Hello!

Well, I just had my very first phone conversation with a potential client. I don't think I did very well. I usually sell myself wonderfully in writing...then on the phone I flounder! I know with time I will be fine, but my goodness...I feel like such a dork!

Any pointers, words of wisdom or tricks to get over the initial hump?

Come up with an elevator speech, perfect it, rehearse and practice it perhaps?

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Darlene Victoria Gonzalez
The Voice & Vision Behind Your Business

Darlene, not to worry - it happens to ALL of us...there's a learning curve there, no matter how poised or confident you may be, it's just HARD the first time to get comfortable selling yourself. You're so right in that it DOES get easier with time and having a practiced elevator speech behind you is always a good thing to have, to fall back on. Even keeping a brief written outline of points you want to cover in front of you while you're on the phone can help.

Part of it really is just psyching yourself up with 'I can do it' energy!

Did things go well at first and then feel like they were falling apart for you or ? And if so, where in your conversation did you feel like you lost your footing? If you can pinpoint that specifically it will help quite a lot because you'll know where you're feeling weak.
For me, it's money - I mean, I know I'm really really good at what I do and I know my rates are super competetive but I STILL to this day have conversations with new clients (even the ones who know for certain already that they want to work with me and never ask about rates!) when I start to talk about money and I just kind of falter. Hamid tells me once in a while 'I heard it in your voice...' it's just something I need to work on - that knowledge that the value is there...

I feel for ya! But I'm sure you were actually much better than you thought!

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Hi Darlene,

Erin Blaskie posted some great tips for this a while back. You can read it here

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Shari Sultana
Online Business Manager (marketing for retail ecommerce)

I suffer from the same. I do feel like a dork when I get off the phone with potentials and its usually because of money.

My very first full time client hired me through a freelance site so I gave him a severly discounted rate just to get the job and he threw a fit when I raised my rates after 8 months (on a side note, I am no longer assisting this client and had to send him to collections to get my final check). From day one he made me feel like I was not even worth the discounted rate I was charging. This really put a psychological road block up for me and I am still fighting with it.

I had to decide that I only wanted to have clients who truly understood the value of what I do and did not question it. My rates are industry competitive and I have to believe it myself or no potential client ever will!

Best of luck Darlene! Keep pushing on!

Wow, that sounds hard! It gives me something to think about.

I want the same too - to find clients who finds worth in what I do and not question me. My other business - I was blessed to have found one who is happy with me and treats me like a professional all because I behaved like one, even though I did not feel all that professional. He gave me a card with $50 dollars to dine out and thanked me for my 'professionalism' and my hard work!

In my line of business - I think that I may be the only one who look and act like a professional and treat him accordingly with all paper works drawn up properly.

I gave him my 'bid packet' which won me over other three or four who was also bidding as well as my professionalism during our meeting. YaY!

I hope that same thing will happen with my VA business :0)

Darlene, I didn't mean to highjack your thread...I know exactly how you feel. It is not an easy thing to get over. I agree that it does get better with time, only if we continue on.

I agree with Tess, it really does help to psych ourselves up! That is what I did before meeting with my client. I told myself that I can do the job, that he will be happy with me, that if I plan ahead of time and have my 'bid packet' well organized, easy to read and attractive to present him with - I'll be okay and the meeting went well!

I can do it! I can do it! :0)

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Yvonne
Office Savvy Assistant

Quote:

Come up with an elevator speech, perfect it, rehearse and practice it perhaps?

This is what helped me. I am just the opposite, I am horrible in writing but love to talk!

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Dawn Riley
A Virtual Assistant in Paradise
Our business is about making yours better

Thanks Shari for posting the link to Erin's post Mastering the Close. This is very helpful.

All the best,

Darlene, I am sure that you did fantastic!!

You know, I remember in the old days when I would apply for a job, go to the interview, and come back feeling the same way you are feeling right now...

And guess what, I was wrong... I would get the job.

I am sure you will see something positive come out of this..


Elenora

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Christiane Jechoux
Virtual Managing Associates

Originally Posted by shari VA

Hi Darlene, Erin Blaskie posted some great tips for this a while back. You can read it here

Excellent link Shari, thanks!

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Perfecting Assistance Services
www.perfectingassistance.com
Allowing you time to PERFECT your Business!

Hi all. Can I get some help with this one? Another problem I have is when someone asks how much I charge for a particular service. Now, I do have a detailed list of services and baseline charges. However, The services are almost never cut and dry or black or white. They always DEPEND on one thing or another, i.e. the amount of content (long or short or somewhere in between), the length of time it will take, etc. I'm afraid if I give a specific price I will be trapped into putting in an enormous amout work in the end for much less than it is worth, or overcharging by mis judginf for small jobs and thereby, chasing away a potentially good customer. I can never give a set price and I feel like I'm giving the impression that I don't know what I'm doing or that I'm not well organized. I have offered to meet with the client to discuss their needs and design their service package, but rarely get a reply. Any suggestions?