IDEAS TO A CALL GUIDE
After my first few phone calls I noticed that it took me a moment to appear secure and started to talk more SLOW and STRUCTURED. And anybody who knows me understands that these are two things that don’t go well with me. SLOW and STRUCTURED J
I would love to make a little list - and I hope that all of you find time to add to these list. By the end of a day we all could have a tool for us during our phone calls. If you are just a little insecure like me (and I was more than a little) it might help you.
I know for sure that you have additional pointers. So please add on and make tons of suggestions so that this turns into a growing reference guide.
IDEAS --- How to make a statement with your call
Turn down radio, tv and anything else what might disturb your call (maybe kids have to get a new toy to be occupied J ) – even your furnace could be disturbing.
Take a few deep breathers before dialing. I always count 10 deep breaths (wish I would have that much discipline in my diet attempts)
Don’t sit comfortable – stand up – your whole voice will have more energy.
Smile – although we are all angry. Smile – a smile is a great weapon and on the phone your voice turns into a more interesting voice. And that’s what we want. We want them to be interested in what we have say. We all think we smile all the time. Put a mirror in front of you while being on the phone and you will be amazed. SMILE!!!!
Speak slow!!! (That one is for me and if you have an accent like I do - this is vital) Speak so slow that you think you sound like a sloth. Remember – these people don’t know you, they don’t know why you call, they might be even trying to write down pointers of what you have to say. GIVE THEM A CHANCE!!! Speak s l o w and they will be able to take in much more information than you hope to get across.
Stay polite and calm – weird – that one is easy for me. Since this last election I know for a fact that I don’t want to come cross (not even remotely) like president elect. So stay calm and polite. I would like to quote Michelle Obama “When they go low, we go high”
Prepare yourself to answer a few questions. Your name and your district although most of the time they can see already on your caller ID where you are from. (Like amazon.com – they know everything about us)
A little list of your pointers is helpful. My list has from health care – women’s rights to school and education – the wall – Medicaid – ethic commission……………….and and and and. And then depending on who I call I set a check mark behind the items I want to talk about and I check them off again while I am talking on the phone. But there are always a few points which are more dear and most important to me. And these points I keep REPEATING
Repeat - wash and repeat!!! Your most important points – keep repeating them. Hey – I see this on Donald Trump. Watch him how he repeats, repeats and repeats himself so even the slowest thinker (isn’t that nicely put?) can follow him. With Trump is only one problem he doesn’t say the same thing twice but he keeps repeating them.
Mention that you represent more than one voter. That you speak for people like your spouse or parents. Elderly neighbors, friends etc. Maybe you can even name them or mention them as a group – I actually made myself a list of people I speak for and why I do so.
Tell them you will keep watching every step they make and you will call again until they understand that they need to represent our interests not their own. Tell them that you are not happy and that you will make insure by the tools given to you that they do their job.
By the end of the call I sum up one more time everything what I said by the little list I check off. And I even tell them so. I ask friendly: “I hope you don’t mind that I go quick with you over my little list here – to insure that I didn’t forget anything and to give you the opportunity to write a few points down. If I remember correctly we talked about A, B, C, D, E, ….. “
I also tell them to feel free to call me back anytime they would like to follow up on this important phone call.
Wishing you all a nice day and thanks for the time
But the most important thing to make this call — PICK UP THE PHONE and simply do it!!!!!!!!!