TODAY'S MESSAGE
Power Up Your Phone Skills!
by Lynn Giuliani
Positive first impressions are essential in any business and most often created over the telephone. If the person answering your telephone for an incoming call lacks professionalism, clarity, poise, and product knowledge the first impression may be the last. To excel in telephone skills, consider the following tips.
- If you talk on the telephone sitting down, sit up straight. If you think better on your feet, use a hands-free wireless telephone.
- Don’t pick up the phone to make a call until you can sound upbeat and happy with your customer.
- Smile on the telephone. You’ll sound friendlier because smiling actually lifts up the vocal cords. Smiling triggers endorphins to the brain, which makes you, feel better. And smiling pulls your cheek muscles up, improving diction.
- Do not eat or drink while on the telephone… ever.
- It takes two hands to answer the phone – one to pick-up the receiver and one to take notes. Collecting accurate information and writing down the client’s name as it sounds are part of telephone professionalism.
- Always be aware of your phone tone. Breathe deeply so that your voice resonates well across your vocal chords.
- Avoid sarcasm in your tone and stay away from jokes. Your customers may not recognize your subtle humor and jokes may offend some customers.
- Remember to always say … Thank you. Thank you for calling. Thank you for the opportunity to serve you. Two simple words go along way towards creating a positive impression.
Outbound Calling
Developing outbound calling skills are essential to any business success. You are using the resource of the telephone to further develop the relationship with your client and move closer towards your sale. Make a positive first impression using the skills above and incorporate the following.
- Develop a reason for the prospect to return your call. Pique their curiosity.
- Remember that each telephone call has to have an objective.
- Speak at a moderate speed and clearly identify who you are and the reason for your call.
- Make sure that you repeat your name and phone number at least two times.
- Ask open ended questions to determine the client’s interests and values.
- Remember to thank them for their time and interest.
- Leave a message for yourself on your voice mail and see if you sound like someone you’d return a call to.
Practice phone professionalism and power up your business.
Lynn Giuliani
www.progressionsinc.net
Call Lynn at 360 319-6776 or email her at lynn@progressionsinc.net
She will gladly help you with your sales success through individual sales coaching, classroom training or custom designed programs.
* Featured Book of the Month*
*Feature Book *
Beyond Hello
-by Jeanne Davis.
Book Description: Amazon.com
This tutorial offers help to improve every telephone interaction a company has with its valued customers. Drawn from Davis' experiences, the book includes exercises, stories and examples of how attitude, telephone etiquette, communication styles and listening skills impact the bottom line.
From the Publisher
Each chapter contains tips to help make a great first impression, enhance customer interaction and retain and strengthen client relationships through excellent customer service over the telephone.
Get it on Amazon.com
TODAY'S ACTION PLAN
Make just 3 new introductory calls per week and you can touch 150 new clients or prospects over the course of a year. That's an easy way to make sure 2007 is a resounding success!
