Building Rapport Over The Phone: 3 Steps To A Pleasant Phone Conversation

Building rapport over the phone may seem a little daunting at first, but it’s actually quite easy. Unlike face to face conversations, you don’t have to worry about looking awkward or doing something that might embarrass you in front of the person you’re speaking to.

When it comes to building rapport over the phone, you can concentrate all your efforts into the conversation. There are fewer distractions and therefore, you make fewer mistakes.

Here are some of the guidelines that can help you build rapport over the phone:

1) Prepare Your Introduction.

If you’re not a very chatty person or if you’re not used to building rapport over the phone, it is advisable for you to make an outline of what you’re going to say. You don’t have to follow a script; but at least an outline would help you focus on what you want to bring up in the conversation.

For example, if you’re calling someone to ask them out on a date, you might find yourself at a loss for what to say when that person picks up the phone. Now, that would just be plain embarrassing.

To avoid awkward moments like this, perhaps you can just write down: • Ask for (insert name)
• Say “hi” and introduce yourself
• Ask about tomorrow’s homework… etc.

If you’re not confident about making the call, try rehearsing what you want to say. It would help you get used to the idea of talking to the person you like.

2) Don’t Let Nervousness Overtake You.

Building rapport over the phone might make you a little more jittery than usual. Unfortunately, this can sometimes make your voice sound squeaky and make you talk a little too fast.

To keep nervousness at bay, give yourself a pep talk. Tell yourself that you’ve done this before and that this particular phone call is no different from the call you made to your best friend last night.

Take deep breaths and make a conscious effort to speak at a normal rate. Talking slower will also help you relax; and before you know it, you’re done with the conversation.

3) Always Say “Thank You” At The End.

Once you’re done with what you have to say, don’t forget to say “thank you” to whomever it is you’ve been talking to. Of course, if you’ve been talking to the person you like, the “thank you” bit is optional.

In all other cases, however, expressing your gratitude is very important. Remember that it’s crucial to end the conversation in a nice way. Even if the whole phone call didn’t go well, you must never bang the phone or hang up. Grit your teeth if you must, but do your best to stay polite.

Building rapport over the phone is easy when you know what mistakes to avoid and what things can make your conversation more pleasant.