Hi, how are you? …and Other Weak Wimpy Words

By Nancy Friedman

At Telephone Doctor, we call the phrase "Hi, how are you" the 4 KILLER words. They are probably the most useless words you can utter when making cold sales calls. (Even warm ones.)

True story: Years ago, while living at our house, my mother answered our phone. And after her gentle, "Hello" came the following: Hi, Mrs. Friedman (she wasn’t Mrs. Friedman). How are you?"

My mother, an open, honest person, simply went on to say, "I’m so glad you asked. My back is killing me, my pacemaker is a little slow, the sore on my knee looks horrible, I’ve got the worst headache, and feel like I’m getting the flu. How are you?" The man on the phone said, "Compared to you, a hell of a lot better" and hung up.

Hi, how are you? USELESS. Totally USELESS. Get them out of your vocabulary. Opening a call with: Hi, HOW ARE YOU screams, "I’m out to sell you something." Well, Nancy, what should we say?

Telephone Doctor’s method of making outgoing cold calls is slightly different than others. Frankly, there are many ways to make that first, cold call. Telephone Doctor’s is one of many. We just know it works.

Start by introducing yourself. Full disclosure at the top of the call. That’s all. It’s simple. A cold call should go like this: Prospect: Hello. You: My name is Nancy Friedman. (Please use your own name.)
I’m with First Fancy Mortgage.
I need to speak with Bob Smith.

That’s all. Simple. You see, with the Telephone Doctor’s full disclosure at the top of the call, it’s difficult to get screened. Not impossible, but difficult.

Why? Because we give the name and company first, what’s left? Maybe: "May I ask what this is in regard to?" But as a former executive assistant, I can tell you, when someone is good enough to give me two thirds of the pie, I was willing to put the call through without asking the “reference” question.

You see, people are told to screen. A receptionist or administrative assistant doesn’t wake up and think, "Great, I’m going to screen all calls today." They’re told to screen. They hear: "Find out who it is and who they’re with." That’s what they’re told. The "what is this in reference to?" question is easy to handle if you’re going to accept the Telephone Doctor’s method of full disclosure at the top of the call.

So you’ve given the person who has answered the call your name up front. They can’t screen you for that. You’ve given them the company you’re with, so they can’t screen you on that. What’s left? Right. "What is this in reference to?" Or perhaps it’s asked, "Will he know what this is in regard to?" (Both questions make me want to throw up.)

But you’re about to get a technique that has never failed me. Although I will say, I use the full disclosure technique consistently, I’m unable to recall the last time anyone asked me the "reference" screen. But when it happens, and it might, use the Telephone Doctor’s NEVER FAIL answer.

"Yes, I’m interested in doing business with your company." Think. Who would challenge that statement? Can you just see someone telling their boss? "Someone’s on the phone who wants to do business with us, you don’t wanna talk with him, do you?"

As I reread this I see we got a little off track. Let me get back to "Hi, how are you?" Lose those words. They are useless. Do use full disclosure at the beginning of your call, because if you use the full disclosure statement at the top of the call, you won’t get screened – ever. You may get the, "What is this in reference to." But now you know how to handle that!

Onward to some other weak wimpy words; words that roll off our tongues but are ineffective and need to be avoided.

Weak Wimpy Word #1 – THINK: "I think you’ll like the information I have for you." Think? Think you’ll like it? Is there a doubt in your mind? There shouldn’t be. Every time you tell someone you “think” he’ll like it, or you “think” it’ll work, or “think” it’s right; you leave doubt. The word isn’t necessary. And without it, the sentence becomes much stronger. "You’ll like the information I have for you." It’s a statement of confidence; of conviction; of someone who believes in what he or she has to offer. THINK – a Weak Wimpy Word.

Weak Wimpy Word #2 – JUST: "I’m just calling to see if you got the information I sent." Study that line. If that’s all you’re calling about, when they say, "Yes I got it" you should say "Okay, thanks. That’s all I wanted to know." and hang up. But will you? Probably not. Remove the word JUST – another Weak Wimpy Word. Not necessary. Useless.

Remove it. Again, the sentence becomes stronger when the word "just" is removed. "I’m calling to be sure you received the information I sent you" and then include a benefit statement or a question.

And by the way, asking, "Do you have any questions?" is weak and wimpy, too. If you want to strengthen that one, make it a statement. "Mrs. Friedman, most of the folks I’ve sent that particular brochure to have several questions. Let me go over it with you, now."

All simple tips – but all tried and true. And all work.

Nancy Friedman is president of Telephone Doctor®, an international customer service training company headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, specializing in customer service and telephone skills. She is a KEYNOTE speaker at association conferences and corporate gatherings and is the author of four best selling books. Call 314-291-1012 for more information or visit the website at www.telephonedoctor.com.

Published in Networking Today, March 2006.