False Familiarity or Valid Value?

If it is true that attention spans are short and time is at a premium in face-to-face meetings, that rings doubly true when you present on the phone.  On the phone, with a “no” or “not interested” just a hang-up click away, every word you say counts, particularly in your opening remarks. Hopefully, you do not fall into this trap…

The Sin of False Familiarity

“Hi, this is Joe from X. How are you today?”

If anything invites a quick hang-up, a false folksy friendliness like this is it. It fails for three reasons:

• Using one name suggests a familiarity that does not exist, which immediately raises suspicion  
• The listener knows you don’t really care how he/she is
• Your call is an interruption and this opening creates no value for the listener to want to talk to you

The Virtue of Value

You would get a better reception with openings like these:

• “Hi, this is Joe Richards from X. I read that you are looking to move to new offices and X specializes in finding commercial space for companies specifically in your industry. If it is okay with you, can we talk about your needs and how our services might shorten that search for you?”

• “Hi. This is Joe Richards from X. You recently downloaded our real estate buyers’ tips booklet. If it is correct to assume you are in the market, or about to be in the market, for new commercial space, can we talk about your specific needs and how we might help you shorten that search?”

In these cases:

• You sound more professional
• You demonstrated some knowledge of the listener
• You offered a value oriented promise for the call
• You couched the request for a discussion with non-pressuring language

It takes time to craft a listener centric, value based opening, but doing so will increase your ability to develop additonal business.

False folksiness or valid value? Which would you choose if you were on the receiving end of a call?

Anne Miller

Words Matter – Make What You Say Pay!