We can all talk on the telephone, since we were small we have all played with the handset, phoned friends, phoned for a takeaway, made those "outbound" calls without really thinking about it but when we have to use the telephone to FIND us business it can send some of us into a cold sweat.....but why? The phone represents us asking for something, if we are in control then its easy but if we asking for business and the answer is NO then it can be a different story.

The telephone is arguably one of the most important vehicles for doing business, building relationships, fact finding, it is still the easiest and quickest way to reach a large number of people.

So how do you get to feel comfortable on the telephone?

The phone may always cause you some anxiety if the conversation does not go as anticipated, some people will always say no but remember they are saying no to the offering, not to you personally - easier said than heard but after you hear No a few times it does become easier to take. Roughly speaking you will get 10 no's to every yes, so just think of each no as one step closer to yes! As you become more confident and experienced in your approach, try and engage the caller to tell you why it is a No, is it NO now or NO not at the moment or NO because it is too expensive....you can learn a lot from the NOs if you are confident enough to listen and ask Why...

There are ways to try and minimize the no's for example using some kind of lead system, these work by only giving you the telephone numbers of people who have expressed an interest in your business, this does not guarantee that they will say yes but if you are working off of a "warm call list" it does improve the odds

In the same way as a child you may have sung into your hair brush in front of the mirror, you should practice and practice on your outbound call manner before you ring that first prospect, try calling someone for a bit of role playing experience, it could be a member of your family or a friendly contact.

The more you talk on the phone, the easier it will get, you will establish after a while what works best for you, some people stand up when making their outbound calls,others talk with a pen in their hand, whatever makes you more comfortable will make you more relaxed talking to your prospective customer, making it flow naturally and remember if possible to smile when on the telephone, it injects warmth into your voice.

To find out more how The Virtual Business Centre can help why not give us a call on 08080 510 866 ...Its What We Do!!!