Building Relationships By Phone

The telephone has arguably done more to help sales professionals than any other invention in history. And still it is the most under-utilized tool in your toolbox. Note I do not say under-used, because if you are like most experts, you are probably on the phone more than two hours a day. The question is, how effectual are you at using the phone to move your prospects nearer to the sale and going deeper with your clients to generate more sales and cross-selling chances?
It is a truth that a few people are naturally good on the phone. Others want to work at it. Here are some solution skills and qualities you want to be good on the phone. You only need to be weak in one or two of these areas to undermine your performance and discontinue you getting excited about using the phone.

A clear voice. Speaking slower and in a lower pitch has also been found to yield superior results than fast, high pitched talking

Self belief. You should be confident in what you speak and deliver. Just as dogs can smell fear, prospects and contacts can smell ‘non-belief' and need of conviction.

A good smile. Sounds funny, but ‘smile while you call' works. People can advise if youv are smiling, and joy is communicable!

Patience. You could be the wrong idea on time. You could be the correct person with the wrong deal. For many reasons, they may not be ready for you now, or observe what you see as quickly as you want them to see it. Business relationships are a long time game, not a one night stand.

Resilience. You will get knocked back, insulted, shouted at, ignored, bored to death and unwanted. Every person does. The ones who can get better are the ones who tend to be the most successful in the long time.

Organization. Get your desk classified, your database classified, your diary classified and your time management nailed. You can not build and maintain relationships without investing time, and that means getting organized.

Reading people. You might say this is hard to do on the phone. But if you are sincere, you can tell when people are busy, when they are stressed or what kind of a mood they are in. Make it an ability that you can gauge people's reactions and responses and your phone calls will be much more creative!

Closing skills. Can you ask the courageous questions or do you fudge round the issues? If you can not, all of your association building counts for nothing but good feelings.

Persistence. Can you persevere until you hear a ‘no'? Resilience is bouncing back. Persistence is keeping going, through rough days, through tough times, through lean periods. Research shows that 48persent of people discontinue after the 2nd call and most give up after the 3rd. However, there is a 68persent success rate on the 4th call.

If you are going to use the phone as a tool for building relations, you need to recognize the nature of the beast. There are seven advantages and seven disadvantages of using the phone

On balance, you 'd much rather be with a phone than without one, and in the age of mobiles, we are never more than a phone call from attractive much any person we want to talk with. So why do we still hesitate to use the phone to full potential? Sales experts have three areas for concern;

Knowing What To Say (Knowledge)

There is only one way round this one – writings. People worry that scripts are wooden and fake. Let's disprove that. Think of your much loved movie. Now think how it made you feel. Joyful? Depressing? Entertained? Afraid? Delighted? Moved? Consider that every word in that film was written, rehearsed and performed a hundred times by the time it gets to you. And it still evoked that passion and feeling in you. Think the great songs, which move you and bring you to tears or lift you up. Again, all scripted, I am scared. Never undervalue the power of a well-crafted and well-delivered word or phrase to elicit the response you want.

“The worst time to think of the greatest thing to speak is as the words is appearance of your mouth”

Knowing How To Say It (Skill)

There is only one way round this one – perform. Everything is complicated before it becomes easy. Think of the first time you learned to ride a bike, to swim or to drive. You improve at what you perform lots of.

Nervous About Doing It (Behaviour)

There is only one way round this one – get motivated! Here are some reasons why you must pick up that phone;

You require the business
You want the money!
It keeps you connected.
It keeps your skills fresh.
Others will if you do not.
If you have said in the past you will call and you do not, what will they think of you?
How much might you lose by not making the call?
If you do not call, you will never recognize.

Circumstances change – they might just need to listen from you.