronounce the person’s name properly. This was one of my downfalls so I try if possible to ring a friend first who is good with names to get the pronounication right .

5 Listen

Yes folks, communication is a 2 way thing! Listen to what the other person says then pause before answering, to give yourself time to consider just what did they really say.

6 Be Prepared 

To come across as someone who is in charge work out what you are going to say before calling,  first off a script. Yes I know it sounds like a preschool idea but believe me it really works! In insurance we called it “The 5 Ps” = prior preparation prevents poor preformance

Get these right and you not only feel confident before you pick up the phone you will sound confident