Overcoming Call Reluctance

How do you beat call reluctance?

In The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance, Shannon Goodson and George Dudley found that 80% of new salespeople fail because of call reluctance, while 40 percent of veterans stop prospecting because of it.

Call reluctance happens to rookies and seasoned pros alike. For us to know how to overcome it, it helps to know what causes it.

Here are some of the common causes of call reluctance:

1. Our culture has shaped salespeople as pushy and annoying, and so most of the time, salespeople easily get rejected before getting to the offer.

2. Some people are more introverted than others which makes initiating contact with strangers intimidating.

3. Lack of preparation in terms of meeting the potential customers where their needs are. Sometimes, there's a need to move outside the script and become more conversational for the client.

Now that we know what the common causes of call reluctance are, we've listed down several tips to help you overcome it.

1. Embrace value and reframe the fear of rejection.

Knowing the value of your service and believing that it will definitely help the person on the other end of the line will help you realign your mindset and understand that by doing what you do, you help a person make their lives better.

2. Understand what your potential customers might need and know what they may ask so you can be prepared for any questions that come your way.

You will only be able to do this by becoming an expert in what you sell. Learn the ins and outs of your business and think of what possible questions or concerns your clients may have. If you don't know the answer, don't be rattled. Politely tell them and assure them that although you do not have the answer at the moment, you will definitely find it out for them.

3. Let experience be your teacher and practice, practice, practice!

Cold calling is also a skill that needs to be honed. Practicing how to deliver your script, and how to sound engaging on the phone needs practice. If you have a chance, you may even jump into role-playing! You can ask a friend or a co-worker to help you and provide the feedback you need.

If you need a hand in cold calling potential clients, My Virtual Support has a pool of experienced cold callers to help you out! Find out more here.