If you had attended on of my PhonePower workshops dealing with enhancing customer communication over the phone, you would have heard these ‘Phil’s Faves’ strategies often:
Interpersonal Communication
Harness PhonePower
We all spend a lot of time on the phone, talking with customers, colleagues and vendors. Here are some simple strategies to help you harness the Power of your Phone. And we’re not talking about the high tech features of the device – just how you use it as a communication tool.
How Many is Too Many?
Many entrepreneurs strategically use professional, industry and business group involvement to market their services, network and communicate their brand. Such groups offer varying amounts of opportunities for learning, professional development, networking, volunteering and … even socializing.
You’re Not Listening!
As workplace communicators, we obviously spend a lot of time each day communicating verbally. Therefore, we spend a lot of time listening … or should. Problem is, we don’t listen very well. Especially those of us Type A Driver Entrepreneurs. Sound familiar? We regularly fall victim to one or more of these seven Barriers to Listening:
We’ve Got to Keep Meeting Like This!
My recent article on meeting agendas generated some interest and requests for more content on the topic of Meeting Management. So, here are more of the Best Practices I recently shared with a client.
We’ve Got to Start Meeting Like This!
A workplace meeting can be an effective and efficient tool for dealing with information problems or communication issues. It can also be a frustrating, unproductive and expensive waste of time. How organizations plan, facilitate and manage the meeting process will make all the difference between success and failure. Here’s a summary of some key points I shared with a client during a recent workshop on Meeting Management Best Practices.
Now that’s Really a Dumb Question
You know that old adage, ‘There’s no such thing as a dumb question’? Sorry to spoil your fantasy, but that’s wrong. There are plenty of dumb questions. Three of my faves are:
1. Excuse me, do you know what time it is? 2. Hey Mister, got any spare change? 3. Honey, do you want to take out the trash?
Masterful Listening
Some masterful Listening Tips from ‘Communicate or Die’:
- ‘Listen without a point of view. Avoid immediate free-association to your own experience put your tendency to evaluate on hold.
How Good is Your Greeting?
Talk about making a first impressions! Often, the first exposures your customers and prospects have of your business is what they hear on your voice mail greeting. Is it caller-centric, clear, focused, helpful and professional? When was the last time you heard it or changed it?
Listening on All Three Levels
Listening? What does listening have to do with your job as hard-working and dynamic business professionals? Well … a lot, when you get out of your own box and view your role as a workplace communicator and problem-solver for your internal or external customers.