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Author: Trent Brownrigg Article source: http://www.insideoffice.com/. Used with author's permission.
Phone skills are very important when you have your own home business. If you are like me, when I started out, then you may think you are going to work entirely online and not use the phone. However, there will come times in your business when you must talk on the phone. In fact, you will probably talk on the phone a lot when you have an "online" home business.
There are times when you will need to call prospects, talk to business partners, answer questions that someone has, or some other business task that requires the phone. You may be saying, "No matter what I guarantee I will never call anyone" but what if someone calls you? You will need phone skills then too!
The problem with this phone fact is that most people are scared to talk business on the phone. We have a fear of failure or rejection on the phone that causes us to make mistakes in our speech, forget what we want to say, or just totally freeze up. Don't let this fear stop you or slow you down. You can actually develop great phone skills rather quickly.
If you want to reap all the benefits of being your own boss then you will have to overcome your fear sooner or later. In order to complete this task you must develop a strong desire to have good phone skills and let nothing stand in your way.
Think about it, when you are on the phone the other person can't see you. They don't know if you have messed up or said something wrong. They don't know that you haven't showered today. They can't see that you are nervous or scared. Also, if you really get bogged down, and need to get out, all you have to do is hang-up. So, what are you really scared of? If it's still rejection then get used to it! You will get rejected more times than not. We all do!
Don't know how to start? Here are five basic techniques to help you in acquiring your new phone skills:
1) The Opening-If you are the one doing the calling then you must have a good way to open up the conversation. You really only have a few seconds before the person on the other end decides whether they are going to listen or not. There are a few things in your opening that you need to have; your name, the reason for the call, and why they should care about what you have to say. You should also be prepared with some basic opening information in case someone calls you out of the blue. Rehearse all of your openings often so it becomes like second nature to you.
2) Your Attitude-Smile during the conversation. It's true that they can't see you but smiling will make your voice sound positive, upbeat, and friendly. You also need to be confident. Your confidence will show them that you truly stand by your product or business. They must believe that they really need you. Remember "NO" might really mean "I still need to be convinced."
3) Manners-It's really easy to get caught up in a conversation and start talking like you do with your friends. Remember this is a professional call. Avoid repeated phrases or nervous laughs. Don't chew gum or eat while on the phone. Also, keep your mouth a few inches from the phone so you aren't too loud or muffled. Most of all, watch your language. Nothing will end your conversation faster than letting one of those naughty 4-letter words slip out.
4) Surroundings-It is best to be in a quiet and comfortable place away from distractions. If you are interrupted you may forget what you were saying causing you to sound very unprofessional.
5) Information-It is a very good idea to have everything you may need readily available. Have all information organized and accessible within seconds. At the very least you should have your website open, the compensation plan in front of you, and a list of answers to frequently asked questions handy. Another very important tool to have is a script. With a script you have your lines in front of you ready to go. However, it's best not to totally rely on a script. I say this because the conversation can stray from it very easily.
Well, there you go! Now you have some basic techniques to help you squash your fear of phones and become more professional. I doubt you will be able to do it in one day but with some practice, repetition, and persistence you will sound like a veteran in no time. Trust me if you face your fear now it will pay off big later!
Copyright© Trent Brownrigg
http://www.work-at-home-jobs-iowa.com
You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included and the article is not changed in any way (grammatical corrections accepted). A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. About The Author
Trent Brownrigg is a successful home business entrepreneur, webmaster, and author of work at home articles. Check out My Top 10 Ways for You to Earn and Learn at: http://www.work-at-home-jobs-iowa.com/top_10.html
ibdmack@hotmail.com
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