How to connect with the person you are talking to? Silence

Our last comments were focused on communicating by phone. Your business success is influenced by your phone success. For those that think I am just talking about cold calling you are wrong. When on stage people can see you as you are, but when you speak through the phone they see you as they visualize you. This means you have to let the confidence in your voice speak for itself, whether it is a cold call or a client contact.

Besides the items mentioned last week, posture, preparation and visualization, there is one other element and that is silence.

Why are you calling? Perhaps you have this covered in your preparation but if not lets do that now. Why are your calling them? To get them to buy your product? Yes, ultimately that is true but on the initial call? I don’t think so. If this is a truly a cold call then this call is just like networking. Brief intro as to who you are, what you offer and then how you can help them.

Ask the questions. I will refer you to Tim Healy as to what those questions should be, but I will tell you that from a communication skills standpoint you need to be comfortable with the pause, but not silence.

Being able to pause when you are presenting to a live audience, on a webinar or to a person on the other end of the phone is a communication skill that is not to be overlooked.

Let me ask you a question. The weather outside has been incredible, how has that effected you?

How long did it just take you to answer that question and begin reading again. This is why you need to pause. Let the other person answer the question.

If you are talking to an audience or on a webinar you may want to let your audience know in advance that you want them to answer questions. Keeping them simple and safe in the beginning will help to get them more comfortable speaking during your presentation. But does the same strategy work if you are making a cold call or a sales call to an existing client?

My response to that is, yes it does. Don’t ask about the weather though or how are you doing? Those questions tell me this is either a social call or your killing time til you get your self organized.

Communicating by phone should still include the key elements that any live speech would have, connecting with your audience. This is done by interacting with them through questions, comments and by listening. Getting on your podium and talking about how great you and your services are means the only person you are effectively communicating with is yourself you must learn to pause and listen.

For more information about public speaking, presentations please contact me at:

Strategies of Success Motivational/Sales Training Speakers Bureau
Confidence from within communicated effectively
www.briansos.com
briansos@optonline.net
631-255-3581