Weekend Quick Tip: Take Notes during Phone Conversations
As of late, more and more clients and potential buyers are asking to speak with me on the phone. For me, this is like a dream come true. I know a lot of freelance writers would hate this, but I enjoy speaking with others in “real time.” Not only does this give me the chance to communicate, which is hard to come by at times as a freelancer, but it also allows me to form a better relationship with the person on the other end of the line. That being said, a phone conversation does not leave a trail of information like email. How are you going to remember what was said?
During every phone conversation, no matter who I am speaking with, I always take notes. Sometimes I do this with a pen and sticky note, and other times, when there is a lot to talk about, I use a text document so that I can save it directly to my computer.
While taking notes is important, make sure that you do not get so caught up in this that you lose track of what is going on. In other words, you need to become proficient at taking quick notes while also keeping up with the conversation. After all, you do not want to miss something important.
Remember, your notes do not have to be perfect. I only write down the important parts of the conversation, and even then I never form full sentences or record information verbatim. Instead, I write as much as I can and then clean things up after the conversation comes to an end.
No matter if you are speaking with a long term client or being interviewed, make sure you take notes. This may sound like a waste of time, but these notes will come in handy in the future.
October 5th, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Good tip. Also be sure to file those notes or quickly copy them to your computer. Those pesky little things have a way of getting lost really easily.
October 5th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
That is a great tip. People need to remember to make at least a basic notation of everything covered during the phone call. Often you’ll think that one point doesn’t have to be noted because it’ll be easy to remember, but once you get multiple clients you run the risk of increasing the chances of forgetting it. You can also put yourself in the position of thinking that the point in question refers to a different client. Good advice though, take notes on everything.
October 5th, 2008 at 11:33 pm
I couldn’t agree more. I like to type my notes since I type faster than I talk anyway. I have a better chance at typing coherent notes. Do you ever record your phone interviews?
October 5th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Oops…I meant to say “I like to type my notes since I type faster than I write.” I probably type faster than I talk too!