Many times we find it difficult to pick up the phone and call somebody we want or need to talk to. Communication is a difficult process as it is. Not to have the benefit of non-verbal language and not to see how the other reacts to what we say can make us very insecure.

Many people rehearse before making a formal call and others experience true anxiety attacks. A useful tool to prevent such discomfort are conversation starters

and more so, telephone conversations starters. A first step would be a strong grasp of normal telephone etiquette. This can help you keep control over the start and course of the discussion but doesn’t leave room for any excitement or spontaneous dialogue. Even so, knowing this etiquette is very useful when you make formal, official calls. A normal greeting phrase, suited for the situation and then presenting yourself is all you need to remember saying before you go on to the true purpose of your call. You can then make sure you are talking to the person who can best help you and then introduce your problem or question and the rest just naturally flows from the dialogue.

Things are completely different as far as calling friends is concerned. It’s hard to believe people are anxious before calling a friend but what if you have romantic feelings for that friend? What if you had had a recent argument with that friend or what you are in the beginning stages of the friendship? These are just some occasions that can make us nervous and insecure about ourselves. Useful conversation starters can be prepared beforehand but it is very difficult to make the conversation more natural and honest afterwards. That’s why it would be best for our not to prepare the exact line you are going to say but to just focus on the tone or the thing you want to talk about. If you are authentically concerned about how that person is you should also not have any problems thinking what to ask. It gets much easier once you start to use the same starters every time you talk with that person because you will get used to it and to answering the phone with a fixed line.

Be careful not to remain silent for too long. Ask something or cough anything really. If you’re calling just as a pass time there’s no reason to let the conversation become passive. Spice it up with a joke or if you’re calling pretend you’re somebody else and then, after you’re both relaxed and amused just chat about the day, about small things just to know that you made the time that day to communicate and refresh your friendship.