Tips on Using Your Phone in Your Direct Sales Business

Today's technology allows your telephone to be a very important part of your business. I recently received a flyer in the mail for an opportunity to earn thousands weekly. Being the curious person that I am, I dialed the toll free number. A child answered the phone. I glanced at the flyer and discovered there was no contact name. I asked the child if someone there had mailed out some flyers. I did eventually end up talking with an adult woman.

If you are going to give out your phone number on cards, flyers, ads etc, get a separate business line. There is nothing more frustrating than having a child answer the phone and ask "who is this?" I've even had children pick up the phone and begin singing to me. Now, don't get me wrong, I love kids, even have a couple of my own, but I do not allow my children to sing the ABC's on my business line answering machine.

If you truly can not afford a second line, or if you live in an area where a second line is not feasible, then consider getting Smart Ring or the comparable service in your area. This allows a second number to ring on the same line but with a different ring than the primary number. If the ring indicates your business line is ringing than answer the phone professionally.

While I do use my cell phone for business, cell phones do not always offer a reliable connection.

I also have caller ID on my home phone. Caller ID lets you know if grandma and grandpa are calling and the kids can answer the phone. If a phone number comes up that is not known to you, there is a good chance it might be a prospective customer or lead. This is not the time for the kids to answer the phone.

Will you be marketing your business outside your local calling area? If so, you might want to consider an 800 number. Today, an 800 number can be less expensive than your regular phone line. Shop around for the best offer. Some companies charge a monthly fee, some don't. Per minute charges vary also. Choose the plan that best fits your business needs.

You now need to decide if you want to use a standard answering machine or a voice mail system. Most local phone companies today offer a voice mail system. If you are on the phone, and another call comes in, it automatically rolls over to the voice mail system, so you never miss an incoming call due to a busy signal. Whichever method you choose for answering your calls, use your outgoing message to promote your business. Let your callers know why they want to leave you a message.

Another feature offered on phone lines today is 3 way calling. This allows you to talk to two people at the same time. I use this feature both in my business and also in my personal life. My mother just loves talking to my sister and me at the same time. It is a very simple feature to use. You simply press the hook switch once, get a new dial tone and dial the new number. When the called party answers, you again press the hook switch once and all 3 parties are now connected. This is a wonderful feature to use when training your team members. You can either talk to two team members at the same time or you can help team members with a prospect by being on the phone with them.

Call forwarding allows you to forward your calls to whatever location you will be at. I very often forward my calls to my cell phone if I am going to be gone for a long period of time. I am a strong believer in answering as many calls live as possible. Since so many people hang up on answering machines, I do my best to answer whenever possible.
The final item you may want to consider purchasing is a headset. This allows you to talk hands free, so you can either write notes, or type during your conversation without straining your neck. I have often read that talking while standing is suggested for better phone concentration. A hands free system makes this quite easy.

Your telephone is a marketing tool for your business. Make sure you're using your phone to help your business, not hurt your business.

Audrey Okaneko has been in direct sales since 1983. She can be reached at audreyoka@cox.net or you can Become a Tupperware Consultant

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