Hello? (Press Release February 29 2016)

The ‘Phone Lady’ dishes on Adele’s telephone habits; celebrates 140th anniversary of first phone call  

(Halifax, NS) Feb. 29, 2016 – Adele must have done it a thousand times. But did she do it effectively, and with panache?

“I’m very frustrated for Adele. She’s a terrific singer, but clearly her phone skills need an overhaul,” quips Mary Jane Copps, otherwise known as The Phone Lady.  “She is obviously not getting her message across, and she’s missing out on opportunities – maybe even true love – because of that. Sadly, it’s a familiar story.”

The Halifax businesswoman has spent the past 10 years instructing people of all ages – students, entrepreneurs, CEOs – in the fine art of telephone communication skills. In The Phone Book: Essential Telephone Communication Skills – and in classroom, workshop, one-on-one and online training sessions – she covers topics ranging from phone phobia and leaving messages to cold calling and ways to inspire conversation.

As the world prepares to mark the 140th anniversary of Alexander Graham Bell’s first phone transmission on March 10, Copps reflects on a society where cell phones are ubiquitous, yet fewer people feel confident about actually making phone calls. In contrast, complaints about the avalanche of e-mails and text messages are gaining momentum in the business, and even social, realms.

“When my clients dial instead of tapping on keys, they find out how much faster it is to move forward with a project or get the information they needed,” says Copps, whose motto is Pick it up. Make things happen!

“They also discover the meaning of clarity – that hearing the words instead of reading them provides them with greater knowledge and understanding. This is the power of the human voice.”

With a successful career spanning management, journalism, sales, research and fundraising, Copps finally embraced her alter-ego, The Phone Lady, in 2006. Her clients range from large corporations such as TD Bank and Marriott Hotels, to charitable organizations including the IWK Foundation and Nature Conservancy of Canada, to universities and entrepreneurship programs.

Follow The Phone Lady:

@thephoneladyca

https://thephonelady.com/

www.linkedin.com/in/maryjanecopps 

Photo credit: Rebecca Clarke http://www.rebeccaclarke.ca 

For copies of the book, to arrange interviews, or for high-res images, please contact:

Skana Gee

publicist

gee.skana@gmail.com
902-223-5234

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What's The Phone Lady doing?

  • One-on-one coaching with 6 amazing entrepreneurs - info about sales coaching here
  • Creating client communication module for college students studying design
  • Remote learning experience for financial advisors
  • Remote learning experience with new business owners on creating their sales process
  • One-on-one and team coaching for a firm representing natural products for arthritis in dogs
  • Remote learning experience on both discovery and sales calls for new startups
  • Team coaching with a national moving company to refine their sales process
  • In-person team coaching with marketing company
  • Remote phone skills workshop for North American orthodontist firm
  • Working with translators to present The Phone Lady in France
  • Free sales workshop at the Halifax Central Library
  • Phone skills as a job search tool for those starting their career

Do you or your team want to improve your communication skills? Do you have a communication question or challenge you'd like to discuss? This quick-to-fill-out form is easy to use and you'll hear from Mary Jane very soon.