Conquer the Fear of Selling

First

You must admit to having call reluctance. Acknowledgement is a major step towards recovery, but it is not an easy one. Denial is the most-frequent companion of call reluctance, and the problem is sometimes hard to identify. Salespeople ‘typically know something is wrong, but they may not know what it is’, says behavioural scientist and call reluctance expert George Dudley. “Many who do know they are experiencing sales call reluctance don’t feel secure admitting it to management, because many sales organisations still tend to feature cult like, unrealistic emphasis on maintaining a positive attitude.”

Second

Determine your call-reluctance-type and adopt proper countermeasures. The many prescriptions often involve that you identify your fears or negative thoughts clearly and specifically. Then you can tackle them head-on, one at a time. In a sense, curbing call-reluctance is like breaking a bad habit. Some salespeople find token-reward-systems helpful; others use relaxation techniques. In one countermeasure, known as thought zapping, you place a rubber band around your wrist. When a negative through intrudes, you snap the rubber band sharply and at once conjure up a positive mental image of yourself – recalling, for example, a time when you did well in a similar situation.

Third

Follow up, keep plugging, and make calls. Taming call reluctance is work, and for many salespeople it takes continuous effort. Dudley warns, “Do not confuse a change in your outlook with a change in the number of contacts you initiate with prospective buyers.” If you are call-reluctant, take heart in the knowledge that your problem may be a sign of commitment to selling. “Salespeople who are not motivated or goal-focused can never be considered call reluctant.” Salespeople with authentic call-reluctance care very much about meeting prospecting goals. “You simply cannot be reluctant to get something you do not want in the first place.”