Important Phone Calls

People spend ages crafting the perfect letter, email, proposal or web page to get it just right.  But when it comes to telephone calls, they often seem to just dial and hope for the best! 

Whether making calls to follow up with leads and prospective clients, or to try and get an appointment with bigger company decision-makers, or even catching up with existing and past clients, important phone calls deserve special treatment.

Here are some suggestions to help get the best response:

• Have a goal for the call
• Write down all the points you want to include
• Don't make your most important call first
• Warm up your vocal cords before picking up the phone
• Make the calls from a corded landline for best reception
• Smile and sit up straight (or even stand up)
• Be prepared for different situations (voicemail, gatekeeper, and especially the person you really want to speak to!)

What telephone tips have you found most helpful?

Comments

[LouiseBJ]

Hi Reeta, that's a great point you make about always asking if it's convenient for the other person to talk - if only more callers would be so polite!

And I totally agree about not making important calls from your car - in fact I don't believe they should be made from a mobile phone either. A corded landline gives the best reception, and therefore makes the best impression!

Thanks for stopping by and commenting.

[Reeta Luthra]

A couple more for your list Louise:

1) Don't call from your car - as well as the danger aspects, it's very annoying for the caller as they struggle to hear you over line interference and your driving distractions.

Plus you can't make notes while you're driving.

2) Always ask the other person if it's a good time to talk. If they are preoccupied, they're not going to give you the attention you deserve.