How can I tell a client I can't call them?

Do a live skype chat.

or

Tell them you have laryngitis and doctor told you not to talk.

Push yourself out of your comfort zone and talk on the phone. Get the client's phone number and call him/her when it's quiet and convenient for you.

You shouldn't expect to own a successful business without speaking one-on-one to clients. I know it can be stressful when you don't like to talk about business. Meet your fears headon, bite the bullet, and learn to do it. Soon you will lose your fear and wonder why you ever felt that way in the first place.

Being a successful business owner means meeting challenges, figuring how to overcome them, and then meeting the next roadblock that comes your way.

Steve

You don't tell them that. You don't tell any client that...ever. Because your preferences don't really matter when you're trying to close a deal, and starting a conversation by saying you're inflexible is almost a guaranteed deal-breaker.

So let's role-play a little bit. I'm the client. You're you.

You- Sir, I would prefer to communicate by email since it's easier for me.

Me- I don't like email. It's much easier for me to pick up the phone and call you for updates.

You- But sir, I have problems with my phone line...plus you're in a different time zone.

Me- So you're saying that you want my business but you're too lazy to fix your phone? I'll find someone else to help me...don't contact me again. You've already wasted far too much of my time.

That's the ONLY way that conversation could possibly play out since professionals do not hire amateurs to handle important aspects of their business. If you want to land larger clients, then fix the phone problem and be prepared to communicate with the client however he wants to communicate. Excuses don't work in the business world...either you find a solution or you don't.

And if it's noisy where you live, then figure out how to get a cell phone to answer client calls. When they try to reach you by phone, then run like a madman out of your house and go wherever you have to in order to have peace and quiet. Or rent an office space...whatever you need to do in order to become professional.

I'm new to IM but not to sales.

You need to gain your client's trust. It's difficult for many to fork over money without even so much as a phone call. Like Steve said, push yourself outside of your comfort zone (this is actually what a lot of successful people do in all areas of their life to continue to grow as a person). I hate public speaking and hated telephone calls, and face to face sales as well, but after being "thrown in the fire" over and over again it's now as easy as shooting an email.

You got this.

So basically all of the things you said were excuses...

You are just to scared to talk on the phone with them. It's pretty obvious...

Some times you just have to man up and start doing it and
it will be hard at first but get easier over time until you feel 100% fine with.

This is not a forum to suggest the best lie.....

It's simple. Is the client worth losing if you don't find a way to call him?

Re's
Rob Whisonant

Most business owners don't think their own voices sound that "professional". Don't worry about that.

Use a cell phone and call from a quiet place. If you can't do that, just apologize for the noisy background and tell them things are a bit crazy in the office at the moment. Almost every business owner has experienced "crazy times" in their own offices...

I'm guessing there is an underlying issue you are not sharing with us...Do you perhaps have a foreign accent?

If that's the case, you still need to overlook it and just make the call. If you speak with confidence, they won't pay much attention. Many of the finest doctors I have used had heavy foreign accents and they were crazy busy. Some of the best Microsoft Engineers that assisted me with network issues had heavy accents, but were understandable, professional, and knew their stuff.

You are more at risk of losing the sale by not calling, than letting them hear a noisy office, your voice, or, your accent, than insisting you only communicate by email.

If someone requested to ONLY speak via email, that would send up an immediate red flag. You may have legitimate excuses, but in my mind, I would be nervous to know what you are hiding. Is he who he says he is? Is he really an expert that can answer my questions in a thorough and concise manner?

Stop making excuses and talk to the guy on the phone. Why let potential business go to waste over a little anxiety?

I know it's absolutely nerve wracking at first. But, trust me. It gets easier as time goes on. These days I am completely comfortable and relaxed when talking to prospective clients over the phone.

Of course, developing that comfort level took years and years of phone calls. Developing a phone communication skill with potential customers is going to skyrocket your business.

You don't. Period.

I've never said that to any client in my many years of freelancing online.

If I was your client and received that response, you would never hear me from me again.

Your excuse is irrelevant... unless you explain in your email that you're a mute.

Lots of good advice here. Let me take a different angle.

Say you manage to close the deal while somehow managing to avoid direct phone contact.

Congratulations! You achieved success in not confronting your fears to get the deal.

But now, the client needs (fill in the blank... support, billing clarifications, etc). They may not pay their next bill until they can discuss the issue with you over the phone. What do you do?

How long can you avoid using the phone as a business tool before you are forced to confront this anxiety and overcome it?

The sooner you do, the better off you will be.

I run my own marketing biz and have to talk on the phone with various personalities. Some of them are easy going and relaxing others are fully fledged psychopaths. You can't do e-mail it won't work. People want to talk on the phone when they are paying you.

You're stressing yourself out by the "scary story" you're telling yourself. Let me ask you this: What's the worst thing that could happen if you talk to the client by phone? He/she thinks you don't sound "professional" enough and you lose the deal? He/she is an awful/terrible/horrible human being and is nasty to you on the phone - in which case, would you really want to work with this person? How terrible are those, really, in the whole big picture of life?

What's the worst that can happen if you don't talk to the client by phone? You lose the deal?

You probably stand a greater chance of losing this deal if you don't make the phone call than if you do (assuming your client is requesting to speak directly before hiring you), so I encourage you to set your fears aside and just make the call. Will you experience some anxiety and discomfort, at least at first? Yes, probably. But will it be any worse than the stress you're creating for yourself right now by worrying about it? Probably not. Chances are very good that the phone conversation will go much better than you are anticipating.

The best way to overcome a paralyzing fear is to face it - either head on or in gradual increments.

You say it is an important client and you dare not call them? Then find a way! Don't risk losing a client just because you think it is inconvenient and you prefer email. Only a big shot service can do that and I am sure you are no big shot as of the moment. So I suggest you fix your phone problem or find another way to call your client. Why not ask your friend to use his or her phone. Just to close the deal.

Find a place where there isn't too much noise and do a Skype call. Don't worry about the way your voice sounds, unless you're doing voice over work?? Otherwise do the call on Skype or some other voice chat app.

Calling them really would be good. You're lucky he doesn't want to meet in person!

I know if I was closing a big deal I'd want to at least talk to the seller over the phone.

calls are overrated, especially because of different timezones

What's also telling here is that three days have passed, and the OP hasn't bothered responding at all.

Why don't you just tell the client the truth (in an email)?

• I am having issues with my phone service provider
• I haven't got a permanent number yet
• I don't always have a quiet background
• I'm in a different timezone
• I don't sound professional enough

I'm sure they'll appreciate being spared the interrupted service, phone tag, and unprofessional presentation.

Nevertheless, I agree that phone calls are overrated. 49% of those who use social media daily would rather text than call a person (Performics) In fact, I've spoken to three people on the phone during my entire 20 year adventure as an online entrepreneur.

Everyone that feels calls are overrated and refuse to call clients; please send those clients to me! The Internet is a global economy and I have no problem adapting to the clients time zone and convenience.

Re's
Rob Whisonant

I provide a B2B SaaS, and I would say one in five deals close without any phone calls.

If you are dealing with professionals, and will be taking money for your service, you are going to be talking to a significant portion of them on the phone or suffer the consequences.