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 its actually quite easy. Unlike face to face conversations, you dont have to worry about looking awkward or doing something that might embarrass you in front of the person youre 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 youre not a very chatty person or if youre not used to building rapport over the phone, it is advisable for you to make an outline of what youre going to say. You dont 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 youre 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 tomorrows homework etc.

If youre 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) Dont 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 youve 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, youre done with the conversation.

3) Always Say Thank You At The End.

Once youre done with what you have to say, dont forget to say thank you to whomever it is youve been talking to. Of course, if youve 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 its crucial to end the conversation in a nice way. Even if the whole phone call didnt 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.