In the fabulous Keeping Up Appearances sit com, the fantastic Mrs Hyacinth Bucket was insistent that in fact her name was pronounced “Bouquet” There was absolutely no way that she was a “Bucket” as that would just not create the right impression! It wasn’t who she was at all.. or was it?

So, where’s the link with Hyacinth Bucket and telemarketing in the UK

Well, many people when they get on the phone to do some prospecting feel like they have to become someone else. They have to become “the salesperson”. You will have all heard people who’s voices and accents massively change when they are speaking on the phone and in the world of sales particularly the old style “pitch and close” environments those voices tend to be falsely enthusiastic and loud because we have all been told that enthusiasm sells. It does, but only when conveyed in a natural way and not as part of some alter ego. My advice to people is to  “just be you “and don’t feel pressured to be someone else. After all, you are unique and your prospects will buy into you and your unique personality just as much as they will your product or service- By showing them the real you and by being genuinely interested in what they have to say as opposed to being a cardboard cut out salesperson or even worse a telephone Darlek (more about these in a later post) you’ll have many more productive telephone conversations, conversations being the operative word here.