Hi Shulla and welcome,
Others on this site know that I hate answering the phone. I used to get in a right lather over it all.
I would echo Anika's advice and smile, honestly, it sounds so simple but it really makes all the difference.
I let it ring a couple of times, take a breath, morph into Joanna and pick up with a smile.
Sometimes I will 'Hello, Joanna speaking....' Or sometimes I forget and it's just a 'hello...' as long as I pitch my tone gaily, I am fine with the whole thing now.
If I get at all bothered, I tend to say, 'Hang on a sec, let me just move a bit, I am loosing my signal...' That gets me those few seconds to take a deep breath and compose myself.
The majority of callers know what they are looking for and the conversation flows very well. I have over time got used to dealing with the nervous ones and those that insist on saying, 'I am looking at your site now. How much is it an hour? What do you look like?' Honestly, You know, if they are looking at my site as they talk to me, why are they asking these things? Drives you round the twist!
Tell yourself that the caller is possibly nervous as well and if you take control of the call, you can't fail to come through it totally fine.
I have as well been in the middle of cleaning up and the phone has gone for a booking in an hour and I have told the caller that as long as he does not mind the fact I am cleaning today which means the place is not as tidy as it should be, I have no problem seeing him.... Normally I get told, 'I do not mind a bit of mess! See you in an hour!' Ha! Then it's down cleaning tools and run for a bath. Shove what I can in a room and close the door, I don't miss out on bookings anymore because the place needs a hoover, I won't give up the money for such a trivial reason. You do however, get used to cleaning up late at night just in case you get a call the next morning!
Good luck.
x