Phone calls can be great opportunities to gather information and to clarify. They can also be excruciating. They can be really long and feel like they’re going in circles. Then there is that dreaded feeling of hanging up and realizing you left something out. Well, try this simple way to help make sure that none of that happens to you again.
Before each phone call, take five to ten minutes deciding and clarifying what you want to get out of it. Write down in bullet form the topic and questions you need to cover. Knowing what success looks like before you start will help keep you moving in the right direction. You won’t leave anything out and will be better equipped to keep the conversation focused when it starts to get off course.
Also, take some time after each call and evaluate whether your desired outcome was accomplished. And if it wasn’t, figure out what was left out and what changes you could have made to make it successful. Doing this will help you going forward—continuous learning.