Top 10 Ways to be Conversational

There are very few people in this world who don’t mind talking to telemarketers.

Seriously, we all dread those calls – the stereotypical telemarketing agent sitting in their cube at the call center, with a bored expression on their face, trying to sell us something we don’t really need and not really listening to what we’re saying.

We all know the feeling but why do we feel this way?

That’s the biggest problem, in my opinion. Telemarketers talk at you, not to you. Believe me, there’s a huge difference. Accordingly, here are the 10 best ways I’ve found, during my work as a CME at Incept, to have an actual conversation with someone over the phone instead of coming across as a sales robot:

1. Ask them how they are. I’ve found that opening a call with an easy “How are you?” goes a long way. It can help a lot in disarming some of the defensiveness we all tend to resort to when we’re on the phone with a stranger.
2. Use inflection. I know it sounds obvious, but it’s funny how many people don’t use inflection. Granted, it can be difficult when reading a script, but it really helps.
3. Acknowledge what the other person is saying. A simple “I hear you” or “Absolutely” or even repeating something back to the other person goes a long way. It lets them know you’re actually listening, not just hearing them.
4. Never ever, EVER cut them off. There’s nothing more frustrating than not being able to finish a sentence. Always do your best to be respectful and not interrupt.
5. Really listen. Don’t just roll through what you need to say. What the other person says can give you great insight into how they’re feeling and what you can do to make the call more productive.
   
   

   Sometimes we just need to let it out.

6. Just be friendly. After all, no one like talking to a grump or someone who’s rude.
7. Let them vent. I always feel bad when someone is angry when I’m talking to them. Sometimes, though, a person just needs to vent. Let them explain how they’re feeling and apologize. Then do what you can to address the problem.
8. Don’t take it personally. This is the hardest one for me. No matter what you do or say, sometimes people are just upset. Most of the time, it’s not you they’re specifically mad at. People have bad days and bad experiences, but don’t let it get you down. Just be polite, do what you can to make it better and let it go. The next person you talk to will appreciate it!
9. Be thorough and accurate. It’s really easy to get caught up in what you’re doing and make a mistake or forget something. Try to take a second to look over your work and ensure everything is done right. It’ll prevent a lot of future headaches for both the other person on the phone and whoever calls them after you.
10. Build a good relationship. This one is the most important of all. Even if after speaking with someone you aren’t able to come to a compromise, always end the call with a good relationship having been established. If you do, they might be more likely to say yes to the next person because you made a good impression.

These are just some of the things a conversational marketing expert uses, and they make a world of difference. The key thing is be conversational. Think about how it sounds on the other end of the line and be firm but friendly. Chances are, you’ll hear more “yeses” and have a better, more productive day for it.