They say you can't judge a book by its cover but how many of us make
judgements about people just based on their telephone speaking voice? People
form opinions and make judgements about us in the first 60 seconds they see us.
People also make judgements 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
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 will can help your
Tips when "Answering" the
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 speakers bureau who 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
Tips when "Leaving" a
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
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.
Lenny Laskowski is an international professional speaker and the author of the book, 10 Days to More Confident Public Speaking and several other publications. Lenny's products can be purchased "on-line" from this website at: http://www.ljlseminars.com/catalog.htm . Lenny is also available for hire to speak to your organization, college or association. Lenny also provides in-house seminars and workshops. Why not contact Lenny today for your next function or event. You can reach Lenny
at 1-860-559-0202 or E-mail him at: Sales@LJLSeminars.com.