We’ve all experienced it—the dread associated with cold calling. You know what I mean. The telephone weighing about fifty pounds, dry throat, queasy stomach, and completely unable to sound confident.
For many, prospecting, whether it’s a telephone call or in-person encounter, leaves them feeling uncomfortable and unproductive. When I begin working with a client {if business development is a focus}, I always ask about his or her comfort level in the area of cold calling. Here are a few common responses I receive:
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- “I hate it when people shoot me down. Everyone hates salespeople!” – Fear of rejection.
- “Those people who always brag about themselves or how much they’ve accomplished drive me crazy. I’m not going to be one of those people.” – Discomfort of self-promoting.
- “I don’t think I know enough to be able to answer any questions the prospect might have.” – Inability to see themselves as an expert in their field.
- “I’m not worth even half of what these prospects are; why in the world would they take my call?” – High net-worth individuals don’t take calls from people like me.
So, instead of cold calling, procrastination sets in. You find mindless paperwork to do, jump on social media and start to “research” prospects, or go through your email—none of which amount to adding one new prospect to your sales funnel.
You tell yourself that you’ll burn through that list on Monday, no Tuesday of next week. Yes, that’s the plan! Look, you even put the call block time in your calendar.
Nice try.
All you’ve done is create a vicious cycle of unproductive behaviors despite knowing that cold calling is necessary to build your sales funnel continually.
Now, brace yourself; I’m going to share the secret to successful cold calling.
Just relax and change your perspective.
OK, you think that’s too simple? Not really.
Just relax: Believe it or not, gatekeepers and prospects, in general, can smell fear—even through the phone! The hesitation in your voice, the ums or uhs that come out involuntarily when asking for the decision-maker screams FEAR. And, remember, it’s the gatekeeper’s job to keep people out. If you don’t sound confident, the deck is stacked against you. It’s how you deal with this anxiety that will absolutely impact your bottom line. Just breathe and relax. What’s the worst thing they can say to you?
Change your perspective: Adopting any new behavior comes down to shifting your perspective. I’d like you to consider focusing on the result—setting an appointment, getting a referral, etc., instead of the initial task. If you’re visualizing the reward, the rest becomes palatable.
Now, it’s time to take action and change your perspective!
If you’re ready to conquer your fear of cold calling, I hope you take immediate action and consistently practice these new behavioral changes daily.
If you know you need some help in this area and are ready for a more hands-on approach to getting up to speed on prospecting, let’s talk. I have programs where I work directly with your firm or agency, you as an individual, or with a specific team.
Whether you’re a business owner or financial professional, the tools you need to get started are within reach. Contact me, or schedule a call, and I’ll be happy to discuss your marketing needs with you.
