• Make calls on the right days and during the best times. Some people are morning people while others wait until late afternoon to kick into high gear. Monday morning isn’t a good time to call someone for the first time. That’s when people organize their week, recover from the weekend or go to meetings. Call a prospect or new client on Tuesday or Wednesday when the week is already underway.

• Know what you’re going to say ahead of time. Highlight the key points so you don’t waste a client’s time and come across as a dork. That applies to dating too.

• Make phone appointments. When someone asks you to call them back, schedule a mutually beneficial time to call. By doing so, you’ll know that they’ll be there when you call. Treat phone calls the same way as face-to-face appointments and keep them.

• Keep detailed notes when talking with clients. Rather than take notes on loose scraps of paper, use a contact management software program or keep notes in your client files. You’ll save time searching for client notes if you keep them in one place.

• Be nice to anyone who answers the phone. You may think the person who answers the phone is a receptionist when instead it may be your point of contact. Awkward. A mistake as simple as that could kill a major deal.