Cold Calling Reluctance

[GoCubsGo]

My call reluctance is, and this is ridiculous.

I sometimes feel like I am bothering people I am calling.
As soon as I get over this issue, the phone is not an issue.

I have made thousands and thousands of calls to big companies, small companies & individuals selling products, and now insurance.

I cannot recall the last time someone got pissed off at me for calling.

One of my calls today no answer I dont leave messages. He gets # from caller ID.

Guy calls back, has no life insurance, is interested in settting appointment.

I wonder if he had call reluctance????

I remember the last time someone got pissed at me. Back around 2003 I called for mortgage protection on a Sunday. Guy read me the riot act for calling on the Lords day. I kept calling that day but never did another Sunday. Figured I should have a day off.

 

[sludgesurfer1]

Cold calling is really about mindset. And it's a full time job working with yourself to develop and keep that mindset. But once you do, cold calling can be very fruitful.

 

[Cory]

Good stuff here. I think you need to set yourself up for a good experience i.e.

-call a little (not a lot) at peak hours.
-call leads or targeted lists for your target demographic.
-have a good script knowing it will be honed into a great script over time.
-use any dialer to automate the hand-dialing process. Hand-dialing 25-25 calls per hour vs. using a dialer dialing hundreds of leads per hour.

Sales is a numbers game so the more people you call... the more leads you generate... the more sales you close and... the quicker you hone your sales skills. It's a win/win scenario but to avoid it do a little at a time and have small successes to keep you motivated. Just my two cents...

 

[Bobster999]

It took me a while to get over cold call reluctance, it wasn't easy, but it's tough to believe it was an issue at this point. I really could not care less what response I get or who I call on. However, it almost wrecked my career in the beginning and it will still creep back every so often. But, I've learned how to get over it very quickly. I am naturally an introvert, although I can turn it on when needed. Making calls to strangers was anything but natural for me.

If there is one piece of advise for anyone struggling with it, it's that you will not magically wake up one day and have it be gone no matter what you read on the subject or the positive self help material you practice. You have to work through the underlying thoughts as you make the calls. That means being very uncomfortable at first while you work through it, but if you keep at it, it goes away very quickly (for me, if I remember right, about 2-3 days).

If you think about it, there is nothing rational about being scared to make the calls. Nothing bad will happen to you. The issue is your thoughts about making the calls, not the actual act of calling. The underlying reason for the fear can be different for each person. No matter the reason, it's completely irrational.

I bet most people like myself with enough call reluctance to not make the calls already know it's irrational, but will still not make them consistently. Two options: 1. Get out of sales, it's not going to work. You won't make any money and you will hate it. Or. 2. Get someone to help you through it if you can't on your own (and immediately), or you will be forced out quickly. It's that simple.

I heard a two question test to see if you are call reluctant. One, is your bank account full? Two, how many calls have you made in the last two weeks? If both are minimal, you have a problem. Either motivation level being low or call reluctance. Both will destroy a career. We all are only given so much time on this Earth, you better change or get out quick because you are wasting time otherwise.

This business is about making calls and getting in front of people. If you can't learn to do it without a bunch of emotional resistance, this isn't the business for you. Plus, it would be a miserable existence to dread going to work each morning to do something you hate. No one makes liking calls, but there is a big difference between hating and dreading it versus simply not enjoying it. But be assured it is possible to get over (and fairly quickly) if you want it bad enough.

Thanks! since ther is no "like" button here...

 

[njinsuranceguy]

Cold calling reluctance, fear etc... happens to everyone. I could write on this subject for hours because I fought it at time during my entire career. I've been the #1 producing insurance broker for the largest firm in the northeast and made thousands of calls and every time I picked up the phone I would get the shakes. I hated it and would stress for hours before making calls. I remember one day sitting in my cubicle early on in my career and the girl in front of me sat down to make a call and she was nervous as could be. She sounded scared to death and stumbled around like crazy. But she booked an appt after about 10 calls and then ran out of her cubicle. haha. After listening to her I realized... I sound better than she does and if she can do it, so can I. So, I picked up the phone and started calling. I still got nervous but it wasn't as bad. Truth is, cold calling gets easier and easier as you do it. The fear goes away as you book appointments and realize it wasn't that bad. Here is something someone taught me.

Take out a piece of paper and pen and pick up the phone and dial one lead. After the call ask yourself a couple questions.. Did anyone yell at me? Was anyone rude? Am I still alive? On a scale of 1-10 how bad was it? Can I make another call?

Do that for a few calls. Its good to take a look at your fears head on. What it will show you is that reality isn't as bad as the thoughts in your head.

Last thing I'll write this time is this.. the fear always went away after a few weeks of calls. Every time I stopped for any period of time, it would come back so, don't stop.

 

[djrod1958]

Cold calling reluctance, fear etc... happens to everyone. I could write on this subject for hours because I fought it at time during my entire career. I've been the #1 producing insurance broker for the largest firm in the northeast and made thousands of calls and every time I picked up the phone I would get the shakes. I hated it and would stress for hours before making calls. I remember one day sitting in my cubicle early on in my career and the girl in front of me sat down to make a call and she was nervous as could be. She sounded scared to death and stumbled around like crazy. But she booked an appt after about 10 calls and then ran out of her cubicle. haha. After listening to her I realized... I sound better than she does and if she can do it, so can I. So, I picked up the phone and started calling. I still got nervous but it wasn't as bad. Truth is, cold calling gets easier and easier as you do it. The fear goes away as you book appointments and realize it wasn't that bad. Here is something someone taught me.

Take out a piece of paper and pen and pick up the phone and dial one lead. After the call ask yourself a couple questions.. Did anyone yell at me? Was anyone rude? Am I still alive? On a scale of 1-10 how bad was it? Can I make another call?

Do that for a few calls. Its good to take a look at your fears head on. What it will show you is that reality isn't as bad as the thoughts in your head.

Last thing I'll write this time is this.. the fear always went away after a few weeks of calls. Every time I stopped for any period of time, it would come back so, don't stop.

Great post and thank you. Question.... When you say "book appointments"... is that after you have the x-date or is it a time you wish to meet with the prospect on a fact finding mission. And then meet again at a later date to present the quote. Thanks in advance...
Big Rod

 

[sludgesurfer1]

I always battle myself a bit when having to make the first few calls or door-knocks. It's amazing how after a positive call, it's so easy to pick up that phone again. So once I get through the first few, it's much easier.

 

[Justin Bilyj]

Going out today at 2pm to door knock. Just from two hours of door knocking I wrote up two plans for $70mo., shopping the 3 auto/renter plan and he wants to replace his 250k 15yr term with a 30yer 250k rop term so he has something for retirement (I told him I wanted him to get something small, and then come back to the term). I will replace that after I take care of the auto/renters. The premium on the rop is nice, and will be an awesome find if I can close it. That will be almost 5k in commissions for 2 hours of doorknocking...
Will report back my results from today.

On a side note, the guy was a black guy in his 40's just chillin on his porch, I walked up to him and talked to him, he said he was covered, I showed him the abcactionnews piece about exploding UL's and asked if he knew what he had, he hadn't a clue. Him and his wife really appreciated the review, the agent never told him what he was getting, just told him a premium. I showed him how much he will pay for this over the term, and he didn't like that.
Then I asked him if he intended to get insurance when he is 55, when the term is over and 15 years before retirement. He told me yes. I explained to him that for a few more dollars a month you can have a 30 year term and be covered until retirement and not have to worry about qualifying for a higher rate at 55. I then showed him what rop would cost and how much he would get back. His wife and him really liked that after I asked him what kind of retirement plan he had (0).
He then asked me if I wanted to see his "babies", he took me out back to the garage where he had two large chromed out cadillacs, with wheels and rims about 3k a piece (3x8=24k) sitting in the garage. One was jacked up off the ground like a old school snoop dog rap video. He invited me to sit inside of it.
Not bad for two hours...

 

[Rearden]

Justin -- Don't you know that cold calling doesn't work?

How many times do I have to tell you...

 

[djrod1958]

Going out today at 2pm to door knock. Just from two hours of door knocking I wrote up two plans for $70mo., shopping the 3 auto/renter plan and he wants to replace his 250k 15yr term with a 30yer 250k rop term so he has something for retirement (I told him I wanted him to get something small, and then come back to the term). I will replace that after I take care of the auto/renters. The premium on the rop is nice, and will be an awesome find if I can close it. That will be almost 5k in commissions for 2 hours of doorknocking...
Will report back my results from today.

On a side note, the guy was a black guy in his 40's just chillin on his porch, I walked up to him and talked to him, he said he was covered, I showed him the abcactionnews piece about exploding UL's and asked if he knew what he had, he hadn't a clue. Him and his wife really appreciated the review, the agent never told him what he was getting, just told him a premium. I showed him how much he will pay for this over the term. Then asked him if he intended to get insurance when he is 55, when the term is over and 15 years before retirement. He told me yes. I asked him for a few more dollars a month you can have a 30 year term and be covered until retirement and not have to worry about qualifying for a higher rate at 55. I then showed him what rop would cost and how much he would get back. His wife and him really liked that after I asked him what kind of retirement plan he had (0).
He then asked me if I wanted to see his "babies", he took me out back to the garage where he had two large chromed out cadillacs, with wheels and rims about 3k a piece (3x8=24k) sitting in the garage. One was jacked up off the ground like a old school snoop dog rap video. He invited me to sit inside of it.
Not bad for two hours...

Nice job and a good motivating story!

Big Rod