"How do you use your voice on the phone to close more sales?" the experienced sales trainer asked me Alberto Nodale during the recording of an episode of my "Voice works!" podcast – and elicits a whole range of practical tips from me. We'll talk about the most common mistakes people make in sales calls, answering a whole host of mission-critical questions along the way.

How to use your voice to close more sales

  • why the sound of your voice in the first five seconds on the phone is crucial for success
  • why a clumsy start to a conversation is perceived so strongly through the voice and
  • how you can significantly increase sales figures with your "acoustic handshake"

Ein Mann hält sich mit besorgtem Gesichtsausdruck ein Telefon ans Ohr und hebt die Hand. Der Textüberlagerungstext lautet: „ACHTUNG! STIMME AM TELEFON“.

How you use your voice in a sales pitch has a lot more impact on the outcome than you think. The unconscious power of the voice betrays

  • Your stress level – whether you're afraid of rejection or too much respect for higher-ranking interlocutors
  • Your determination and clarity of purpose – whether you have prepared enough options
  • Your self-reflection levels and your empathy and
  • Your attitude towards the other person

The three most fatal voice mistakes on the phone

If you're in sales, you know that the phone of one of your most important tools. But even if you're a professional at in-person selling, selling on the phone can be a whole different matter. Because on the phone, you can't rely on your body language and other nonverbal cues to help you close the deal. You need to pay special attention to what you say – and how you say it – if you want to be successful. Here are three things to avoid when selling on the phone.

Mistake No. 1: Not paying attention to the first five seconds

The first five seconds of any conversation are crucial – but that's especially true if you're selling on the phone. Why? Because people usually know in the first few seconds whether they want to talk to you or not. If your Vote the wrong ones at the beginning send signals, turn them off and it will be much more difficult to interest them in what you have to say.

So how do you make sure you start strong?

  • Plan your beginning carefully and establish a personal relationship before asking questions or formulating your concerns.
  • Remember that you only have a few seconds to make a good impression, so take advantage of them!

Ein Mann im Anzug lächelt und hält ein Mikrofon. Das Zitat lautet: „Man kann nichts steuern, was man nicht messen kann!“ Der Text unten bietet Checklisten zum Ausdrucksausdruck zum Download mit der Schaltfläche „Jetzt herunterladen“. Lernen Sie den Schlüssel zu effektiver Kommunikation und wie Sie Ihre Stimme senken, um eine bessere Wirkung zu erzielen!

Mistake No. 2: Sounding awkward

When you speak on the phone, your voice is your only means of conveying feelings and building a relationship. That's why it's so important that you sound confident, competent and, above all, approachable and personal. Unfortunately, many people seem awkward or insecure on the phone when they are on the phone.

If that's you, there are a few things you can do to sound better and more professional.

  • First: Slow down and pronounce your words clearly.
  • Second, put yourself in a good condition before calling. Get an aspect that makes you curious about the conversation.
  • Finally, avoid filler words like "um" and "aah." They make you look unprepared and nervous – two things you definitely don't want if you want to sell something!

Mistake No. 3: Not building a relationship

If you're selling over the phone, it's important that you immediately build a good relationship with your potential customer. Your voice builds a bridge to mutual understanding or trust between two people. And why is that so important? Because people are more likely to buy from someone they like and trust than from someone they don't know or feel good about.

So how do you establish a good relationship on the phone?

  • The best way is not to start your torrent of words immediately after the mutual greeting. You call someone, he or she answers, and the ball is already in your court. You say who you are ... and you are already seduced to continue speaking immediately.
  • Give the ball back to the person you are talking to after you have introduced yourself and greeted each other. You will be amazed at the effect. Because when your conversation partner returns the greeting, you have broken the ice and established the personal relationship for a short moment. A wonderful start to a good sales pitch!

Listen to my practical tips in the "Voice works!" -Podcast:

Making sales calls can be difficult, but if you avoid these three common mistakes, you'll be well on your way to success. Remember to pay more attention to the first five seconds, prepare yourself vocally so that you sound confident and personal, and use the "acoustic handshake" to build personal relationships right from the start. If you keep these things in mind, you're sure to close more deals than ever before!

Have fun and success trying it out!

Blaue handschriftliche Unterschrift auf transparentem Hintergrund, die Bände spricht und mit Raffinesse verkauft.Arno Fischbacher

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The author:

Arno Fischbacher is a business voice coach and rhetoric expert, speaker and author. He prepares executives and employees of the top companies in Germany and Austria for negotiations, presentations and media appearances. Fischbacher is the author of several books, past president of the German Speakers Association (GSA) Austria, chairman of the European Network of Voice Experts, stimme.at.

If you would like to learn more about specific training opportunities with Arno Fischbacher, make an appointment here free information talk.

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