By Barbara K. Mednick
If you experience moments of doubt and hesitation when making prospecting calls, you’re not alone. This hesitation in calling prospective clients is responsible for more failures in sales than any other single factor, according to Behavioral Sciences Research Press (BSRP), a Dallas, Texas, organization that focuses on scientific (psychological) research and development, publishing and training.
In fact, a recent BSRP study concluded that salespeople today have a higher incidence of sales call reluctance than they did a few years ago.
“Every salesperson has days when they don’t feel like picking up the phone and calling prospects. But part of the work of selling is dealing with the natural reluctance to make prospecting calls,” says Paul Esch, president, Breakthrough Business Success, Inc., a Twin Cities business development consulting firm that works with leaders to improve internal and external communications.
“Salespeople experience call reluctance for a variety of reasons. Maybe you’re aiming higher. Fear of rejection is a normal response when you’re taking more risks. But your attitude is more important than the reasons why,” says Esch, who conducts training sessions on overcoming sales call reluctance.
Surprisingly, the average salesperson sells only 1.5 hours a day and doesn’t make a call until 11 a.m., according to Esch. In addition, many salespeople will not even call a prospect back a second time, according to Sales and Marketing Management magazine.
Reasons For Call Reluctance
“Some people are so full of fear, worry and doubt. To conquer the reluctance to make sales prospecting calls, analyze your own thoughts, feelings and sensations and acknowledge them. Pay attention to the words you use to describe what you’re doing – your own beliefs may be limiting you,” explains Esch.
Following are some of the most common reasons and fears for sales call reluctance, according to BSRP:
• Fear of taking social risks.
• Fear of making presentations.
• Feeling ashamed of sales career.
• Fear of intruding on others.
• Intimidated by upmarket clients.
• Fear of losing friends’ or family approval.
• Fear of disturbing client relationships.
Strategies For Success
Here are some strategies to help conquer your reluctance to making prospecting calls, recommended by Esch:
• Change your words and you’ll change your thinking. If you want different results, you must change your behavior, and if you want different behavior, you must change your thoughts.
• Know how to qualify a potential customer by asking more of the right questions.
• Set an attainable “stretch” goal and make it measurable and specific – e.g. “I’ll make 10 prospecting calls by 10 a.m. today.”• Be accountable and measure your sales activity to minimize rejection. Realize it’s a numbers game and you won’t personalize rejection.
• Increase your sales activity level to expand your comfort zone.
• Remember your accomplishments, become more knowledgeable and always keep your word.
“If you want to win, do it for love – love for yourself, your family, your company and your customer. How can anyone resist a person who is ‘all heart?” says Esch.
Barbara K. Mednick is a Twin Cities marketing communications consultant and freelance writer.
This article was published in the October 31st, 2005 issue of Star Tribune Jobs and is reprinted here with the permission of the Star Tribune Sales and Marketing Division, Minneapolis, MN. Articles on career development are published each Sunday in the Star Tribune Jobs section.
