TheWhippinpost - 5:54 pm on Feb 5, 2007 (gmt 0)

Personally, those kind of calls (and I have had them) hold my attention even less than the standard scripted ones, because they come over as patronising, annoying and, well, incredible.

As I mentioned earlier; the written word can't be heard as meant - I agree with you that done "wrong", half-heartedly or in an overly-contrived way, then yes... and don't get me wrong, we all have our off-days when energy levels are low and the words just don't come out right.

But getting the sales is a game of averages - The trick is to get your averages up.

"All the world's indeed a stage and we are merely players, performers and portrayers, each another's audience outside the gilded cage"
Neil Peart, Rush

Admit it or not, we like to be entertained whilst being informed... that's my message to new-starters who fear making that call. Don't be afraid, have fun with it. Let your personality shine-thru... that will put you leaps and bounds ahead of the crowd. By all means, learn the closing techniques adequately described in many books or training courses, but all that means squat if you can't communicate it in a natural, friendly way.