Love it or hate it, speaking on the phone is still a vital component of many people's workday. The increased use of other methods of communication, such as email or through social media, has undeniably put a dent in use of the humble telephone, but in some cases there's still no substitute for actually talking to whoever you're conducting business with.
You may spend a large amount of time speaking on the phone, but that doesn't necessarily mean you are good at it. Believe it or not, there are strategies you can employ for more effective telecommunication that can help you get better results every time you make use of your business phone system.
Talking on the phone is an often overlooked skill.Be prepared
The best way to get more out of your business phone conversations is to be well prepared for what you expect to talk about. This could mean jotting down some bullet points that you need to cover, researching the person or organisation you're going to be speaking to or even practising some opening comments or questions aloud before starting the call.
You will usually have a specific reason for reaching out, but you should be able to adapt if your conversation takes unexpected turns. Having clear ideas noted down of what you intend to say at the outset can also help to guide you back should things get too far off track.
The best way to get more out of your business phone conversations is to be well prepared.
Be specific
When you're making a business phone call, often you will be trying to convince another person or organisation to part with some of their hard-earned dollars for your products or services. While you'll hopefully be offering something that will make them happy, you have no way of knowing how much of an interruption your call will be to someone's day.
A little opening banter is OK, but on a sales call it's important to get to the point as quickly as possible. Taking more time than you need is a good way to start any conversation on the wrong foot, so state your reason for calling, keep your pitch as simple as possible and remain focused on how the recipient can benefit from taking your call.
Be different
Research from Informate Mobile Intelligence finds that while people are increasing their smartphone usage, talking on the phone is an ailing art form. Communication via text message occurs around five times more per day than speaking, meaning that taking the time to pick up the phone could now be considered a positive point of difference.
Why not practice your conversations right now, by speaking to Fonality about how your office phone system can be improved?
