There was a time when I didn’t believe in using headsets and in retrospect it was an “ego” thing.
When I launched my business last year, I decided to lose the ego and suite up with proper phone gear.
There are 3 reasons why I enjoy using a headset, let’s get the obvious one out of the way first.
I like to work “hands free”
Its not uncommon for me to have to access a document, an email, my CRM, a web page etc and a headset makes it easy but wait, there’s more!
I tend to use my hands quite a bit when I talk. Working hands free, frees up my hands to flail, move and even make offensive gestures when someone is rude and hangs up on me.
I think one of the reasons why people can sound unnatural when making calls is because in a normal conversation, you aren’t holding a phone.
I like to move when I speak to people
I believe heavily in the concept of “motion leads to emotion” when speaking on the phone.
Being able to get up and move helps me manufacture energy and I believe it translates through the phone.
If people can “hear” a smile, they can sure as heck feel the force in Uncle Paul when he transfers energy through the phone.
It helps me change things up!
My final reason might be more of a selling point for a wireless headset or even a cell phone, but its valid just the same.
I don’t like to stare at the same four walls when I have lots of calls to make!
A wireless headset or cell helps with that big time!
Sometimes I make my calls in another room in my house, quite often I like to make my calls from the patio, sometimes I pack a beach chair and make calls from the park, I have clients who simply make calls from different offices, the conference room etc and here’s where this is going . . .
Different settings can jolt our creativity and free us from a sense of being confined to our prospective cubicles.
Different settings have different behaviors and protocols attached to them. In other words, we associate different ways to act in different settings so if I associate being relaxed with being outside and in my beach chair . . . why not?
One obvious disclaimer . . . if you have a bunch of dogs barking or trucks doing whatever the hell trucks do in the background it might sound a tad unprofessional.
I use two different headsets
I use the Plantronics CT14 Wireless headset. Its comfortable, compact, clear and I get a good 300 feet out of that sucker!
Investment: 159.99
I also use the GE VOIP All In One Foldable Headset. This is really versatile headset that can be used for Skype, your cell phone and even as headphones for your iPhone. They fold up really small which is ideal with all the travel I do. The quality is pretty good and certainly good enough for recording my Sales Playbook Podcast each week!
Investment: $29.99
Your turn . . . What are your thoughts about using a headset?
