Most people simply dont know how to put themselves across by telephone.

Face to face, theyre fine. They dress well, make eye contact, deploy a firm handshake, carry a snazzy briefcase or folder under their arms, present crisp business cards, and smile warmly.

Look back at this paragraph.

The person who puts himself across face to face has a lot of props on which to rely, dont you think?

When were on the phone, we have to prompt ourselves to use the tools that are available to us.

Here are five tips for enhancing your telephone presence, your credibility and your overall effectiveness.

(1) Speak slowly. The tendency is to speed up when were nervous. When we do, we sound like undeserving amateurs.

(2) Speak clearly, enunciating your words more than you normally do. Many people are in the habit of slightly slurring their speech, which is barely permissible face to face because there, people can read our lips and interpret our gestures and facial expressions.

(3) Smile! Folks arent in front of you, true, but you still need to seem nice, open, and friendly to be accepted graciously.

(4) Write out your opener, the first words you plan to say. Rehearse it, off the phone, many, many times. This will make you sound professional and organized, and therefore, credible.

(5) Be prepared to deliver succinct, but meaningful messages to secretaries and to voice mail. Again, scripting these morsels helps a lot.

You dont have to be present, in someones field of vision, to have telephone PRESENCE.

Implement these five tips, and youll be on your way to being able to come across as big as life, over the phone!