Talking on the phone

Talking Gestures

When on the phone, take all physical, nonverbal gestures and translate them into something verbal and slightly exaggerated.

Name Shower

Using names more often over the phone helps keep someone's attention and reinforce a connection.

"Oh Wow, It's You!"

When you first answer the phone, answer crisply and professionally. When you find out who it is, bring a burst of joy and happiness into your voice.

The Sneaky Screen

If you need to screen someone off the phone artfully, have someone else say they'll put them through and then after say they're unavailable. The caller will never take it personally, even if it is.

Salute the Spouse

Make friends with the secretary or anyone who typically answers someone else's phone. Try to make friends with them. They control who talks to your target and often have their ear.

What Color is Your Time?

No matter how urgent a call is, always ask the target if it's a good time to talk.

Constantly Changing Outgoing Message

For your outgoing message, keep it short, crisp, professional, and friendly. Change it as often as possible, even daily.

Your Ten-Second Audition

When you leave a message on the answering machine, keep it less than ten seconds. Treat it like a broadway audition you have a short time to nail.

The Ho-Hum Caper

When asking to talk to someone, casually use their pronouns instead of their name. It makes you sound like long-standing friends.

I Hear Your Other Line

When you hear other noises or calls on the other end of the line (dog barking, child crying, phone ringing), ask if the other person needs to attend to it.

Instant Replay

Record important business calls and replay them after, finding subtle mistakes or victories to better learn for the future.