Tremendous Telephoning Tips

If you have to utilise the phone to attract, solicit or acquire business then here are some vital and easy to apply tips, tactics and techniques.

They will help maintain your sanity, increase your enjoyment and help you to achieve the targets you must to deliver the business flow that is critical to your success. 

• Relax while phoning! It is what you do for a living
• Keep something liquid beside you to maintain a sharp, friendly voice.
• Be prepared! Have plenty of numbers and names lined up in advance.
• If you fail to get an appointment ask for referred leads. Is there anyone else who may be interested in saving money/time, investing reviewing their plans?
• Call referred leads, direct mail repliers, new mortgages, online inquiries, etc, as soon as possible after receiving them.
• In most cases set the appointment with both partners being in attendance
• Be a little different from the other people that have called this person. Speak clearly, sincerely and enthusiastically 
• Don’t waste time looking up numbers during ‘prime’ phoning sessions. Do that before you start phoning
• Know how to use humour
• Jot down notes as you talk - occupation, interests, spouse’s name, other people etc.
• If you talk with someone promising, but fail to get the appointment, file that person’s name to call in the future – say six months or a year later. Find out when the NO runs out. By doing this you will develop a surprising number of ‘call backs’ for the future. People’s situations change, and you will get appointments with some of them.
• Take advantage of daytime phoning! How about those second and third shift prospects? Why not call prospects at work? What about telephone calls to businesses during the day?
• Refuse to be disturbed during your ‘prime’ telephoning time by outside influences such as business colleagues, emails, family or other distractions.
• Use a ‘Motivational Scrapbook” and review it daily, particularly before a ‘prime’ phoning session.
• Keep accurate records. Who are you calling? When are you calling? How many calls do you have to make to get your desired number of appointments? Analyse those contact numbers for your ratios. These ratios are your report card. Here are some simple ones for you to establish: Calls to Contacts, Calls to appointments, Calls to get a fact finding interview, Calls to get a closing interview and Calls to get a sale.
• Be sure the appointment is confirmed; either they should write it down or you should send them a reminder notice. You may even want to be safe and do both. Try not to accept the ‘shaky’ appointments – that is, beware if they say, “Tuesday at 8.30 pm is fine, but call before you come out”. In responding to this you should say, “Will that time be convenient with you as far as you know?” If your prospect says yes, then say, I’ll send you a reminder and if something comes up you can call me. Okay?” (Most agree that this is fine). 
• Try to establish a common identity. Do you have other clients where he/she works? Clients on his/her company? Do you have sports like golf or tennis in common? Even the state of the weather can be a great connector.
• Set the majority of your appointments for early in the week. Sometimes appointments can be postponed or cancelled. By anticipating this, you have a greater chance of resetting postponed appointments for the latter part of the current week instead of the following week.
• Keep on dialing those numbers! When you feel like stopping, talk to two more people. When you feel like crying talk to one more! Then stop and take a 10 – 15 minute rest (Phoning is like exercise – it only helps when it hurts!)
• Keep smiling and have faith in the law of averages. It will not let you down. It has never failed and it never will. Let it work for you.

This article is reprinted with permission from Jim Prigg CEO and founder of Knowledgemaster International (KMI) Pty Ltd. KMI is an online resources company that delivers practical communications, interaction, sales and soft skills tips, tactics, techniques THAT WORK.

Learn more about winning business programs by calling Jim at mobile 0408 520 453 or [email protected].

 Which areas of your business could you use more practical knowledge to boost your productivity and profitability? Copy and email today to [email protected].

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