Financier J. B. Fuqua has made a fortune putting deals together over the telephone. His most important strategy is to make notes before he places a call.

To avoid playing telephone tag, return phone calls right away, because you're likely to catch the caller and your messages won't pile up（积累） . If the person is busy, many time-tacticians make an appointment to call back. Leaving a detailed message on someone's voice mail prevents you from getting tied up in long conversations and will get you an answer more quickly.