| Sales call reluctance can destroy sales careers and | | | | self respect and your career in sales. Put simply it is |
| affect anyone, be they new to sales or sales | | | | done by replacing call reluctant behaviours with |
| veterans. If you haven't experienced the emotional | | | | positive goal focused behaviours. Once the cycle has |
| torture of being call reluctant the chances are you will | | | | been broken and your proof will be new business and |
| do sooner or later. No effort you make - attendance | | | | more sales you will feel uplifted and feel as if you |
| at motivational seminars, the learning of sales | | | | have rediscovered your true self. |
| techniques or ways to improve product and industry | | | | The proactive actions you can take are: |
| knowledge - will protect you from this debilitating | | | | 1. Set goals. For goals to have pulling power they |
| experience. | | | | need to be realistic and stretch slightly beyond your |
| Researchers in this field have found that call | | | | comfort zone. Being focussed on achieving your goals |
| reluctance is responsible for 80% of sales people's | | | | can reenergize you. |
| failure in their first year. Research has also found that | | | | 2. Get coaching. Find an experienced sales coach with |
| it is call reluctance that accounts for over 50% of | | | | whom you can speak to candidly. They may well |
| failures in the sales profession. Sadly 40% of sales | | | | have been through call reluctance themselves and |
| veterans think about leaving sales because they are | | | | can help you through it as well as teach you great |
| trying to come to grips with call reluctance. The | | | | skills. |
| financial and emotional costs are staggering. | | | | 3. Catch yourself. This means if you start thinking |
| Call reluctance can be likened to a contagious disease | | | | negatively become conscious that you are thinking |
| because it can be passed on by sales managers, | | | | this way and challenge the thought. Ask yourself |
| sales trainers, fellow sales people and other internal | | | | "Why am I thinking like this?" You may discover the |
| support personnel. | | | | root cause of what started your call reluctance. |
| What is call reluctance? | | | | "What is the worst thing that can happen when I |
| A call reluctant sales person feels immobilized to | | | | approach this prospect?" For example "I'll be |
| initiate new business sales calls either by phone or | | | | rejected". Accept it because you know you will live |
| face to face. Other parts of the sales process such | | | | through it. Counter to this imagine with what good |
| as avoidance of group presentations or asking for | | | | could come from the prospect call? |
| the order can be affected. | | | | You may still feel uncomfortable as you challenge |
| The mental and emotional energy required to sell and | | | | your thoughts but at least your feelings of fear |
| achieve sales outcomes is redirected to other more | | | | won't be as intense as you gain greater control. As |
| comfortable and 'safe' activities. These activities can | | | | you catch yourself thinking self defeating thoughts, |
| include talking to others in the office, being tied up on | | | | challenge them and follow through with positive |
| phone calls or taking extended coffee breaks. | | | | action and you will get stronger and stronger. You |
| Call reluctance can be described as a fear of being | | | | may not be able to change the situation but you |
| assertive: the sales person believes in and acts on | | | | always have control over how you think and feel. |
| self belief excuses and thus fails to do what they | | | | 3. CRM. Good customer relationship management |
| know they need to do. In the process an emotional | | | | software can help you pin point where you could |
| sanctuary is sought. | | | | improve and if its call reluctance that is stopping you. |
| There are many different forms of call reluctant | | | | It can be revealing and high light where you could |
| behaviours. The ones we have come across over the | | | | improve in terms of how you manage you sales |
| years are:oAn increase in activity levels and a | | | | opportunities and a confronting experience self |
| corresponding drop in productivity levelsoSales | | | | diagnosing if its call reluctance. |
| reports have twice the information when compared | | | | 4. Build your armour. This is to build your resilience by |
| to a top performing sales person's | | | | networking with other professional sales people either |
| report.oComplaining to get attention and attract | | | | face to face or via the internet where there are |
| like-minded peopleoShifting blame to others and not | | | | many good groups to choose from; fill your mind |
| taking personal responsibilityoUse of excuses to | | | | with good material on sales and biographies on |
| spend time in the office instead of | | | | successful people because they always had a |
| prospectingoOver-servicing of existing clients | | | | struggle to achieve success; participate in webinars |
| What do I do if I am call reluctant? | | | | on sales and invest in your ongoing education on |
| Firstly, there is no reason to feel embarrassed or | | | | sales. |
| ashamed to admit to being call reluctant. What is | | | | Watch out for others whose conversations are |
| most important is that you have admitted it, at least | | | | always negative. You know the ones, the "yes but..." |
| to yourself, and are now willing to reprogram your | | | | and will counter a pleasant conversation with their |
| thinking and correct wrong beliefs. | | | | doom and gloom. You may need to mentally exit or |
| The good news is whatever triggered your call | | | | if appropriate excuse yourself and leave. |
| reluctance was a learnt response and whatever you | | | | To rid yourself of call reluctance be conscious of any |
| learnt you can also be unlearn. Whilst this may in the | | | | self defeating thoughts, challenge them and focus on |
| early stages be challenging it is worth it for your own | | | | following through with positive action. |