The Most Important Minutes of Each Call

How you handle the first few minutes of any call determines how well that call will go. The most common mistake readers make is by leading the call too much or letting the caller have too much control. Either extreme generally ends poorly. The best calls are accomplished when finding the proper balance.

Here are some primary rules to follow in order to make your first impression with a caller - and those first few critical minutes - count the most:

Be happy. Everyone loves a winner and everyone thinks a winner can give the best information. Let your voice indicate that sense of being a happy winner. No need to be loud about it, no need to be false. Just a genuine sense of well-being and confidence comes across the phones.

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Finding Your Own Voice

Develop a method of starting the call that's comfortable for you. At the beginning of the call there's a lot of "housekeeping" chores to do. You need to welcome the caller - tell the caller who you are - ask for the caller's name and birth date so you can relate to them personally and make sure they are of legal age to speak with you. If you are new to telephone work it can feel clumsy and awkward to begin this way.

The solution??? Practice before you get on the phone. Remember while going through the practice you are looking for you own “voice” and style, which is the only AND best way to be successful on the phones!

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Be Flexible

Some calls can go along according to a predefined formula, but many calls do not. Callers can be impatient, unhappy, rude, drunk, depressed or whatever. They can interrupt you from the very start. You need to develop an opening and presentation that is flexible - where you can "punt" at any point.

Most importantly is that "sense" you get of where the caller is at emotionally. Use it. Rely on it. Listen carefully. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Some callers don't want readings at all - some of them just want to talk because no one else listens to them, or they are lonely - some want counseling instead of a reading because they are confused and lost - some want to argue and are looking for a good verbal exchange - some just want to make fun of a psychic - some . . ., well, you get the drift.

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Give the Caller What S/He Wants

The point is that the caller is paying to get off the phone feeling as though s/he got what s/he wanted from the call - not what you wanted to do with the call. If you try to force your way on the caller they will hang up on you. But, if you answer the call with an "open" attitude and if you "read" them first, determine what it is they are looking for, and then make sure they get it - they will be happy to follow your lead and stick with you. Equally important, they will in all probability be interested in setting up an appointment and speaking with you on a regular basis.

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Most Commonly Asked Caller Questions

Let's say the caller does want a traditional reading. Here are some of the most common questions asked on the phones:

Am I in the right relationship?
Is my mate cheating on me?
When will I meet my soul mate?
Have I already met my soul mate?
Do you see which direction my career is headed?
When will I meet my future mate?
Can you tell me which lottery numbers are best for me?
Will I be healthy?
Will my family be healthy?
Will I get that job that I just interviewed for?
Is there happiness in my future?
What is the best day for me to ask for a raise?
Will I ever feel totally secure?

Again, "tune in" to the caller. Be careful to avoid topics that are out of the caller's comfort zone. Be sensitive to the caller's place in the call at all times.

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Maintaining Control of the Call
Remember I said earlier that a "proper balance" was needed to be obtained on each call? Just because you are constantly checking on where the caller is at emotionally, doesn't mean that you are letting the caller control the conversation.

Even when callers indicate a different direction is needed in the call, it doesn't mean that you should lose sight of where the caller is and what you need to do to keep the caller happy. Often callers try to rush you or get you to give simple answers to complex questions. You will find that keeping this balance and control requires more psychic ability than providing the reading itself. Fortunately, this is a skill you use daily in other areas. You are always "sensing" where someone is - whenever you do business face to face, what you can say to a family member, etc. Now you must focus on translating this natural ability to work for you on the phone.

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I See. . . I Sense. . . . I Feel

Callers rely on you to use this “sense” in order to provide them with the best readings. There is a “magic bubble” that is created between you and the caller when they feel you understand their thoughts and have information they need and want. To maintain this “magic bubble” is therefore a primary goal on the phone when giving readings. Using the expressions I See. . . I Sense. . . . I Feel when talking with the caller automatically begins to create this “magic bubble” and should be used frequently.

For example, instead of saying “You are looking for a someone to marry” you should say “I sense (or I see, or I feel) you are looking for a someone to marry” . Just this little change in the way you speak to the caller can change the entire tone and outcome of the call.

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What If Callers Ask for Miss Cleo?

You need to explain Miss Cleo is not associated with this new Network in any way. But you might also take note if the caller is someone who is genuinely looking for a Miss Cleo type of reading. In that case, maintain your best positive, winning attitude. She had a quality in her voice which was rather parental - letting callers know what they should be doing while encouraging and supporting them to go and do it. Don't be afraid to experiment with these qualities and make them your own. Pull upon your experiences with handling children. Pull upon your own entertainment capabilities. Adults, like children, just love to be entertained and if you can do it while giving them quality information on themselves you're really going to find this work a hoot!

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Discussion Areas to Avoid with Callers

Your calls will be routinely monitored and future access to receiving calls from the phone you are working on will be immediately invalidated if you are found violating any of the first 6 items on this list

1. You should NEVER ask a caller for money in any manner whatsoever

2. You should NEVER give medical advice or your opinion on medical
treatment or any medical procedure.*

3. You should NEVER give legal advice or recommend legal tactics*

4. You should NEVER use curse words or foul language

5. You should NEVER agree to contact any caller privately

6. You should NEVER give lottery numbers and claim they are winners

7. You should NEVER discuss pending death, doom or disaster

8. You should NEVER use the word FREE (as in minutes, etc.)

9. You should NEVER discuss how long the call has been

10. You should NEVER give any personal information to a caller




*There is a way to discuss legal and/or medical issues on the phone and still express your opinion, without actually instructing or advising the caller specifically. This method will be discussed later in your Orientation Manual.


Approaches That Work

1. Be positive and upbeat

2. Show confidence in your voice

3. Listen carefully to whatever the caller is saying

4. Agree (sincerely!) with the caller whenever possible

5. Show your caller the rewards and benefits of following your reading

6. Ask lots of questions

7. Always be pleasant even if challenged

8. Admire your callers' positive (good) qualities

9. When necessary, show callers sympathy, never pity

10. Congratulate your caller's achievements and successes

11. Be honest and realistic. It's refreshing and callers love it

12. Let every caller feel you care about her/him

13. Encourage your callers to reach for their dreams

14. Present all of your information from the positive side

15. Be prepared to argue only if you know that's what your caller wants

16. Use the caller's name when speaking

17. Try to make a new friend of each caller on the phone

18. Create an air of "magic" about the call

19. Jot down notes of names, dates and places as the caller talks, so you can refer to them later in the conversation

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Approaches That DON’T Work

1. Talking in negative language

2. Interrupting the caller while s/he is talking

3. Talking about yourself

4. Talking about working as a psychic

5. Using a prepared script

6. Telling the caller s/he is wrong

7. Telling callers their ideas are not as good as yours

8. Ignoring what the caller says and continuing reading or talking

9. Waiting while a caller says nothing

10. Logging on when you're depressed or in a very bad mood

11. Getting involved in discussing free minutes/length of call

12. Being condescending with the caller

13. Insulting the caller

14. Assuming you know things you really don't know

15. Debating religious issues or trying to get the caller to accept your religious beliefs

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Common Legal Requirement You Should Know About

You are required, by law, to report to the authorities any physical or sexual abuse you know for an absolute fact is being committed. This is so far an unheard of event on the phones. Under current circumstance you just give out the telephone numbers contained in the National Hot lines list instead of making a call yourself.

However, if you can hear with your own ears the act is taking place while a caller is on the phone with you AND if you can get the caller to give you her/his exact address and/or phone number, then you are required to call the authorities.

If this should happen with one of your calls - and I honestly have never known it to happen before - but if you turn out to be the only person this ever happens to, then it’s best if you have another phone line you can use to make the call to the local authorities You call information for the area code of the caller (area code + 555-1212) obtain the phone number for the police precinct which is closest to the caller’s address and then call the police and report.

In the alternative, if the caller has a second phone line and can get to it, you can try to get the caller to just call 911 as it’s obviously faster.