Call Reluctance - Do You Have it? Afraid of the Phone?

Does the thought of picking up the telephone to call a potential customer or prospect make your stomach churn? Do you clearly map out a game plan of when and who you are going to call tomorrow, only to find yourself distracted with busy work and unable to make any calls?


Do your visions of all-expense paid, tropical vacations, big promotions and 5 digit bonus checks evaporate as the phone stares viciously at you like a ten ton one-eyed, one arm fire breathing monster?

Call the Doctor, you have a bad case of Call Reluctance.

If you are in the business of selling, and let’s face it, we ALL are to some degree, you need to identify, address and work through this disease if you are ever going to be successful.

Before we talk about ways of working through this, let’s talk about what doesn’t work –

*Oh, just go out and do it!*

Ever hear those words and want to choke the arrogance out of the one who uttered it?

*Get over it! No one is going to bite you.*

Again, visions of acting out a mad fantasy invade your mind.

* It’s the messenger, no one really cares what you say. *

Well, that sounds great to the slick master of sales sitting next to you, but when you are dealing with call reluctance, this shallow encouragement will NOT get you off of start and into the race.

So, how do you overcome Call Reluctance.

The first step is to recognize and acknowledge it. It is not unique, something to be ashamed of or incurable. Simply admitting that you are dealing with this is half of the battle.

Second, identify what type of Call Reluctance you are experiencing. Below are a few categories –

Reluctance to call someone you view as having a higher socioeconomic standing.

Reluctance to admit that you are * selling * something.

Afraid to * bother * family and friends.

Obsessed with having a perfect presentation.

Fear of using the telephone.

Fear of actually closing the sale.

These are just a few of the categories that could be afflicting you.

If it’s any consolation at all, you are not alone. Call Reluctance is the single biggest killer of most sales related careers.

Knowing this, what can you do to cure yourself once and for all?

To begin with, Call Reluctance can usually be traced to one of these originating factors – personality traits, hereditary factors and environmental influences. Environmental influences are by far the biggest cause.

Perhaps a bad experience early in your career, a close, respected friend, family member or mentor who told you that you couldn’t sell or be successful in your endeavor or the pressure of unrealistic quotas or goals.

Because these are environmental influences, they are learned behaviors and, consequently, they can be unlearned.

Properly identifying the type or types of Call Reluctance you are experiencing will help with the cure.

Spend a few quiet moments clearing your mind and allowing events of the past to filter through. If you have an instinctive feeling about someone or some event that may be causing your reluctance, don’t disregard it. Write your thoughts down and try to remember everything you possibly can.

Do this on a regular basis until you feel that you have uncovered everything that could possibly be causing your dilemma.

Then, one by one, work through each of the events or people you have written about and write out what you would like to change about these experiences. Get very creative and actually see in your mind’s eye the perfect experience.

Next, do regular mental exercises where you view yourself experiencing the events in the positive way that you have written out. Rehearse these over and over in your mind. Feel the empowerment and renewed confidence?

After doing this with some frequency, you are now ready to experiment with making a few calls.

Spend a few minutes visualizing a successful outcome, and then choose those areas that are the most comfortable to you. Gradually, as your self-confidence builds, you can move on to the more challenging areas.

These exercises will prove very powerful in helping you to break through your barriers, if done consistently. Before long, that one-eyed monster sitting on your desk will once again become a communications device known as a telephone. You’ll be packing your Bermudas and sunglasses in anticipation of your company-paid, tropical vacation.

Oh, and those bonus checks? Six Digits!!!

Jackie Ulmer has worked from home for over fifteen years, coaching and training thousands on the secrets to success in a home business. Contact her through her website at http://www.streetsmartwealth.com 

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