I’m slowly crawling back to a regular posting scheduling. Reluctant I am. Because I’m still swamped with my “project” and kinda need more time.

Anyhoo, enough about me. 

Last week’s guest writer, Julie Bestry, shared a few websites that can help you save some time when you’re on the phone. You know, like when you call some company’s customer service number and get put on hold.

But, what about when you call a specific person (or they call you)? Like someone you’re working on a project with. Or, your child’s teacher. Your “this-person-likes-to-talk-a-lot” friend.

How can you get to the point and, more importantly, get off the phone, so you have time to get on with the other important things on your list?

There are three steps you can take to wrap things up quickly…very easy things, so try them out on your next phone call.

1. Be up front. Don’t be afraid to say that you’re pressed for time. In fact, if you’re the caller, it should be the first thing you say. Let person you’re calling know that you won’t keep them long, especially since you have a full plate yourself. If you’re on the receiving end of the call, be clear that you only have a few minutes to chat. No need to go into a long explanation why. Just be sure you’re nice when you say that you’re on a tight deadline. Consider setting an alarm – a loud one. When it goes off, say: “Oh, my alarm just went off. I’ve got to go!”
2. Do some reconnaissance. If you’re the caller, find out if it’s a good time for the person you’re calling. How awesome will you feel after rattling off a long discourse about why you’re calling only to find out you’ve got bad timing? So, straight away, ask:  ”Do you have 10 minutes to talk?” If the answer is no, find out the best time to follow up.
3. Know your stuff. Do you even know what you want to talk about? You probably have a good idea but what you need to do is get specific. Write out your questions, comments, or talking points BEFORE you start dialing. This will make the call go a lot more quickly.