Telephone Tips For The Faint Of Heart

The telephone is one of the most powerful business tools ever created. But too many people underuse it. Are you making the best use of one of the most potent weapons in your arsenal?

With telemarketing everywhere in today's world, few things scare people more than the sound of a salesperson on the line. Just the sense that they're being solicited is enough to make them ornery.

Making it even tougher for salespeople, it takes an average of six telephone calls to make one contact. Persistence is a must if you're using this communication medium.

It's more important than ever for you to develop your phone skills. Why? People are almost always busy whenever someone calls. They're usually short on time-in a hurry or watching their favorite sitcom for the zillionth time. Whatever they're doing when you called, you're an interruption-and as such, you'll be resented by many people.

This means that you must be compelling, provocative, appealing, disturbing, inspiring, or conversational in the first 30 seconds to break through your readers' preoccupations and get their attention. How can you do this? Here are a few suggestions.

Make a benefit statement. 'I found a way to add $500 [$1,000, $2,000] of passive income each month.' 'I have more peace of mind and feel healthier than I've been in years.' You can follow up this kind of statement with questions such as, 'Would you like to know why?' or 'Would you like me to tell you more?'

The bolder, more dramatic, and more personal the declaration, the more of the other person's attention you'll gain. This is also an effective way to create conversation. You pick the topic, cause, or issue-then launch.

You can ask direct questions: 'Are you interested in earning any additional income, passively, part-time?' 'Do you know what happens to your household products that are not biodegradable?'

Questions are powerful tools because they get people talking about themselves and what's important to them. In fact, 'What's really important or precious to you?' is an excellent question because it focuses them on what they want, and guides you in matching your opportunity to what they value.

You must qualify your prospect. Your time is precious, and you want to spend more of it with interested prospects-people who truly have something to gain by listening to you. Questions help you understand what might motivate a person to listen, meet with you, and ultimately use the services of your organization.

Here's an example. We know that people process information differently. Yet we often give information according to the ways we personally like to receive it. If we like to read, we tend to give people reading materials. If we like tapes, we send them. You can increase the impact of your message when you know whether a person prefers to read, look, listen, or some combination of the three.

If you ask, 'How do you prefer to get your information?' the person will tell you. The answer to this simple but powerful question will tell you whether to send mail, audio, video, or written material to them. Find this out, and you'll advance more telephone calls into appointments. It also gives you something specific to talk about when you call.

Here are a few questions to ask: 'What was the most important idea you learned?' 'What one thing did you hear that can help you get what you want most?' 'How might what you read improve your life or your income?' 'How can you see yourself making that work for you?'

Give people information, ideas, and helpful hints that are important to them. After all, we tend to value what's important to us and feel neutral toward almost everything else. If you find out what your prospects really want and then provide them a way to get it (or avoid it), you'll earn their trust and further your relationship. Ask them what ideas, information, or advice would be of value to them, and you'll be in the game every time.

This will be a revealing, liberating experiment. You'll discover how easy it really is to get someone to take your call, give you total attention, and actually listen to what you say. Why so easy? Third-party endorsement. If you could do this all day long in your business, you'd become wealthy in record time.

Successful people usually have other people pave the way. A recommendation from a satisfied customer is still the best possible advertising. When you use someone else's credibility and commitment, you open more doors. And there isn't a person you can't reach with the right kind of introduction or third-party endorsement.

Identify five of the most influential, prestigious, and well-connected people you know who believe in you and what you're doing. Ask them to endorse you to some of their key centers of influence. Remember, big doors of opportunity swing on little hinges.

Try your best to combine the phone with the mail, sending out information that helps people make smart choices. Develop your telephone skills. They'll serve you in every aspect of your life.