Whether you’re an entrepreneur or working at a fancy corporate firm, acing business calls should be a priority for you. The best way to build business relationships is by face to face communication. In today’s day and age, remote working has made it almost impossible to communicate in person. The next best thing is making a phone call to the person. Calling is a much better option than text or email, as it allows you to connect to the person on an interpersonal level.
That being said, having a compelling business call is easier said than done. During such calls, we tend to meander the conversation. This type of communication will suffice when talking to a friend or family member but would lead to a dead-end during a business call.
Here’s how you can perfect a business call.
Be Polite
You must open your business call with something nice and personal. For instance, if you’re talking to an executive in a firm, try beginning with, “Thank you for taking my call, especially since I know how busy you must be in these difficult times.” Small details like this can go a long way in building rapport with the person you’re talking with.
Be Terse And To The Point
The next part is to nail the argument or idea you want to bring forward. Leadership is about conveying the right ideas every time you communicate. That’s why you should speak with a sense of purpose and clarity. Example – A conversation with a colleague could be something like, “I’m calling because I’d like to borrow a member of your team to help us market a new product”. One of the chief reasons for people beating around the bush is that they may feel reluctant or uncomfortable to come forward with an “ask“. Not getting to the point will only result in wasting the other person’s time, and make you look like you don’t know why you called.
Structure Is Key
Having a strong “body” is essential to getting your point across. Once your message is out there, you’ll need two or three reasons to get what you want. If you’re looking to call a meeting, give reasons for the same. If you’re going to sell a product, mention the salient features of the product and how it will benefit the customer. It is imperative to have a rough idea of the body of the conversation, as it helps steer the conversation in the right direction.
End With Purpose
This is where you have to close the deal. Subtly suggest what next steps are necessary to turn your message into reality. Example – If you want to borrow help from another department, suggest that the head of the department send a few candidates to meet with you. At this juncture, you need to state your purpose and request follow-through.
