Turn the telephone into $$$

"Our telesales effort the past 3 days yielded 330 contacts, 91 RFIs (request for information) and 9 group leads," Jiaye reported during the Business review meeting

Is is understandable that the telephone can be an intimidating object. After all, people can be rude.

If you are naturally sensitive to rejection (and like to be liked), it isn't fun when people say they're not interested, or hang up the phone, or fib to quickly rid themselves of your pesky presence. A telesaler /telemarketer must realise that their rejection isn't personal (after all, they've never met you).

In some businesses, the telephone is simply to get in-person appointments. In the hospitality world, there telephone is used both to prospect and to close the sale.

Probably the most difficult aspect of teleprospecting is that we are not in front of the person. There is less control because we can't read their facial expression and body language and we don't know if they are giving the conversation their undivided attention or working on something else while they're speaking to us. And it is easier to get rid of us on the telephone than in person. "Listen, something just came up and I have to go. I'll call you back." Sure she/he will - in our dreams.

So needless to say, establishing a relationship with this person based on good feelings is essential right from the start.