During a telephone call, reading the other person’s tone of voice is critical. A phone sales tip I use a lot is to listen to how the other person is breathing. It may seem strange, but you can learn key information from how hard a person is breathing.
Earlier this week, I was returning a phone call to a person who had called me. I quickly sensed she was breathing heavily. Now, I don’t know why she was breathing that way, but I concluded it was due to something. Early in the conversation, I asked if it would be best for me to call her back the next day. She immediately agreed. If I had stayed in “full sales” mode and pushed the conversation, I would have limited my chances of making a sale. By being open and accommodating, I was able to move the dialogue to the next day. This in turn resulted in a very focused conversation that did lead to a sale.
The next time you are on the phone with a customer or prospect, listen closely to the person’s tone of voice and breathing patterns. When you do this, you can then respond accordingly and demonstrate a level of respect for that person’s current circumstances.
