Good Phone Calling Tips

How to convey information to a potential client? There is an e-mail: you can write a letter, structure your thoughts and wait for an answer. There is a telephone: you can convey thoughts and emotions and hear what feelings they aroused in the interlocutor - this is anger, disappointment, joy or sadness. General partner of Upfront Ventures Mark Saster gives tips on how to get the most out of the second method.



You can make an effective letter and call. But in the case of a conversation, you are able to hear the answer. If the text message caused anger, then your interlocutor can respond in neutral tones - and thereby cause a continuation of the dialogue. Which will ultimately lead to an increase in this feeling towards you. So how do you use your phone?

1. Get ready!

Write on paper a list of the things you want to convey. Write the reason for the call, key information and question.

2. Start with a joke

When Mark Saster calls someone, he starts with some kind of friendly joke, a little banter. Well, if you know your favorite sports team interlocutor. Or if you read something about a potential client’s company in a magazine, heard about his speech at an event, or you know that there was a terrible storm in his city yesterday. Personification of the call is a good idea. And when you offer goods out of the fire and into the fire, it sounds a little strange in a bad sense.

There are two things to keep in mind. The beginning of the dialogue should not look so that the interlocutor immediately understands that you said something for the sake of decency. And secondly - jokes should not go too far, do not waste other people's time. And mine.

3. Let me know why you are calling

When you are ready to continue the dialogue, state the reason for the call. According to Mark’s experience, only every fourth person speaks about the reason - that is, they begin to talk with you, but you don’t understand what they need from you. The sooner you let your interlocutor understand the reason for the call, the sooner he will understand how he can help. In any case, it is better to mention also the time that the interlocutor has to spend.

4. Do not stick on your ears.

Often people make a mistake by reporting a huge amount of information about themselves and their business. They talk about this without listening to the interlocutor’s voice and not getting any kind of feedback from him, not trying to build a dialogue. If you made this mistake - most likely, the next time the same subscriber will not pick up the phone.

5. Ask questions

A great way to get a person into a dialogue is to ask questions. Ask them and listen to the answers, get the right information.

6. Highlight your main question.

Chase two hares - you will not catch a single one. Do not try to call to find out four to five things at once. Highlight the main question and build a dialogue so that later you have a reason to call again.

7. Keep notes

If the negotiations went well, then you can come back to some of the previously written questions (see paragraph 1). Write down what interested the interlocutor, caused his anger or irritation or other reaction. And the interlocutor will be pleased that you remember what you talked about last time.

8. During complex negotiations, listen more

Remember Stephen Covey’s rule: “First strive to understand, then strive to be understood.” Do not try to convey everything at once, first listen to the interlocutor - understand what he needs.

9. Stick to the allotted time

Or, better, finish the dialogue even earlier. If you start work with interlocutors, then, most likely, you will write with him more than one letter and more than once phoned. You should not be a person who pokes on your ears - otherwise the desire to talk with you will decrease.

What do you want to add to this list? Write in the comments.