Clear your throat before you pick up the phone

Eh-hem.

I work from my home office. I don't have co-workers to chat with, and I communicate through email, IM and text most of the time. Not a lot of vocalizing happening here, and it shows. If I make a call, or answer a call, my voice is rough.

What with it being cold and flu season, I thought I'd share some tricks to keep voices sounding positive and happy.

• Clear your throat before you pick up the phone
• Take a deep breath
• Always have water available nearby (to wet your mouth and avoid "tongue clicks")
• Sing or hum during the day to keep vocal chords loosened up (even if you don't consider yourself a singer)
• Smile when you say hello (people can hear it)

What do you do to sound good over the phone?