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Do You Give Good Phone?

They teach college classes in public speaking. You can buy software to jazz up your multimedia presentations. And why not commute to work listening to tapes about how to sell, sell, sell?

But wait -- something's missing. The one tool most of us use most often to present ourselves and our biz. The phone. Giving good phone isn't part of the entrepreneurial or MBA curriculum, but maybe it should be. We're not talking telemarketing. We're talking the art of conversation.

So to get the scoop on the phone factor, we turned to our favorite networking maven, Susan RoAne, author of The Secrets of Savvy Networking, and What Do I Say Next?

Susan's Phone Savvy taken by the author's permission fromThe Secrets of Savvy Networking, published by Warner Books.

Rule: DON'T SAVE NANOSECONDS. Spend a moment making small talk. Invest a minute or two in having conversation that contributes to rapport. Waste your time! If you're placing or receiving a call that follows a meeting or an event, invest your time and show interest. The risk: You'll "lose" a few minutes. The rewards: You'll increase your network, resources, information base, power, and circle of influence.

Rule: IF YOU DON'T TOUCH BASE, YOU CAN GET THROWN OUT OF THE GAME! There is no network of contacts or resource base available to you if you do not touch base. You drop yourself out of people's lives and Rolodexes™. You can drop back in, but it is infinitely more difficult.

Rule: TOUCH BASE WHEN YOU NEED NOTHING! We all know people who call periodically, sound extremely friendly and personable, and then -- slam dunk -- they ask for a favor. There are several people with whom I am friendly, but they are not my friends. There is a qualitative difference. One reason: They only call for their benefit and have never called just to say hello.

Rule: IF YOU ONLY TOUCH BASE TO SATISFY YOUR INTERESTS, YOUR RESOURCES WILL DRY UP. Because she is so friendly and warm on the phone, I asked Shayna Stillman of National Speakers Forum what makes it so easy for her to meet people on the phone. "When someone sounds genuinely pleased to talk to me, I respond in kind. If you behave enthusiastically, you'll eventually think and feel that way."

Rule: CONVEY ENTHUSIASM AND INTEREST IN THE PERSON. PAY ATTENTION. What if you are not genuinely interested in calling. Then don't.

Rule: THERE IS NO WAY TO TURN A CONTACT MADE AT A MEETING, PARTY OR EVENT INTO A COLLEAGUE WITHOUT SOME FOLLOW-UP. A note is a good start, yet it is one-way communication, as is a fax. Pick up a phone, even if you have to leave a message on an answering machine or voice mail; your sincerity, warmth, and acknowledgment can be heard and felt!

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