Call Reluctance

This one is big. If you are in sales. EVERYONE struggles from it. Whether you want to admit it or not. We do… Here’s how you know.

Do you ever put off calling someone?

Do you plan calling hours?

Do you plan calling hours and things get in the way? Hmmmmm

Do you creatively avoid making that phone call? (Checking e-mail, talking, bathroom, water, etc.)

Those are just a few examples. I’m going to give you A LOT of ways to overcome this. You pick yours.

1. Be planned – know the first 10/15 people, at least, you are going to call.
2. Set a number for calls – how many people are you going to call?
3. How many people do you want to talk to?
4. Tell someone how many of those calls and e-mails you are going to make: commit.
5. It’s just one call – to other people it’s just one call, to you it’s 10/20/40 – but it’s just one to them.
6. Look for no’s. What does this mean? How do we have a conversation that we can move them to say no, but at the same time “not right now”?
7. You can still contact them in the future, just might not be a good fit today.
8. Why do you do what you do? Do you want to help people? If we truly want to help people and we suffer from call reluctance, are we thinking about ourselves, or are we thinking about them? If we are thinking about them it doesn’t matter if they say no.
9. Use names. Names are power, but get permission. It opens up the conversation.
10. Use a script. Be smart enough to be dumb enough, not to have to think about it.
11. Commit to the call. What does that mean? It means when they answer you know the name, you use the script, you aren’t looking at other things, you aren’t distracted; they have your FULL attention.
12. Positive self-talk. What are you saying to yourself in the morning? Before you call? Even right before that call?
13. Motivational videos – go to YouTube. Google it. Do what you have to. Find it.
14. Read some testimonials. Even if they aren’t yours. This helps you understand how important you are to helping others.
15. Set a time to make your first call and an end. We can do anything for an hour.
16. Don’t overthink it. The more you think the more your mind will get in the way. Just dial.
17. Go out and get enough leads. It doesn’t matter if people say yes or no.
18. Realize this can change your whole life. You do it, and you can’t fail. Sales is a numbers game. Play that game.
19. Do you go look for people to talk to? Or are you hoping people don’t answer?
20. It’s practice: the more you do it, the better you will get.

These will help. Maybe you do all 20, maybe you do one of them. You’ve got this!