Your Telephone Speaking Voice

They say you can't judge a book by its cover but how many of us make judgments about people just based on their telephone speaking voice? People form opinions and make judgments about us in the first 60 seconds they see us. People also make judgments about us based on the way we sound on the telephone.

Because people cannot "see" us over the telephone they will form these opinions based not only what we say, but also on "how" we say it. In fact the message we communicate over the telephone is based on two qualities; (1) "What" we say (Verbal) and (2) "How" we say it. Several studies have indicated that as much as 87% of the opinions people form about us, when speaking to us on the telephone, are based on the tone of our voice. Only 13% is based on the actual words we use. We all do this. People can "hear" our personality and mannerisms through the tone of our voice.

We live in a world of answering machines and "voice mail". This is especially true in the business world. How many of us find ourselves playing "telephone tag" with each other. By the time you actually speak with the person you were trying to contact you've left 2 or 3 messages. In those short message exchanges, the party on the other line has already formed an opinion about you based solely on your speaking voice. In order that people form a good image about you here are some tips which can help your spoken image.

Tips when "Answering" the telephone call

1. Answer the telephone by the third ring - Answer the telephone or make sure your answering machine picks up the telephone by the third or fourth ring. Do not let the telephone ring and ring. Many of us say how we "hate" speaking into these answering machines, but at the same time we also hate not having the option of leaving a message.

2. Make sure your greeting is professional - Make sure your greeting is short but very professional. Write down and practice your greeting several times before you actually record your greeting. Play it back and listen to your own speaking voice. Is your message too fast? Is it too slow? Make sure your greeting sounds professional and clear. Give the caller clear instructions what to do when leaving their message.

3. Be prepared before you answer the telephone - Have a pad of paper and pencil ready when you answer your telephone. Be prepared to be an "active" listener and take notes when someone calls. Especially write down the person's name who has called so you can use their name during your conversation with them. People "love" to hear their name.

4. Be an "active" listener - Take notes as you speak. Let the people know you are taking notes and this will signal them not to speak too fast. Ask for the correct spelling of their name. Don't assume their name is spelled the same as others. It may have a unique spelling.

5. Return telephone calls promptly! - To me, this is the most professional telephone habit people should possess. Be that person who DOES return telephone calls. Many people DO NOT return telephone calls! I have left numerous messages with people and companies who DO NOT return telephone calls. Quite often I have received a call from someone asking to order one of my products and I spend days, even weeks trying to contact them. I always try and return telephone calls within 4 hours, regardless of where I am. People who know me know that I am prompt in returning telephone calls.

6. Check Your Messages Frequently - If you are out of your office often as I am, check your messages several times a day. People may be looking to contact you quickly. It's not unusual for me to receive calls from newspapers or magazines looking for information on a story. They are usually on a deadline and are looking for "quick" turn around. In my case, being a professional speaker, the call I receive may be a speaker’s bureau that is looking to check my availability for a client today! If I do not return the telephone call promptly, I may have lost that speaking engagement and that potential client.

Tips when "Leaving" a telephone message

1. Do not speak too fast! - Slow down when you are leaving a message, especially if you have an accent. I receive many messages where I cannot even understand what the person is saying. Even worse, I cannot write fast enough and I find myself replaying the message several times to record the entire message.

2. Pronounce your name clearly - Announce your name slowly and clearly, especially if your name is not a common name. Spell your name slowly if necessary. Allow people to get the correct spelling of your name.

3. Slow down when saying your telephone number - This is the biggest complaint I have when people leave their telephone number. People state their telephone numbers TOO FAST! Say the numbers slowly and place a "pause" somewhere in the sequence of providing your number. People will appreciate this, especially me!

4. Give your company name, your title & why you are calling - Describe to the person, in a few short sentences who you are, which company you are with and why you are calling. If you are requesting information, leave a detailed but brief message.

5. Let them know when to call you back - Leave a date, time, and preferred telephone number for people. They can't return your telephone call if you don't leave your telephone number. Providing them with the preferred time to call back makes it much easier for them.

6. Always sound professional - Remember what I indicated in the beginning of this article. People DO judge you by the tone of your voice and what you say. If you come across sounding unprofessional in your message, they may not return your telephone call. Also, do not leave very long winded messages or they will stop listening.

By Lenny Laskowski

How to Improve Phone Effectiveness

We’ve all had this experience. You call a business, a harried voice asks you to hold, and before you have a chance to say, “no!” you’re listening to some prerecorded music while you linger there, trapped “on hold.” Or you call up to ask a simple question such as how late the store stays open and the voice on the other end responds as if you have asked them to push a Mack truck across the country with his big toe. Perhaps the person on the other end of the line uses the right words, but the tone of the voice says, “You are an idiot and I don’t have time for this.”

Are the nonverbal messages you give out over the phone making a good first impression? Are you energetic, respectful, and professional on the phone? If you are, you can bet that people notice it, appreciate it, and value you and the service you provide.

In the caller’s mind, the nonverbal message is as important as or more important than the words. If the verbal message is different from the nonverbal message, people will rely on the nuances of the voice rather than the words to infer meaning. These nuances are called paralanguage and include accents, pauses, volume, emphases, tone, tempo, and rate. On the telephone, much of the emotional impact and true meaning of the message is interpreted from those nuances and other nonverbal cues such as time and background sounds.

There are certain techniques you can use to improve your effectiveness on the telephone and create a positive impression:

Use a Warm, Sincere Voice in Your Greeting. Make sure that the first words, such as “good morning” or “good afternoon,” are delivered with warmth and sincerity. The most important aspects we look for in first impressions are qualities that make us feel safe, such as friendliness and genuineness. If you use an automatic greeting or spiel, you will give an impression of insincerity and unfriendliness. On the phone, it takes a mere fortieth of a second to form a first impression, so the voice you use is critical. We don’t just form these impressions with strangers; we also form first impressions of the moods of people we already know.

Give the Caller Adjustment Time. Our ears are very sensitive to sound. It takes 10 to 30 seconds to adjust to voices. Make a habit of saying, “Good morning,” or “Good afternoon.” This gives the caller time to adjust to your voice before going on to the most important part of your greeting such as your name or the name or your business. Say it clearly and don’t rush it. If the caller isn’t given this adjustment period, he or she may not retain the information you give. The caller may hear it, but won’t absorb it.

Don’t rush through your prospect’s name and greeting. It’s a habit everyone gets into. Remember that a rushed voice creates a perception in the mind of the caller. It can make callers think that you’re busy, stressed, or that you want rush them. Take a deep relaxing breath before you pick up the phone to make a call and focus on using normal conversation speed in your delivery.

Be Understandable in Your Communication. Take precautions to ensure that you speak clearly. That means not just slowly, but articulately. You can test how clear your voice is by taping yourself reading a paragraph.

Match Voice Tone, Volume, and Rate of Speech. You may have heard about the value of matching or mirroring body language to establish rapport and make someone feel safer and more comfortable. Did you know that matching the voice on the phone has the ability to do that as well? Remember that the caller does not have face-to-face cues to help read you and make him or her feel safe. Matching the nuances of the person’s voice in the first few minutes of the call puts a person at ease.

Avoid Making Background Noise. Have you ever heard someone on the other end of the line clicking on computer keys? Chances are it made you wonder if you had the person’s full attention. In this world of multi-tasking, we may think it’s all right to do more than one thing, but to the person who you call, it can seem rude, unprofessional, and disrespectful.

Don't Interrupt Your Customer. When you are face to face with another person, you use body language cues such as leaning forward and eye contact to indicate whose turn it is to speak. When these are absent, you need to carefully avoid interruptions as they come across more severely and can appear rude. Wait until it is clear that the person has finished speaking before you respond.

Answer Your Phone Promptly. Time is a powerful nonverbal communicator. When waiting on the phone, there may be little or no stimulation or distractions to make the time pass, affecting callers' perceptions so wait time seems longer. If a prospect is calling with a question or a concern, the longer your phone rings, the less important the call becomes. It also allows time for the caller’s concern to grow; or for their uncertainty to turn into refusal. Answering quickly stops these feelings from getting out of control and helps callers perceive that you are quick and efficient. Avoid letting the telephone ring more than three or four times. Research shows that each additional ring after three makes the caller an average of 10 percent more likely to hang up and 15 percent more likely to be irritated when you finally do answer.

It is crucial to consistently practice these skills to establish and maintain good first impressions. Your tone, energy, and even the speed at which you speak, need to be the same for everyone at all times of the day. It makes no difference how you are feeling that day; your prospect needs to feel appreciated and satisfied.

-from a training I attended-

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Selling Tips: FAB

F eatures
What are the main features of your product and what is it designed to do

A dvantages

What will your product do to solve your customer’s problems?

B enefits

How will your product help customer gain or avoid problems in the future?




By: Maricelle Esguerra-Araga 

Salesmanship Module

Three Keys to 

Professional Selling

Key: Before you sell, you  must be all SET

• S kill
•  Understand how your product can solve the customer’s problems. Propose the best solution for the customer. Know your product inside and out.
• E mpathy
• Don’t focus on yourself, focus on the customer. Find what the customer’s problem are, and what are important to him. Suggest solutions to the customer’s problem
• T ransparency
• Tell the truth including the positive and the negatives. Don’t pretend to know something you don’t. Don’t exaggerate, don’t deceive.

Steps in Selling

Key: Remember, in selling, be WISE!

W arm Up

        Give customer full attention,exchange names, thank customer, ask permission to ask  question, and explain reason for asking. 

I nvestigate

    Use different questioning techniques

S olve

   Use benefits not features to handle objections, use “PERFECT”

E nd

    Suggest specific action (Uses SPAR closing technique). Thank the customer.

Pro-active Listening

Key: Use EARS when you listen!

E ncourage 

     Use short phrases or sentences to encourage the customer to keep talking e.g., “ Go on…”,  “Yes…” , “I see…”, “Tell me more about your situation.”

A ffirm Feelings

     Empathize by reflecting the customer’s feelings e.g. “Sounds like you’re concerned about…” “ You sound excited about…”

R eflect Content 

      Paraphrase or restate in your own words what the customer has told you e.g. “Sounds like you’re, “So if I understand your situation…”

S ummarize 

     Periodically summarize key points in the conversation. Be sure to summarize your agreements and the next steps before ending the conversation.

Speaking Skills

Key: To be understood, be willing to pay the PRICE

P itch

       Use Mid low pitch is more pleasing to listen to and convey a more sincere message. High pitch can be irritating.

R ate

       Empathize How fast or how slow you speak. Try  not to speak too fast nor too slow

I nflection

        Inflection is putting emphasis where you want it placed. Changes in vocal inflection can actually convey very different messages.

C larity

       Make it a point to pronounce your E’s, P’s, B’s, T’s, V’s and other letters/ words. Useimple, everyday language. Stay away from company jargon.

E motion

       The attitude or the tone projected in your voice is 85% of our verbal communication isbases on the tone and only 15% is based on words.

Investigating

Key: During the investigating stage get BITS of information!

B e friendly

         Vary your tone and pacing depending on the situation; use PRICE. Maintain an “open” body language; lean forward a bit.

I nterrogation -Style should be avoided

         Rapid, “machine gun” type of questioning should be avoided. Punctuate the discussion with some emphatic statements like: “You sound really excited about…”

T wo types of questioning

         Inflection is putting emphasis where you want it placed. Changes in vocal inflection can actually convey very different messages.

S how interest

         Maintain eye contact, nod once in a while. Thank the customer for the information provided.

Solving

Key: Customer  objections provide the PERFECT opportunity to explain the product further

P icky

      Customer still has an issue, explain how the benefits outweigh the issue that he has.

E xpensive

      Explain they get more value for money if they avail of the product.

R ush

       Let them experience the speed and efficiency of your technology.      

F uzzy

       Apologize and explain the feature that may be confusing him.

E xperience

       Listen to his bad experience and say “Can you give me the opportunity to change your perception the service?” Apologize and explain the feature that may be confusing him.    

C ontented

       Ask what makes him happy and show that it can be improved. 

T hree F's 

       Use  the classic feel, felt, found method to overcome most objections.

Solving

Key: Solving the problem UPS the chances of a sale

U se Benefits, not Features

•Benefits have greater selling power

•Feature: Distinct or outstanding quality of your product/ service

•Benefits: Anything that contributes to improvement or become an advantage to your customer.

P areto Principle

• 80% of clients are interested in only 20% of your products features. Remember that customers should not be given a barrage of benefits.

S ell-Up Sell and Across

•Use link phrases to help customer with other possible problems. 

Handling Irate Customers

Key: HOPE for the best! 

H ear them out

• Use active listening skills (EARS).

O ffer Apology

• Say sorry, empathize, especially if it is really is your mistake. “I’m truly sorry for the mistake and the inconvenience it may have caused.”

P ropose Solution

           • “We’ll prioritize your requirement and promise to send it to you at the soonest possible time.”

E valuate procedure

           •To prevent similar complaints, use business process improvement. 

Closing Techniques

Key: In Ending a call, SPAR, don’t fight with the customer!  

S econdary

•  Always give the customer a choice between something and something. 

P ossession

• Combine customer’s image of himself enjoying your product and assumption close  e.g. “Who among your family members do you think will enjoy these unique and important privileges?”

A ssumption

           • Assume the sale or the purchase decision has been made, e.g., “When would you like us to deliver?”

R elevant Story

           • Powerful because people like stories. Simply tell a story about a customer who followed your advice and was happy with the outcome. Or tell a story of someone who ignored your advice and was sorry. 

ENDING

Key: A good ending, STIRS the interest of the customers! 

S et Realistic Expectations

• Under promise and over deliver. 

T hank Customer

• Show your appreciation for the customer’s time and effort.

I nformation Should be Complete

• Capture all the important information –correct names and contact numbers, dates and time to follow-up date etc.

R epeat main points

• Summarize the discussion ; emphasize next steps. This sounds profession and helps clients remember.

S eek Referral

• Quality leads prospects come referral. 








By: Maricelle Esguerra- Araga

Foreword

Training  refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, and performance.

I had been conducting training sessions for various reasons, programs, projects, institutions for almost half my lifetime. Since I was in grade school I have joined clubs wherein I conducted lectures. As I begun my professional life training has been a crucial part of my work. This is where I learned various things that I need to know about my job, things that would help me effectively and efficiently perform the task I have to accomplish. As a go up the corporate ladder training has been an important part of my job. I had to create module to train people in the company.

This blog is a compilation of module I have done in the past.