One of the most important things in phone sales is the pitch of your voice, pitch can determine whether the caller sounds genuine, yes they are interested in my business, yes they can solve my problem, yes they are clear and concise in their tone of voice and they may be someone I want to discuss doing business with further. If you sound mundane or uninterested in the client it comes through on the phone, so does scripted jargon that usually turns people off.

Presentation is also a very important point in phone sales. How are you going to present your idea? Better yet, How are you going to present your idea to your specific potential client? What do you know about their business? What is your product or service exactly going to do for them? What are there current problems that you think you can solve? Why do you think you can solve their problems? Have you helped other clients solve the same problems recently? You want to be brief in you initial conversation, have an opening greeting that reveals something about your company, acknowledges their time, and discusses your opportunity with the ability for you to gauge their interest going further. Then if it is useful, spend more time but ensure to get a meeting or follow-up call booked.

Plan, you must have a plan. You must ask yourself specific “what if” questions so when you present you conversation you are able to answer objections. What if some of the information you have gathered about the company has changed or is no longer valid, how are you going to handle that? What if the contact you were given no longer works there? What if they have already purchased a similar product or solution or are in the process of talks and do not want to talk to any other potential firms? These are questions you must think about when you are planning out your conversation to the potential client. What if the client is very turned off by your phone call?, how will you handle this? Also plans may have changed within the company in terms of organization, structure, budget cost and needs, these you will have to determine from asking fact-finding questions.

One of the most important questions may be, What if you can’t get a conversation with the decision-maker? How will you get your presentation and facts to them. You might have to use mail, fax, video conferencing or another tool, or have a promotional event or luncheon that invites them. These are some of the ways you may overcome their rejections. Make sure to follow up at least 3 times with a client in a relevant and timely manner, no one hates anything more than being bothered for the same reason, or just to be sold something.

So there you are settled comfortably in your work routine and along comes the inevitable winds of change. Your current manager leaves the company or gets promoted and suddenly a new sheriff is coming to town. We all know that any time there is a personnel change within a company, the entire system and everyone in it is going to be affected. There are steps that both the new manager and the employees can take and thought processes that can be adopted to make the transition a positive one. Having been both an employee and a new manager I would like to share what I have learned.

The incoming manager is likely to be just as apprehensive about taking over a new department as the employees are about getting a new manager. If the new manager has been promoted from within the company there may be resentment and jealousy within the department that will have to be resolved. The new manager may now be managing someone with whom they are friends. Being accused of favoritism toward an employee may be a concern. If the new manager is an outside hire, then he or she could be uneasy about working for a new company where they may not know anyone and are not entirely sure of what lies ahead for them.

From the employee’s standpoint, they have become accustomed to the way the departing manager operated. The employees and the manager found ways of functioning together that worked well for everyone. The employees may not have always agreed with their manager, but at least they knew what to expect. They may be concerned that the new boss will change procedures and they will have to learn new procedures that may not work as well. They may be worried about the management style of the new boss and how they will all get along together.

Now, let’s take a step back and look at this from a little higher vantage point. The new manager and the employees have a few important things in common… They are all human. No one is perfect. This situation is equally stressful for the employees and the incoming manager.

A new manager would be wise to begin their new position by taking time to learn everything they can about the current procedures and how the department interacts with other departments. I also recommend that they interview each employee they will be managing. Get to know them and find out what they like and don’t like about the way things have been done in the past. Be aware of the employees’ need to be respected and valued. They are apprehensive about you and the changes you might make. If not under pressure from upper management to do so, don’t make any changes for at least 30 – 60 days. Making changes too quickly can be counter-productive. If you were promoted from within the company and there are jealousy or resentment issues among those who now report to you, it is best to address those issues immediately so they do not become exacerbated and cause problems within the department.

As employees, it is easy to get seduced by the “story” of a new manger coming in and turning the whole department upside down. Thoughts of that nature lead to feelings of being victims with no control over the outcome. In most situations, it is the way we choose to think about something that creates the outcome. Think of your new boss as an opportunity for positive change and brush away thoughts of negativity on the subject. Ask your co-workers to work together to make the new manager feel welcome. I encourage you to remember that the new manager is a human being just like you. Even if they don’t show it, he or she may be feeling out of place, uncomfortable and a little unsure of themselves. Treat them with kindness and respect. If the new manager is an outside hire, offer to give him or her a tour of the building. As a group, ask the new manager to meet with you and tell you his or her objectives for the department. Find out what is important to him or her and make sure that gets done. As an employee, one goal is to help make the manager’s job easier by doing what is supposed to be done when and how it needs to be done. Keep in mind that when an employee makes a mistake, the manager is the one on the front line with upper management. Maintain your integrity at all times. Do not become a “yes” man or woman, just be honest and supportive of your manager. Help your manager to achieve his or her goals and you will have a strong advocate when it comes time for a salary increase or promotion.

In closing I will add that there is one thing we can all count on… nothing will ever stay the same. Every cell in our body, every molecule in the universe is in a constant flux. If we try to stand still, we are likely to get left behind. So welcome change, embrace it and find out what it is here to teach you.

Recommended Reading: Who Moved My Cheese? by Dr. Spencer Johnson