Cold calling. For some people, just thinking those words makes their stomach hurt and sweat prickle their sensitive spots. Fear. Fear of cold calling is a powerful thing.
In June 2010 we asked 150 people with various job titles, working for different types of companies, and with different levels of experience, what they hated most about their jobs. 139 of these people put calling strangers, or even clients for whom they had to ask for help or for money, in the top 5 things they hated at work. With sales reps, cold calling made it to the top 3 100% of the time.
When asked why cold calling was so bad, most people cited something related to fear. Fear of failure. Fear of rejection. Fear of looking/ sounding stupid. Fear of failure. Fear of... well the list was long. Really long. And the interesting thing is that most of the reasons or examples people gave to explain their answers were more about what they imagined would or could happen, rather than anything bad that they actually experienced. Or if they had encountered the problem, it was not a usual occurrence.
One way or another fear can wreak more havoc than many other things because it's devious. It's truly sneaky, finding myriad manner of ways to manifest itself.
No matter whether you are fresh out of school and trying to get your first job interview, or are well-established manager, or have been running your own company for years, that little inner voice can be a real problem when it comes to making phone calls. Nearly 90% of people who have to make calls for work say that they often procrastinate and welcome even the smallest reason as an excuse to talk themselves out of making the very calls upon which their livelihoods depend.
During this study, and over the years too, many business executives have told me that their self talk is more destructive than just about anything anyone else can do to them.
If you listen to the chatter of this little voice, it will wear you down faster than chalk being dragged over rough cement. So what can you do when you can't pick up that phone because it suddenly weighs 1,000 pounds?
Here are some suggestions from "regular" people who are succeeding in small and/or spectacular ways (from "What Works For Me", a compilation of useful tips and thoughts that I started writing years ago):
"I get a glass of water to keep things lubricated and I don't let myself have a coffee until I've made at least 10 calls." ~ Fred B., Seattle, WA
"I make a list of 20 calls I need to make the next day just before I go home - along with notes about what I need to say. If I don't have the list, my mind seems to wander to any other task at hand so that I can avoid the calls." ~ Wendy M., BC
"I tape the phone to my wrist until I reach my day's quota!" ~ Unknown
"I don't check my e-mails until I've made the calls. That way I can't procrastinate by finding reasons to avoid getting on the phone." ~ Sharif Z., New York, NY
"I give my assistant $20. If I don't have the calls made by noon (and show her my notes), then she gets to keep the $20. It cost me over $200 before I got into a regular morning call routine." ~ Sylvia B., Chicago, IL
"I stand to make my calls because it gives me more energy. I don't get to sit down at my desk until the calls have been made." ~ Tammy H., CA
"I choose the least important call for the first one of the day. I tell myself that it's okay to blow it because it doesn't really count. Often I ace the call and get the appointment, the momentum just carries me. Even if it doesn't go well, that call has started the ball rolling and I'm okay once I get going." ~ Bill E., London, ON
If none of these ideas help when you're scared (yeah, I know, you have a different word for it), then remember this chant. It's one that Jack Canfield taught me years ago - one that always works to center me and give me a smile before getting on with the task. The only trick is to actually remember to do the chant.
And what is it you might ask? It's...wait for it... and sing it to the traditional Ohm sound. It's "Ohhhh what the heckkkkk, go for it anyway!"
Going for it "anyway" is really important. You need to take that first step, make that first call, because as soon as you start taking action, you will find it easier to keep going. People who force themselves to make calls find that they gain momentum and courage with each number dialed, and each call seems to get progressively easier. So just start and see what happens.
“Yeah, right,” you say. “But how do I get myself to take that first step?”
Tune in next time for Part II. aIn the meantime, we invite you to read for: "Getting better results through cold calling" (http://bit.ly/b5IlYJ) and remember, have fun and be prepared to “go out on a limb because that is where the fruit is.”
Jane-Michèle Clark
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