A unique new author blog helps business communication instructors spend less time preparing and more time teaching. The first authors in the field to write an instructor blog, Bovée and Thill share instructional insights, offer advice on incorporating social media and other technologies into the course, and provide compelling examples of good and bad business communication.
Telephone Skills
« Previous EntriesVirtual Assistants Raise New Issues of Phone Etiquette
Thursday, February 23rd, 2012The sound of someone gabbing on a cellphone is part of the soundtrack of daily life, and most of us have learned when to be quiet — no talking in “quiet cars” on trains, for example. But the etiquette of talking to a phone — more precisely, to a “virtual assistant” like Apple’s Siri, in [...]
Telephoning: Handling Inquiries and Technical Problems – Business English Pod
Friday, January 6th, 2012"In this Business English Podcast lesson we continue our series on making telephone calls in English by looking at how to deal with technical problems and clarify information using alternative choice questions. This questioning technique is useful when you need to clarify important information or reach a decision."
Telephoning: Leaving a Message – Business English Pod
Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012"People are busy. When you telephone people, they often aren’t there to take your call, so you need to leave a message. And almost everyone has to answer the telephone and take a message sometimes. Doing so professionally leaves a good impression on your customers, colleagues and boss. Today we will hear a bad example [...]
Top 3 Ways to Get Your Phone Calls Returned
Monday, November 14th, 2011"Chasing sucks. Prospects, clients, people who owe you information, drawings, money. I hate having to chase. Most of us have to do it–A LOT," writes Tom Searcy. "Most of the time we go into the bottomless pit of voice mail hell to be tortured by the digital demons therein. Here is how to get your [...]
Cold Calling: Dealing with Objections and Closing the Call
Monday, October 3rd, 2011This is the last in our three-part Business English Podcast series on cold calling. In today’s lesson, you’ll learn how to deal with several typical kinds of objections that a potential customer might raise. When Steve first asked for an appointment, Linda didn’t agree right away, did she? As you know, it’s normal for even [...]
Cold Calling: Clarifying Benefits and Making a Pitch
Thursday, September 29th, 2011This is the second in our three-part Business English Podcast lesson on a useful telephone and sales skill: cold calling. (Part 1 is here.) You can always make yourself more persuasive by asking well-considered questions and really listening to the answers. This principle is true whether you are selling a product or an idea. So [...]
Cold Calling: Getting Off to a Good Start
Tuesday, September 27th, 2011Today’s lesson is the first in a three-part Business English Pod series on cold calling, the skill of making unsolicited telephone sales calls. Unsolicited means “not asked for.” So cold calling is the skill of making a sales call to someone who is not expecting you. Cold calling skills are very useful in many parts [...]
Telephoning: Leaving a Voicemail Message
Tuesday, September 13th, 2011When you call someone but they aren’t there, often their voicemail “picks up” or answers the phone. Then you have to leave a message. Anyone who uses the phone in their job has to deal with voicemail. Have you ever started to leave a message on someone’s voicemail, then when you heard the “beep” sound, [...]
12 Ways to Avoid Bad Phone Messages
Wednesday, September 7th, 2011"Someone from some place called." That's what Anne Marie said when she gave Rosa the phone message the other day. Not very helpful. Here are some other messages taken in my small business: "Someone called with a G in her name." "Professor somebody called from a university." "A Canadian called." I'm a culprit, too. . [...]
Business English Pod – Telephoning: Making an Appointment
Friday, May 13th, 2011In this Business English Podcast, we’ll be looking at the language used to make appointments on the telephone…You must login or register before you view this content.
« Previous Entries