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How to overcome the fear of making a phone-call
By Abe Cherian
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How to overcome the fear of making a phone-call
Copyright ? 2006
We spend almost every waking moment on the phone. We're on
the phone in the car and in the grocery store, sitting in
meetings and standing in line, at ball games and concerts.
We cannot tolerate being out of the loop or spending time
quietly with ourselves. Yet the cry continues from small
business owners, sales associates, and customer service
representatives that they hate to make calls.
Here are a few of their reasons and a suggestion of how to
overcome the fear.
The fear of being rejected- With so many sales gurus out
there, we really believe that the buyer has to say NO six
times before they will buy. Their great plan is for us to
make so many calls that we have to average a couple of
Yes's a day.
The fear of being interrupted- Nothing has impacted how we
treat sales calls more than the telemarketing industry. The
number one complaint I hear is that they want to read the
entire script, with appropriate pauses for emphasis,
without taking a breath. Interrupting them will only make
them start over.
So don't read to your prospects. You don't get interrupted
in a conversation. Get the buyer involved in the dialogue
early. And don't think those cleverly crafted questions
that can only be answered YES count. Identify the real
decision maker, the need, the timing, and the budget by
sharing information. Give your prospect permission to add
to the conversation. When you aren't doing all the talking,
you may find time to listen. Remember, though, listening is
more than waiting for your turn to talk.
The fear of seeming unorganized- Do you dial a number
without having the file open on your computer or on your
desk? Have you taken a moment to familiarize yourself with
the account, the last purchase, or the last requested
action? If there was a previous misunderstanding or error,
have you verified the outcome and the customer's
satisfaction?
The person who makes the call controls the call. Don't ask
prospects to call you back. They may catch you at an
inopportune time when your mind is on something else. You
may not be able to fight back the urge to put them on hold
while you locate the information that you were calling
about earlier. Or worse, you could confuse them with
another buyer. Organize your thoughts and information
before the contact is made.
The fear of not knowing the answer- No one has to know
everything about everything. Have you ever watched a
computer genius? There is more button pushing and screen
hopping and cable repositioning than one can bear to watch.
Afterwards, I don't have any idea what he did and I'm not
sure that he does, either. But now it works.
You have permission to learn something new every day. How
you stall for time is what separates the professionals from
the fearfuls. "That's a good question. Do you have a minute
to hold while I verify that for you?" "I may need to
research that. Are you able to hold or may I call you
back?" "No one has ever asked me that before. Would you
give me the opportunity to look into this on your behalf?"
Prospects, customers, patients, and clients would much
rather give you time to check on their questions than have
you simply hazard a guess. Know It All - not at all.
The fear of taking it personally- Do you think that
problems go away if you ignore them? Recently, I arrived to
view the proofs of our family photographs. The clerk
greeted me with, "They're not in, yet." What do you mean
they are not in? This is my appointed time. "Well, they
were held up yesterday and they're not in, yet. It isn't my
fault." When did you know the pictures were going to be
late? "Yesterday, but I was still hoping they'd be here.
Yours aren't the only ones. Is there a number I can call
when they get in?" Wouldn't yesterday have been the
appropriate time to make the call?
No one wants to be the bearer of bad news. However, letting
the customer know what is happening and what you're doing
about it before it becomes an inconvenience gets you huge
payback in loyalty.
About the Author
If you wish to find home business or learn how you can easily and realistically start your own home based business then visit Free Home Business Tips.
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| Some other articles by Abe Cherian | |
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