Phone Tips
When calling prospects, you don't have to be Miss Manners, but it does pay to be courteous. Just a few simple actions can help ingratiate you to a prospect or screener, and get you further in the conversation.
For example, if you are on a car phone, cell phone, or even an airphone, be sure and relay that information to the person on the other end of the line, and ask if he or she can hear you clearly. On that same note, avoid using a speaker phone if you are the only person making the call. Speaker phones can cut off the beginnings and endings of words (which makes phone numbers almost impossible to hear) and can make communication frustrating. It also makes the person you've called feel he or she is a lesser priority than whatever it is you're doing that is prohibiting you from holding the phone.
Finally, don't do business from home if you are going to have children screaming in the background, or other elements of non-business noise and interruptions. Also, remember you placed the call, so don't accept other incoming calls or ask the person to wait while you talk to someone who has entered the room. Focusing all your attention on the call, and a little courtesy, can go a long way.
