Saying, "Hello"?
(My Original Blog Post: http://www.secretariesondemand.com/2009/02/saying-hello/)
I've mentioned to everyone who has taken my free eCourse, coaching, or consulting programs how important it is to have your own business line for telephone calls. Unbelievably, many of you still don't get it. Your credibility is your ability to show how professional you are. Yes, you work out of your home, but really, your clients want you to represent yourself as if you DIDN'T work out of your home.
When I mentioned this in my last blog entry, it seemed to stir many emails to me. So I wanted to clarify the issue why it's important for you to have a business telephone line.
The bad thing about having a personal line to use for your business is mainly how you answer the telephone. In business, "Hello" is never an appropriate way to answer a business telephone call. It makes your clients feel like they are interrupting you during lunch or dinner or during your afternoon soap opera when they are received that way.
Sure, you could answer your home phone with your VA business name, and say how may I help you or some such. But you are going to get many people who think they might have the wrong number if they are calling for personal reasons instead of business related reasons. Now, I know. Someone out there is thinking, "I have caller ID. So I know who's calling beforehand." Do you? What if it's a number that's never called you before? Do you really know if that number calling is for personal or business reasons? If you do, I want to buy stock in whatever stock you think is best. Because you can see the future. :)
Me? I don't know all the phone numbers in the US or in the world. So I make sure that I don't have to guess when answering my phone by having a separate home and business line.
Another good reason for it? If you're like me, you prefer not to have phone calls at 2 AM. I've actually had clients call me at 2 AM to leave me a voice mail. I turn my business ringer off after hours, but not my home phone. I need my home phone on after hours for family emergencies and what not. I would not have been delighted to have my home phone ringing at 2 AM. And guess what? Some of your clients will do that--not necessarily expecting you to answer.
So for your virtual assistant business, invest even in just a VOIP phone for $20 or $30 a month and say goodbye to saying hello.
Keep moving toward success.
I've mentioned to everyone who has taken my free eCourse, coaching, or consulting programs how important it is to have your own business line for telephone calls. Unbelievably, many of you still don't get it. Your credibility is your ability to show how professional you are. Yes, you work out of your home, but really, your clients want you to represent yourself as if you DIDN'T work out of your home.
When I mentioned this in my last blog entry, it seemed to stir many emails to me. So I wanted to clarify the issue why it's important for you to have a business telephone line.
The bad thing about having a personal line to use for your business is mainly how you answer the telephone. In business, "Hello" is never an appropriate way to answer a business telephone call. It makes your clients feel like they are interrupting you during lunch or dinner or during your afternoon soap opera when they are received that way.
Sure, you could answer your home phone with your VA business name, and say how may I help you or some such. But you are going to get many people who think they might have the wrong number if they are calling for personal reasons instead of business related reasons. Now, I know. Someone out there is thinking, "I have caller ID. So I know who's calling beforehand." Do you? What if it's a number that's never called you before? Do you really know if that number calling is for personal or business reasons? If you do, I want to buy stock in whatever stock you think is best. Because you can see the future. :)
Me? I don't know all the phone numbers in the US or in the world. So I make sure that I don't have to guess when answering my phone by having a separate home and business line.
Another good reason for it? If you're like me, you prefer not to have phone calls at 2 AM. I've actually had clients call me at 2 AM to leave me a voice mail. I turn my business ringer off after hours, but not my home phone. I need my home phone on after hours for family emergencies and what not. I would not have been delighted to have my home phone ringing at 2 AM. And guess what? Some of your clients will do that--not necessarily expecting you to answer.
So for your virtual assistant business, invest even in just a VOIP phone for $20 or $30 a month and say goodbye to saying hello.
Keep moving toward success.