Very often when I am training or coaching my clients ask me what do I say that makes senior decision-makers listen to me

Although the words are important, it is all about assessing the other person’s world by listening to the tone of their voice. This will give you so much information about their mood as well as their availability to take your call. Especially in cold calling this precious information is overlooked.  Listen so very carefully to those first 5-10 secs of tonal information. Once you have established from this information what kind of state your executive is in, then acknowledge this immediately, especially if they are busy or  harressed. Once you have built the initial rapport, continue to speak to their tone. This  is a very powerful way of maintaining rapport especially with someone you do not know or who is reluctant to speak to you in the first place.  Start noticing the characteristics of different people’s tone and speak to that, notice what a big difference it makes to the quality of your conversations!