5 Tips for Overcoming Phone Anxiety
Freelance writing is the perfect job for introverts. You get to stay home all day, and you never have to talk to anyone. Right? Wrong! Like it or not, sometimes freelance writers must talk on the phone with clients. Why? Because phone calls help you gain more sales, improve customer service, and save time. But if you have phone anxiety, that does NOT mean you have to give up your dreams of freelancing. All you need to do with follow these 5 tips for overcoming phone anxiety. Keep reading to learn more.
PS: thank you to Sav from Content by Sav for suggesting this blog topic!
Like most Millennials, I hate talking on the phone. When I first started to write for a living, I tried to avoid phone calls as much as possible. I would agree to work with a client I had never spoken to besides through email.
The results were disastrous. I couldn’t seal the deal with clients I wanted to work with. And the ones who did agree to work with me treated me like sh*t and paid me garbage rates.
Then I finally bit the bullet and started scheduling client phone calls. In doing so, I improved my sales so dramatically that I was able to raise my rates and dump those cheap, mean clients. And I haven’t looked back since!
Getting on the phone with a potential client helps to build trust and saves your time in the long run.
WHY IT’S IMPORTANT TO CALL YOUR CLIENTS
Whether you like it or not, sometimes you must talk to your clients on the phone. Here are just a few of the reasons:
1. Speaking on the phone builds trust.
It’s challenging to establish trust in an online business. I mean, would YOU hire a freelancer you’d never spoken to before? Would you be willing to fork over hundreds (or thousands) of dollars to them? Absolutely not!
Talking to your potential clients allows them to see that you’re a real person. This builds a connection that will help to convince them that they can trust you with their business.
2. Talking on the phone saves time.
There are several times in the life cycle of a project where a phone call can save a lot of emailing back and forth.
First, you need to call your client when you’re creating a proposal for them. Why? You must establish the dimensions of the project, so you’re going to have a lot of questions for the client. They’re also going to have a lot of questions about how to work with you.
Sure, you could do this over email, but it may take several days (or even weeks) to finish the conversation. You can save yourself and your client days of back-and-forth by scheduling a 30-minute phone call. Get your questions answered in 30 minutes, and move on to actually making money!
The other time that it’s important to have a phone call is during the editing process. When you send a client the first draft of a project, recommend a phone conversation for feedback. This is especially important with new clients. This saves time, and it allows you to create a better finished product.
3. Phone calls keep the ball rolling.
As a freelancer, you should always be pushing projects forward so you can finish them and get paid.
Let me tell you a little bit about the mind of the professional marketer: it’s all over the place. Most marketers are like that dog in Up. They’re doing one thing, then suddenlythey see a squirrel! Then they drop everything to chase after that squirrel. Except instead of squirrels, they’re chasing marketing projects. Right now, you’re the squirrel. But god forbid they get their sights caught on something else while you’re working on their project!
When you keep pushing the project forward, you can get it done and get paid before your client moves on.
4. Phone calls make you look professional.
Clients EXPECT to have a phone call with you, even if they don’t say so. It’s the way things are done in the business world. So if you don’t schedule a phone call, you may come across as scammy, unprofessional, or inexperienced.
Remember, we are always trying to convey an air of professionalism and expertise here! And scheduling phone calls is one of the best ways to meet and exceed client expectations.
WHAT IS PHONE ANXIETY?
Having phone anxiety means that you experience anxious feelings when you make or receive phone calls. But you don’t need me to tell you that! For many people, the thought of a phone call makes their hearts race and their palms sweat.
Phone anxiety is associated with social anxiety disorder (SAD). But you don’t need to have SAD to have phone anxiety.
Believe it or not, phone anxiety is quite common. According to one UK study, 76% of Millennials experience phone call anxiety.
Client phone calls help communicate to prospective clients that you’re serious and professional.
WHY DO I HAVE PHONE ANXIETY?
Your reasons for phone anxiety are unique to you. Maybe you had a negative experience on the phone in the past. Maybe you hate the intrusive nature of phone calls. Maybeyou’re worried about how you sound on the phone.
For me, it’s the awkwardness of phone calls. We hardly realize it, but so much of our communication is through body language. But when you’re on the phone, you can’t see any body language. It’s hard to understand what your client is thinking or feeling when you can’t see their face. You can’t tell how they’re responding to your words! And then of course there are the awkward moments when you both speak at the same time.
And another thing that scares me is what if I forget what to say? What if I lose my train of thought? As a writer, I much prefer taking a slower, more thoughtful form of communication. Speaking on the phone creates so much anxiety because I have to perform in the moment.
HOW DO I OVERCOME PHONE ANXIETY?
First of all, you have to understand that most people feel this way about speaking on the phone. It’s not just you! Many of your clients also have phone anxiety at work. It’s justhow it is.
The good news? There are many ways that you can combat phone anxiety:
1. Try Video Calls Instead
As I mentioned before, part of the issue of phone anxiety for most people is that you can’t see the person you’re talking to.
That’s why I love video calls! You can see the person you’re talking to, so you can read their body language cues much more. You can tell when they’re about to speak so you don’t start rambling on. Plus, you’re focused on them, so you’re not tempted to start scrolling through Pinterest.
At this point, Zoom is pretty much standard in the business world. Make an account and do a practice call with a friend so you can feel comfortable with the platform. Then try calling clients!
2. Prep for Your Calls
Before I have a phone call with a client, I like to spend at least 5 minutes planning for the call.
I open up a new Google Doc, title it with the date, the client name, and the name of the person I’m speaking to. I copy down and information I have about them and paste it into the document. I create a bulleted list of talking points. Then I list out all the questions I have for them.
This may sound silly, but it helps me to reduce my phone anxiety to a manageable level.
3. Schedule Your Calls
To that point, schedule your calls instead of winging them! This way you can prepare for phone calls, and prevent that dread you feel whenever your phone rings.
I love to use Calendly to schedule my calls. Calendly integrates with your Google Calendar and Zoom account so that your clients can schedule meetings with you when you have free time. The meetings are automatically added to your calendar with a Zoom link. Then when it’s time for the call, you can both easily hop in through the Zoom link!
4. Prevent Clients from Calling You
I try not to give my phone number to clients. It’s one of the boundaries I have in my business. If you want to talk to me, you have to schedule a call so that I can plan for the call and it doesn’t interrupt my flow.
Even if they do have my number, I usually keep my phone on silent (it’s one of the tips I’ve learned to stay focused).
5. Realize You’re Not Alone
Phone anxiety is a very common issue. Remember 76% of Millennials have phone anxiety. Take a deep breath and remember that your client probably feels the same way.
Do you have phone anxiety? Do you have tips for dealing with anxiety while talking on the phone that I haven’t listed here?