Your voice is your best asset.
Yesterday we discovered that up to 55 percent of your communication comes from your body language and only 7 percent from what you say. That leaves the remaining 38 percent coming from your tone of voice.
Your voice is your best asset in helping you develop trust with your customer. If you’re talking to a customer on the phone, how you sound can be the make or break in them deciding to do business with you. If the customer likes what they hear on the other end of the phone, they’re more likely to perceive you as confident and knowledgeable.
First impressions count.
A person will decide if they like you within 15 seconds of first meeting you and nowhere is this more important than your first communication with your customer.
Your tone will actually give off clues to your customer about how professional you are and whether you’re a good match for them to do business with.
To exceed customer expectations, your voice needs to be warm, friendly, upbeat and in control. If you’re taking customer enquiries on the phone, make sure you’re prepared so as to avoid sounding rushed and desperate. Be sure you can give the customer 100 percent of your attention. If you’re trying to control a screaming baby while you’re talking, or if you’re at the supermarket checkout and you sound distracted, the customer is not going to feel you care and you won’t win their business. Smile before you pick up the phone. It really works!
Today’s challenge is to be aware of your tone. Record one sales conversation and listen back to it. Ask yourself, would you do business with yourself.