If you’ve ever been around a mother with young children you know what a “telephone voice” is. One minute mom is angrily yelling, “If you don’t stop that…,” then the phone rings, and that angry voice suddenly sounds as though they were soaking in a hot tub eating chocolate bon-bons while getting a foot massage when the phone rang.
If you haven’t developed the ability to turn off the anger, annoyance, or irritation in your voice from a rough day, or you never perfected the art of leaving your personal problems in the parking lot, start practicing now. The tone of voice is everything when all a client or customer knows of you is your voice and your email. If you’re tone-deaf, meaning all voices sound fine to you, then practice smiling or at least conjuring up happy thoughts before you answer the phone. Imagine whoever is on that phone is going to place the million-dollar order that will allow you to retire. Sound genuinely upbeat and positive.
Customers can hear fake happiness a mile away. The unexpected benefit is that when you sound happy, you actually start to feel it too.
Quote:
“An actor who knows his business ought to be able to make the London telephone directory sound enthralling.” ~ Donald Sinden