Already a member?
Welcome to Brazen Careerist!
Emily Ma is using Brazen Careerist to share ideas. Join now to become a member and start networking with Emily Ma and other professionals just like you. Learn more.
Brazen careerist
Where ambitious young professionals connect and grow
Email
Print
I'm not gonna lie: I hate the phone. Maybe it's because I'm Gen Y--we're used to emailing and texting, but see phone calls as inefficient. And maybe that's what gets to the heart of it for me; I've spent an hour on the phone before trying to get information from someone that it could have taken ten minutes to gather, if I could only get the person on the other end to quit going off on tangents. I also hate the high-pressure feeling of a phone call. When you email someone, you can think out what you want to say, revise, and make sure your message is really coming across like it should. In a phone call, it's a lot more difficult to control your message.
But still--a lot of clients love the phone. And if you're not readily accessible by phone, it could lose you business. Here are a few things that help when it comes to getting yourself to quit worrying and love the phone.
Get a business line. I don't have a business line now, but I used to--and let me tell you, it made client phone time so much easier. When the business line rang, I knew it was a client--I didn't have to worry about whether I should answer with "Catalyst Writing Services, this is Jennifer" or a plain "Hello" when the phone rang. There's something to be said for being mentally prepared to pick up when the phone rings--and if you don't know whether or not it's a client calling, that can be difficult.
Script it out. Whenever I need to call someone for business purposes, I take a quick minute to write out what I'm going to say and read it aloud. This way I ensure I don't suddenly blank on my own phone number when leaving a message. Trust me, it's happened.
Call when nobody's home. Peter Bowerman advocates a sales cycle that starts with cold calling. Really, I'd rather have my toes bitten off by wild beavers than cold-call anyone. I know my strengths, and phone sales is not one of them.
However, at that 15-Second Pitch seminar I can't quit talking about, the instructor told a story that really struck me--she taught a client of hers who also hated phone sales (a photographer--huh, maybe phone phobia is a creative-person thing) to call at odd hours when she knew nobody was going to answer the phone, then leave her pitch on the answering machine. Not surprisingly, she got a ton of business this way.
I'm still going to communicate more by email than by phone. But hopefully as my business grows, I can find ways to be more comfortable on the phone. Maybe it's not my ideal method of communication--but it's not worth losing business over.
For more timely, relevant, and engaging articles,
subscribe to Brazen Careerist.
- Continuing Education: Extending Learning Beyond Your Campus Years
- The Anti-Stalker’s Guide for Converting Online Contact into Real World Collaboration
- Why You Might Be Better Off Without a Job After College
- A New Kind of Business Mover and Shaker
- How To Find a Writing Partner Who Can Help You Achieve Your Goals and Make More Money
Comments
07.14.09
Jennifer,
I really like this well-written post. I like it because you acknowledge your preference for not using the phone (inefficient) and your clients preference for using it. Some ideas are then presented to "love" the phone - gotta love that. :)
I think the last paragraph wrap-up and particularly the last sentence is most critical - "Maybe it's not my ideal method of communication--but it's not worth losing business over." - because your business is all about your customers. This type of customer is the one to be concerned with - " ... And maybe that's what gets to the heart of it for me; I've spent an hour on the phone before trying to get information from someone that it could have taken ten minutes to gather, if I could only get the person on the other end to quit going off on tangents." I would recommend working on keeping the customer focused on the business at hand in a succinct and yet pleasant manner. Also develop phone exit strategies if you feel the customer is taking an inordinate amount of your time - maybe request an email at this point or ask to set up a time to call them back depending on the customer and their needs/preferences.
Mark
07.14.09
I'm Gen Y. In my personal life, I hate using the phone. I dread calling family members on their birthdays. But at work, I rely on phone calls more than I ever thought I would. When it comes down to it, most of my interaction with vendors and colleagues is on a "need to know right now" basis. And there's nothing more frustrating than waiting for someone to answer your email so you can move on with your day. Or spending all day having a conversation over email when it would have just taken a few minutes over the phone.
Sometimes phone calls are more efficient than the alternatives.
07.14.09
I'm not a phone person either, but I have to do it. One of the things I do to ease the stress is to designate specific hours of the day to be my phone time. I make sure to eat something right before, grab a cup of coffee and start dialing numbers on my list.
It really helps me because I know what to expect from my day. I find that it's hard to switch off between internet and phone communication. This helps me get in the zone for both.
07.14.09
Thanks for the great blog Jennifer. I haven't met too many folks who like cold-calling either but the ones who can stomach it and remain undeterred by rejection seem to make the big bucks.
In this hyper-competitive job market, reaching out to employers by phone is a strategy a job seeker can employ to stand out among the thousands of unemployed who rely solely on internet-based methods of communication.
07.14.09
Jennifer before I say something about it I wanna say that your way of making us understand, is really deserve to be appreciated
After reading it I also got a new idea, anyways thanks :)
07.14.09
I hate the phone but have to use it constantly for work. I work at a large non profit where cold calling is sometimes necessary. I think initially, my biggest fear was rejection but then I thought, hey, wait a minute, I have something good to say and they are going to listen! I know it sounds weird but I find that if I have a clear goal in mind before I make the call mixed with a little attitude, it gets the job done. And sometimes I am pleasantly surprised when people are actually nice when I call.
07.14.09
@Mark: Thanks for your kind words! Exit strategies are KEY, and I tend to be reluctant to cut conversations short because I feel impolite doing it--but when I'm spending hours on the phone, I need to. Great advice!
@Anna: I think it's really interesting that some people consider the phone more efficient, while others see it the other way around. I've definitely gotten frustrated with email exchanges when the other person doesn't respond right away or doesn't give the answer I need, so I have to keep emailing. Some things I NEED to do on the phone to make sure I get all the info possible--like client interviews. But sometimes phone conversations go on and on, whereas written communication can be more to-the-point. I think it depends on the situation and on the person on the other end, and how they communicate best.
@Ryan: Designated phone time is a great idea! I get really "in the zone" when I'm writing, and it can be difficult for me to switch gears too. I try to schedule phone time as much as possible so I can know when it's coming.
@Jon: this is so true. So many freelancers I know stick to purely online methods of getting new work, and you definitely set yourself apart if you call (or even snail mail). Note to self: send postcards soon.
@Amy: You're welcome, that's great!
@Cara: I like the idea of an attitude adjustment for phone conversations. You DO have to be assertive on the phone sometimes to make sure you're being heard and that the conversation stays on track. Sometimes that can make me uncomfortable, which may be another reason I prefer email. And yes, even when I was cold calling, 99% of the time people were perfectly nice when I called. (And every time, it surprised me!).
07.16.09
I had a very serious accident that has left me with a poor memory. Because of this, I have adapted to using email, instant messaging, digital voicemail-to-text messaging, and voice-over-IP so that I can have recordings of phone calls.
I have, indeed, lost business because people insist on using the phone. When I tell them, listen, it is very difficult for me to work with you on the phone, and they consider that disagreeable, I don't know what to say to them. Yet, the people that understand, and I do explain the brain injury to people I work with, they find that I am actually a very hard worker, and I communicate rapidly and readily via many different mediums.
It's unfair and chauvinist to suggest that people must use the phone to communicate. It's an outmoded communication device that creates conversations that are by definition ephemeral. Because of this, "he-said-she-said" situations arise; expectations are met or not met because they weren't clearly conveyed and we can't just "go back to the conversation."
You should really re-think where you think the phone fits into the contemporary business cycle. Despite your professed love of new messaging technology, perhaps it is you who are clinging to the outmoded technology and needs to move forward, rather than people who dislike using phones being luddites.
Just think about it.
Got Something To Say?
Got Something To Say?
Not a Member? Brazen Careerist is a career management tool for next-generation professionals. Set up a free account today to comment on this post and start sharing your ideas. Learn more.
Login to view your networks!
 |
|
|
|
 |
