The All Important Greeting
Whether you are calling a federal agency to gather background information, to start the marketing process, or even to sell your products or services, there are a few simple, yet proven telephone etiquette tips that will help you achieve the goals of your call each and every time. Over the next few days, I will cover these tips. Today's entry will specifically address with the all important greeting.
Let's start with a simple fact that sets a table of understanding. Federal government employees have little time for casual conversation. Therefore, the first rule in government business telephone etiquette is to identify yourself clearly after they pick up the phone and say, “Hello.”
State your full name, your title, the name of your company, and what your company does. Be respectful of their time, position, and power. Tell them how you got their name and telephone number. Tell them straight up that you want to ask them something and then ask if this is a good time to talk. This simple formula will work every time.
"Good morning, ma'am. My name is August West and I am the V.P. of Sales for the XYC Corporation, a company that sells clinical analyzers. Rosalie McFall in the USDA's OSDBU office gave your name and number. She said that if you weren't the person with whom I needed to speak that you would definitely be able to point me in the right direction. Is now a good time to talk?"
Use this simple formula coupled with good manner and a bit of old fashioned charmed and you will get the information or name you need then or there or a date and time to call back.
More to come.
Whether you are calling a federal agency to gather background information, to start the marketing process, or even to sell your products or services, there are a few simple, yet proven telephone etiquette tips that will help you achieve the goals of your call each and every time. Over the next few days, I will cover these tips. Today's entry will specifically address with the all important greeting.
Let's start with a simple fact that sets a table of understanding. Federal government employees have little time for casual conversation. Therefore, the first rule in government business telephone etiquette is to identify yourself clearly after they pick up the phone and say, “Hello.”
State your full name, your title, the name of your company, and what your company does. Be respectful of their time, position, and power. Tell them how you got their name and telephone number. Tell them straight up that you want to ask them something and then ask if this is a good time to talk. This simple formula will work every time.
"Good morning, ma'am. My name is August West and I am the V.P. of Sales for the XYC Corporation, a company that sells clinical analyzers. Rosalie McFall in the USDA's OSDBU office gave your name and number. She said that if you weren't the person with whom I needed to speak that you would definitely be able to point me in the right direction. Is now a good time to talk?"
Use this simple formula coupled with good manner and a bit of old fashioned charmed and you will get the information or name you need then or there or a date and time to call back.
More to come.
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