Working in sales can be a rewarding career. It allows you to reach out to different types of people, and provide products and services that can improve their lives in the long run.
On the other hand, working as a salesperson can also be very challenging because you have to use effective communication strategies to reach out to potential customers and determine what they want. Fearing this kind of interaction can typically lead to call reluctance.
Call reluctance is usually the salesperson’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that prevent them from taking a revenue-generating action.
This usually happens when the salesperson’s nerves get the best of them, and they won’t be able to call their potential customers anymore.
Call reluctance should be addressed as soon as possible as this can adversely affect an individual’s career, income, and livelihood.
Aside from using reputable sources such as Refract.ai to learn more about how to reduce call reluctance, here are some tips you can follow:
-
Recognize That Speed Is Power
Jumping into a lake you’ve never seen before can be scary. You wouldn’t have any idea how deep it is, what the texture of the soil is, and what creatures are probably living in it. The water might be too cold for you, but if you jump the moment you see it, you’ll get acclimated quickly.
However, if you take too much time deciding whether or not to jump and change into a bathing suit, your thoughts will immobilize you and prevent you from actually jumping in.
This analogy can be applied when it comes to prospecting calls. Since you already know the task at hand, you should immediately call potential customers before your thoughts get the best of you. The faster you act, the lesser time you’ll give yourself to have second thoughts.
-
Always Use Positive Affirmations
The things you say and think of can drastically affect your output. If you keep believing that you can, you’ll most likely achieve better results. This is one of the reasons why you should create a list of affirmations for you to become more confident. You can try using the following examples:
-
“I enjoy calling customers because I believe this can increase my income.”
-
“I will still call customers even if I am not in my comfort zone.”
-
“I will take action immediately the moment an opportunity is present.”
-
“I will do my best to excel and use every experience as a learning curve.”
-
Have A Script
More often than not, call reluctance happens when you don’t know what to say or how to say it. When a customer throws a question, and you don’t have any idea on how to respond, you’ll be doubting yourself and your skills for all the other calls you’ll make throughout the day. To steer away from this direction, always have a script before making a call.
Contrary to popular belief, you shouldn’t create a script that you would say in verbatim. Keep in mind that different customers have different concerns, which means that there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all kind of script.
Instead, create a script with bullet points on what you should say when a customer raises a particular concern. Keeping your points in a bulleted format will make it easier for you to be guided on what to say, as well as to keep the conversation on track.
-
Take The Time To Set Smart Goals
It’ll be challenging to call customers if you have no idea what your goals are. How can you function as a salesperson if you don’t know what your motivation is? Do you know the reason you’re interacting with customers and trying to make a sale in the first place?
Being directionless in the sales process can also become the reason why call reluctance can happen, especially when you’re calling for the first time. You can prevent this from happening by taking the time to set smart goals.
To do this, start by setting a small and specific goal for the day. For example, you can begin by determining how many contacts you want to call in a day. You can then decide to divide this group based on their demographics or buying capabilities.
Setting goals, no matter how small or simple they can be, allows you to become more confident because you know what you’re going after. These goals can be your stepping stone to become successful in a specific niche and better engage with customers moving forward.
-
Focus On The Activity, Not The Outcome
When coming up with goals, always remember to focus on the activity and not the outcome. You may aim to land at least five meetings in a day, so you start calling twenty people.
However, there will be instances when most, if not all, of your prospects are either out of the office, away from their desks, occupied in a meeting, or in a bad mood. These situations are out of your control, so you end up setting zero meetings for the day. If you focus on this outcome, you’ll be demotivated to call again tomorrow.
For you to always have the drive to call customers and interact with them, focus on the activity itself and not so much on the outcome. You should change your mindset by measuring success through the activities you’ve made during the day, and not the results.
Instead of trying to get at least five meetings in a day, commit to asking twenty customers for a meeting. Even if a customer says no, you can end the day feeling satisfied because you know you’ve accomplished your desired activity.
-
Put Yourself In The Right Environment
Working in an environment where you’re hindered to make a call can add to the stress you’re already feeling. You’ll likely find other activities filling your time instead of calling your customers to make a sale.
This is one of the reasons why you should always put yourself in the right environment to become an effective salesperson. You should prepare your lead list and occupy another part of the office to solely do calls. If possible, sit in an area with no distractions. With this kind of environment, it’ll be easier and faster for you to make calls.
More articles on salespersons >>>>>>
Small Efforts Can Go A Long Way
Overcoming call reluctance can be tough, but it can always be done. Along with your determination to succeed and earn a steady income, use this article as your guide. These simple tips can go a long way for you to finally conquer your fear of making that call, thus becoming an effective salesperson.
……………………………………………………………………
How to engage with customers on emerging channels – new research – TheMarketingblog https://t.co/ZYvSezLJvQ pic.twitter.com/H7IldwGmIB
— Will Corry (@slievemore) May 3, 2019