Staying Visible with Your Most Underutilized Tech Tool
For work at home professionals, the nature of our “workplace” can be . . . well, a barrier. Traditional work relationships are based on manning a desk or cubicle in an office. Colleagues pool resources to produce, sell and maintain a product or service.
When you work at home or on the go, “out of sight, out of mind” can easily prevail. Whether you are a home-based entrepreneur or a telecommuter, you don’t want to be forgotten by clients or colleagues.
Many work at home professionals are already making the most of today’s technology. You may use e-mail, instant messenger and social media like Twitter or Face Book to stay visible. These useful communication tools may be the right course in some situations, but more personal and immediate connections are necessary to stay connected.
I don’t know about you, but once I have responded to a slew of e-mails or spent a few moments on Facebook, I have to move on to completing work projects. E-mail messages can get lost in the crowd. It’s weird that we tend use every technology tool on the market except, one of the oldest and most basic, yet effective.
Yes, the telephone!
The telephone is an essential lifeline to your business or career. Telephone and conference calls provide a personal exchange that cannot be mimicked by any other technology tool.
Let’s explore three benefits that the telephone offers over e-mail, instant messenger or social media.
- The Nuances of Vocal Color — How your client or colleague says something is just as important as what they say, if not more. When you HEAR communication, your brain processes not only the words, but also the tone of voice, pitch and speed. Vocal color can change the meaning, entirely. For instance, if your clients snarls while saying “I am so pleased with the project,” you might be prompted to dig for more details. Conversely, you won’t hear a snarl in e-mail.
- The Value of Pure Response — Phone conversations allow you to receive immediate unfiltered reactions from your colleagues and / or clients. You know the kind: You’ve heard the long pause, the quiet gasp or inhale before the words even leave their mouth. Unlike e-mail, IM or social networking, there is no time to rearrange the wording or confer with a thesaurus before hitting send. There is great value in a “pure” response. Even in silence, cues can be taken to help you better service your clients, work more cohesively with your team or correct a misunderstanding before it gets out of hand or clarify what you’ve said.
- The Power of Laughter — For virtual workers, collaboration and relationships are everything. One of the best ways to foster relationship is to laugh together. Understanding your colleagues’ sense of humor is key. It can help you develop rapport or smooth an issue with a more seasoned one. I don’t know about you but, reading LOL, RFOL or TEE HEE just doesn’t have the same impact as an infectious giggle.
The long recession is taking a bite out of everyone’s bottom line. With something as simple and available as the telephone, why not do what you can to stay visible so that you continue to flourish!
Note: This post is the 1st in a series on staying visible when you’re virtual. For a more hands-on application, attend the next “Staying Visible When You’re Virtual” online workshop / telecourse or purchase the entire “Staying Visible When You’re Virtual” audio lesson from the It’s a Smart Decision! online store.
3 Comments:
Hi Nikita,
I totally agree. Nothing can take the place of an actual live conversation (via phone or in person) with a client, friend, or family member.
As someone with 10+ years of working in the IT industry as a consultant before I jumped tracks and entered the financial services field, I know and understand the pros and cons of technology.
Although our various technology on-line tools today allow for people to provide instant responses, feelings and tone of what you write in an e-mail, instant message, tweet, etc. can sometimes be misinterpreted by the reader. Sometimes, it’s best just to pick up the phone to reply to a client’s inquiry, question or concern. For me, I’m quick to pick up the phone to call someone, especially when I’m following up with a client or colleague about something that I was expected to do for them or an item that they were tasked to do. Most of us have our cell phones tied to our hip or hand (lol) so it’s not like the phone is not accessible. In the end, clients, friend, and family members really take notice and appreciate the fact that you took the time and effort to stop what you are doing to give them a personal call.
Even as technology continues to allow us to communicate on-line with people across this country and around the globe, there’s something distinctly different when you can tie the voice to the picture posted on-line in someone’s profile on a social-networking site, to their bio on their website, or to the family photo of your cousin that you haven’t seen in a year (smile).
Great post to your blog! As you stated, the most basic and effective tool – the telephone – is a great asset to growing your business!
Hi Nikki:
I so agree with everything you wrote on this topic. The telephone is the most powerful, useful tool we can use in our arsenal for customer/client satisfaction. Most people hide behind email when it is so vital to hear the voice on the other end. It could also mean a “pleasant surprise” for the customer to hear your voice. It shows that you care enough to pick up the darn phone and call and chat with them about their concern, or problem they are having. Everyone knows that email and social networking is out there, however if you actually cared enough to dial a phone number and speak to someone personally, that makes all the difference in the world…and possibly repeart business for you!
Great article!
Carolyn
I totally agree that the telephone is my most effective mode of communication, especially when I am trying to influence new clients about by expertise and personal style. People look first at the type of person you are before considering your product or service. A brief phone conversation often seals the deal for me! Great Blog topic with lots of useful information!