Have you ever heard the expression, “I could almost hear her smile through the phone”? It is generally used when describing an exceptional receptionist or customer service representative. Well believe it or not, it applies to what we do in setting appointments, too.

Remember that we lose 55% of the available capability to effectively communicate when we call someone on the phone. Being able to read body language, facial expressions, etc. is lost on a phone call and it accounts for 55% of our ability to communicate effectively. That leaves 38% for tonality and 7% for content.

When we smile, our voice physically changes because of the muscles surrounding our vocal cords. Those we’re calling can tell the difference and we’re trying to do everything we can to increase our ratios, right? So smile when you dial!

To do that, place a mirror close to where you make your phone calls. Look into that mirror occasionally right before you dial and smile at yourself. Attitude is as important as aptitude and it comes across to those we’re calling.

Try it. You’ll like it!