Do you or your team suffer from call reluctance ?Would you rather send emails than make calls?If you have to pick up the phone for a living, then I’ll bet making cold calls isn’t one of your favorite activities. And if you struggle making those calls, then take comfort in knowing you’re not alone.Speaking in public used to be the biggest fear someone could face (even before dying), but I think that for salespeople it’s making outbound calls. No one likes to be rejected, and the resistance you get from gatekeepers, receptionists, decision makers, etc., can quickly result in call reluctance.
There are many things you can do to be more prepared to make successful calls, and here are my top three:
#1: Be prepared with proven scripts or “talk tracks” to handle the inevitable rejection and responses you’re going to get. If you don’t have proven answers that automatically flow out of your mouth when you get things like:
“Will he know what this call is regarding?” “We’re all set,” “I wouldn’t be interested.” “Just email me something.”And more, then this is job one. You must have
proven and effective responsesready for these, otherwise you’ll struggle on each and every call…
#2: Have all your leads/phone numbers/contacts ready in advance. Do your research and then compile a list of 50 – 100 names and numbers you can dive into. If not, then you’ll spend your time between calls researching, reading blog posts, looking at websites, taking lunch, and then not calling enough prospects to make a difference.Being prepared in advance to sit down and dial repeatedly not only builds momentum, but gets you results.
#3: Take the pressure off yourself. Not everyone you’re going to speak to is going to be interested or even a fit, so don’t set your expectations too high. You’re not trying to sell or convert each person you speak to; instead, you’re just looking for an opportunity.Related:
How to Overcome All Objections with This One QuestionWhen you look at this this way, you’ll be much less likely to take the inevitable rejection you face personally. Instead, just tell yourself that if someone isn’t interested, then you’ve moved that much closer to finding the person who is.If you can take care of the three items above, then you’ll be removing a lot of the “internal resistance” you have around making calls. And the good thing is that once you do get into a groove of making successful calls, your confidence will grow as will your sales.If you’d like to learn even more strategies or get the tools and skills you need to get better selling over the phone, then see our
new online training program.Sign up for it today and get ready to double or even triple your sales this year….
