First Impressions
In college, I took a series of leadership classes. The focus of the series was about how to be a leader, how to manage yourself, and the people around you. I remember how much the professors stressed that how you can not take back a first impression. Of course, this was my last semester, so the professors were preparing their students to spread our wings and enter the real world's trials and tribulations -the interview process.
While the classes were relevant when I was job searching, I have been fortunate enough to bring what I learned to my teleprospecting profession. I believe this to be the foundation to a successful conversation.
When I think of the interview process, it reminds me of the teleprospecting process and the steps it takes to successfully qualify an opportunity. We have seconds to make a first impression, so you are automatically put into a position of judgment before the prospect hangs up the phone - "judge or be judged!"
Remember to control this conversation by using what prospects do not know about what we can do to help. As it is important to be brief, set the expectation that you are not taking up their time, as you see yourself as a valued partner to develop their process. This can be conveyed over the phone by the way you present yourself. Our job is to manage the conversation by asking the correct questions to lead the prospect in the right direction, while managing the conversation to the defined objective. Remember to keep this clear and concise!
You only have a couple seconds to guide the conversation- don't lose out on your first impression!