In no particular order, "Don't do" #3 is:DON'T ANSWER CALLS FROM PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW/RECOGNISE
Never ever answer a call unless you know who it is from. You should have a PA or virtual PA screening all your calls. Let them know who you will and who you won't speak to and instruct them as to how to handle the various different types of call
eg keynote speaking enquiries to Trish..., Consultancy enquiries to Lesley and so forth.
eg keynote speaking enquiries to Trish..., Consultancy enquiries to Lesley and so forth.
Because we create our own businesses around ourselves, we end up being involved in way too much. You should be designing the business so that it operates without you.
Try putting autoresponders on your email that say "I am out of the office but consultancy enquiries can be dealt with right now by Lesley at lb@directorscentre.com or on +44 (0)1225 851044 and keynote speaking enquiries can be dealt with by Trish on...." You could do the same with your direct line answerphone if you don't have someone to filter your calls for you.
Just stop talking to people you don't know - the call is probably for their benefit and not for yours!
RELEVANT LINKS
No more 'To Do' lists #2 - blog entry
No more 'To Do' lists #1 - blog entry
Your Mobile Addiction! - blog entry
The Four-hour Workweek – Escape the 9-5 and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss…
No more 'To Do' lists #2 - blog entry
No more 'To Do' lists #1 - blog entry
Your Mobile Addiction! - blog entry
The Four-hour Workweek – Escape the 9-5 and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss…
3 comments:
I wouldn't advise this approach if your business depends upon sales. Providing you have practiced being fastidious about who gets your number, the call is often an opportunity.
Certainly the call may to benefit the caller on this particular occassion, but if the relationship is qualified, they want your help, and it may just be you who it benefits in the future...
I've also had many good calls from people, (strangers,) who've been given my number by a mutual aquaintance - these have lead to great results that, if they'd gone through a "firewall" may not have come to anything.
It's good to stop noise, but essential to have the right filters in place so that the opportunities come through without delay.
It's unfair and impractical to expect an administrator to qualify what those are and are not. Hence the reason that most successful folk are so approachable.
Good point... the assumption here is that you are the business owner and that you have been putting the right people, systems and processes in place so that you can concentrate on the important stuff (working ON and not just IN the business).
Yes, I agree that not all strangers a waste of time but sometimes you need to prioritise and filter out some, if not all, of the noise.
I would rather talk to my friends and lovers! Inevitably one or two gems may slip past but this process is just applying the 80:20 to try to be as effective as possible... (and cut out the pondlife!!)
Robert
10 Time-Management Tips That Work http://t.co/qUqUYxX via @entmagazine
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