April Newsletter:

This issue will deal with PLANNING

And is dedicated to all of those out there who just pick up the phone and cross their fingers!

We are all squeezing our lives into an ever decreasing 24 hours. They tell us that we are sleeping less, we are taking fewer vacations and we ALL walk and drive while interacting on our cell phones. The sound of people talking is absolutely everywhere! It has never been truer that time is money.

STOP. Take a breather and do some planning. Put structure around your business activities AND your telephone calls. You'll feel better, you'll achieve more results and everyone will win. Let's talk about some of the answers you will need.

WHO should you call? Call the Decisionmaker or influencer? Who does what in a company? And ultimately who makes the buying decision? Armed with this information you should be able to effectively deliver your message to the right person when you speak to them. In my February Newsletter, I spoke about the number of Decision Influencers in a company and how a sales does tend to ignore them. Planning - WHO - think who is easier to speak to and who may be more helpful to you?

How to Contact Me

Phone (727) 421-8818
kathy@telephoneeffectiveness.com

When planning your next "lunch and learn" or weekly sales meeting be sure to put it on Kathy's calendar! She has experience to draw from because she has worked internationally with over 500 businesses and can talk the talk! Her ideas, tips and thoughts will change the way you use the telephone immediately that will bring you business! Call Kathy at (727) 421-8818.

The Right Question at the Right Time
(the MOST under trained and mis-used sales skill)

The Right Question at the Right Time is an integral part of winning business! How to build on information and how to establish the EXACT need and timing of a potential sale is not just the secret to success it is success!

The next 3 hour session that deals specifically with the SCIENCE OF QUESTIONS will be held on April 18th. Space is limited - where have you heard that before? Contact Kathy immediately to start asking what you want to ask to get what you need to get!

Investment is $109.00 and the date is Monday, April 18th.

WHAT are you calling about? What do you say? What results should you expect? I am frequently asked about results - dials, contacts, sales, appointments. What about the good old Quality versus quantity dilemma. My boss wants me to make 100 dials a day - but...? Clearly there are a myriad of questions you should be asking yourself about your telephone activity.

With my help, planning what you need to say is half the battle. I still plan - after all of these years - in order to be effective. Further, if you notice that your results are changing negatively; you aren't getting the same success as you are used to getting - then we should talk about WHAT is going on in your business.

WHERE? This could be interpreted as a geography or territory question. I would expect this has been pre-determined in your business. Part of where could be a decision on corporate versus regional contact. If you are asking me where you should be when you make your call, then we should talk! You should NOT be in a public place when making cold or new business calls, even calling someone who asked you to call for the first time. I'll repeat what my business coach, Mark Bryan tells me (www.focusedresults.com) and that is that in any call, especially an important call, if you are on a cell phone be sure to tell the recipient that you are using a cell phone. Cell phones, sorry Dom (www.wirelesstoyz.com) do distort quality and this could negatively affect your message and, more importantly, you!
WHY? I could simply say...because...but that would lead to many more questions . Instead, let me ask you - Why are you even making that phone call? (I hope it isn't just to make some manager happy). If you don't know why - then we should be speaking.

I hear you, WHY? Because I want to get an appointment, the order that they promised me 3 months ago or the name of the decisionmaker they said they would get for me.
Trust me; you need MORE WHY then that!

HOW do I begin my call? How do I select my prospect list? How do I get them to call me back? This is all part of effective telephone skills and with planning we can make it all happen for you. You should be asking yourself all of these questions and consider putting a plan in place to save yourself a good deal of time chasing the elusive prospect out there.

WHEN? This is my favorite question; hence it is last. I believe the secret to all sales is WHEN. Who you talk to is important. What you say is valuable. Where you make the call and expect the call to lead to is crucial. Why you are even making that call should be a constant thought process BUT when someone will buy is the key. Knowing how to ask all of the right questions and concluding with the WHEN question will save you a great deal of time and will assist with your PLANNING. It all starts with the end!

TRICKS

I do not want to get fancy here. All I would like to ask you is to PLAN a reason to make a second call to the contact. Do not just say: I am checking in? Or we agreed I would call you back every 3 months! Please find a valid reason for making that call and refer to the fact that the prospect or client told you to call in the first place!

TRADITIONS

Planning and having time to enjoy living in Florida is important to me. I want to break from my own tradition here by mentioning a few MORE associates who are in my business sphere that help me keep my cubby holes in order! Traditionally I count my success not only what I know BUT who I know!

My newsletter and web-site is produced by Dave at www.mysmartmarketing.com and you should check him out. My networking and business growth is taken care of at my weekly BNI meeting. There are some fantastically successful and happy business people that I network with every week at www.bnireferralexchange.com and those crises I have with printing is taken care of by contacting Eric and Kris at www.BPPinellas.com (they also handle incentive items).

Start your own Tradition of planning your business time, your social time, your family time and when it comes to planning EFFECTIVE TELEPHONE TALK TIME - contact me!

Your Essential Quote of the Day

"Planning without action is futile, action without planning is fatal"

Kathy Pabst Robshaw
The Total Telephone Effectiveness Company
"The Telephone Nanny"
www.telephoneeffectivenss.com
727 421 8818