Steven thought that you would enjoy some helpful tips and ideas which you can pick up quickly and apply right away. We had fun putting this program together for you, and trust that you will find this snippet entertaining, enlightening and useful.

Program 1:
How to use voice mail to your advantage.
Also available for listening in Real Audio or MP3 format.

What's the difference between voice mail and the great wall of China? One is a wall that keeps people out, the other is a tourist attraction! Voice mail is the number one reason why people say they can't get their prospects on the telephone. Yet everyone falls into the false trap of leaving messages.

I say false trap because the second you leave a message with someone you have never spoken with before, you tell yourself that you actually reached your prospect, when in fact all you ever did was leave a message. The other disadvantage is that when you leave a message you forfeit control to the other party.

One financial consultant named Gary told me that he left a message for a VP, and when the fellow called him back, Gary was in the middle of ten other things and not remembering to expect the call said, "Who are you?" Do yourself a favour, stay in control. And since what you really want to do is speak with prospects, then speak with them! Don't leave messages when you can speak with someone live.

The good news is, voice mail technology can be turned to your advantage, and not only help you reach your prospects in less time, but also help you stay focused on the call. Here's how.

To help you reach your prospects, check their voice mail early in the morning, to see if they change the date on their daily voice greeting. So, if between 7:30 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. your prospect's greeting changes, call back every few minutes the next morning within that parameter. Chances are they'll pick up the phone and say, "You just caught me coming in the door."

To help establish the right tone for your calls, create your daily voice greeting and then play it back until you hear a winning tone.

Voice mail can also help you maintain your focus on who you are calling. Late in the evening call the person you are trying to reach, not to leave a message, but to listen to their voice and get a mental picture of what they look like. Being familiar with their voice, accent, and tone, enables you to stay in control of the first critical few seconds of your conversation. Having a mental image of what the person looks like allows you to personalize an otherwise impersonal call.