Ding-aling | Imamother

HindaRochel

Wed, May 30 2012, 10:16 am

I've a question, more directed to all, but I do work from home.

I am NOT a confident telephone caller. I get very uptight every time I need to phone someone. My dh says I sound fine, but what does he know?

Any ideas on how I can sound more professional and less like I was dropped on the head one too many times as a baby?

Really, I feel ill and hot and sweaty after making calls.

Tzutzie

Wed, May 30 2012, 10:37 am

When I started my first job, my bosses (3 of them!) would stand around the room to listen to how I was on the phone! I HATED IT! I would stutter, sweat and get red in the face. but only the first few weeks. they did it so that I should break in and I did!

first know, no one is going to bite ur nose off. secondly, they can't see your face.

here is some practical advice.
always be preparted. what if they say yes, what if they say no, or what it they ask more questions. what kind of questions would they ask, try to have the answers ready.
and - this is the most important- don't try to sound professional! be YOURSELF. if your prepared and comfortably using your own words, it will be easier and youll feel better after putting down the phone, which in turn will make you gain confidence which will make you sound professional!

try it. or not.

hope this helped. Lots of Luck!

cbsmommy

Wed, May 30 2012, 10:39 am

My rule of thumb? Have a script and then fake it until you make it.

I also have ONE area where I do phone calls - my desk. I find that if I give clients my cellphone, I get called when I am away from my desk (and therefore my script), I am out of my element when they call comes in, and so I sound less professional.

I have a script that I keep on my desk right next to my office line. It lists my introduction, sample design board, my rates (broken off by hourly, 2 hours or more, half day, full day, and non-profit discount,) my business email with relevant letters (tamariel as in thomas, adam, mary, apple, robert, idaho, easy, larry) and my closing information. I also keep my calendar, a copy of a blank contract (so that I can fill it in) and a copy of my insurance letter so that I can rattle it off if need be.

Honestly, practice makes it. The first time I was on the phone negotiated with a national chain I thought I was going to be sick when I hung up the phone. Now, it's just par for the course. Are there still calls that make me ill? Yes, but those are the ones where I'm being requested to come and paint for free because it is an "incredible marketing and advertising opportunity" and the 'free' appearance would net me the opportunity of losing $200+ dollars in services, supplies, other PAYING jobs, and the organizers of the event feel that it would be horribly tacky for me to put out a tip jar...

chocolate chips

Wed, May 30 2012, 10:46 am

In a way, phone is better than face to face because you can flush and stutter but the person on the other side will not really know because they cannot see you!

Perhaps think in advance what you will want to say to the person. If people generally call you about a certain thing jot down notes with various answers/points you would say to them and keep it in front of the phone so that you can refer to it at all times (even something as simple as your email address should be written there so that you can refer to it because yes we all forget the simplest of things sometimes!)

I once gave my personal cell number to a person on the phone at work instead of the work number! I quickly changed that lol

IloveHashem613

Mon, Jun 18 2012, 10:43 pm

HindaRochel wrote:

I know the feeling very well! I used to be the same way. But I worked at a job where I had to make TONS of phone calls and I had to just dive in so I did and eventually, I got more and more comfortable with talking to people. You can always ask a friend or family member to do a test run with you first so you get some practice before you do the real thing. But at some point, you have to just do it and as you make more calls, you get more comfortable with it and suddenly it becomes second nature. What do you do if I may ask?