Fear of talking on the phone can cause your profit prospects to dissolve right before your eyes. It prevents you from building the types of relationships that can result in long-term benefits to your bottom line.

So what is a person to do to move beyond fear of talking on the phone to a place of enjoying the possibilities that every single call can offer you?

Here are a few strategies to consider:

Strategy #1 – Escape from the Deep Freeze of Cold Calling

In other words, stop cold calling. Among its many downsides are the following:

1. Cold calls generally irritate everyone who gets them, not exactly the optimal mood to create with potential clients or customers.
2. Cold calling places you in the position of a business beggar, and totally negates your status as an authority or expert in your field.
3. The results absolutely do not justify the time and effort required.
4. It is the most discouraging and non-productive method possible of using the phone for business.

Strategy #2 – You Have 2 Ears and 1 Mouth – Use Them Proportionally to Build a Relationship First

No one enjoys having someone talk at them. Ask questions instead. People will respond much more positively if you show a genuine interest both in their business and in what kind of issues they are facing.

And remember this one powerful fact: The person who asks the questions is the person who is in control of the direction of the call.

Strategy #3 – You Are Looking for a Fit, Not a Sale

Not everyone is your optimal client or customer. Asking questions will help you and the person with whom you are talking to see if you have the answer to their issues.

Sample questions can include:

1. What are your goals for your business this coming year?
2. What obstacles do you need to overcome to reach those goals?
3. What are these obstacles costing you?
4. How committed are you to overcoming them?

The answers to the above questions will let you know if your services are a good fit or not. If they are, the answers also give you the right language to use in presenting your offer.

Strategy #4 – Create a Warm Connection BEFORE Making a Call

Creating a warm connection before making a call not only vastly improves the results of your calls, it also goes a long way in helping you to overcome your fear of talking on the phone.

Warm connections can be created in a variety of ways:

1. Speak to groups
2. Offer free seminars
3. Attend networking events
4. Upload videos to YouTube
5. Provide valuable information via podcasts, blog posts, email and snail mail
6. Offer a free consultation

You can find an example of #6 on my website Contact page, where I offer a Complimentary Consultation.

There is a link to a short application form, which enables people to get clear about their challenges with public speaking, networking and fear of talking on the phone.

This form enables me to be of true service to those who sign up for a session. And as I mentioned in Strategy #3, I am looking for a fit, not a sale.

If you decide that you would like to take advantage of this complimentary service, I will be delighted to connect with you – warmly, of course!