The list is made. You know exactly what you have to do. You have 30 people that you want to contact with your great special offer. They have been qualified so you know you need to make every call count.
BUT you can’t pick up the phone!
Or if you do pick it up you put it down again because you just need to check something. Then you make a cup of coffee (so you have everything ready for when you start making calls). Oh and you may as well nip to the loo before you start. Maybe deal with that email that you’ve been putting off for 2 weeks as well!
It really is amazing how productive we can be with the jobs you have been putting off when there is an even scarier task you are avoiding!
So what’s the secret? I wish I could give you an easy answer to this one but really there isn’t one. You have to make yourself sit down with your list in front of you and just get started. Here are some things to make it easier.
- get rid of any distractions and turn your email off
- have a cup of tea, glass of water or whatever you need to hand
- have a script that you are comfortable referring to (not to read parrot-fashion though) and / or a flow diagram charting the routes the call could take
- be prepared – anticipate questions that your prospect could ask you and have your answers ready
- make your first call – you may even enjoy it!
- keep your objective in sight throughout the call (do you want a meeting, an immediate sale etc) don’t get too distracted
- remember that people are not rejecting you personally
- every “no” you get is closer to the next “yes”
- don’t put the phone down between calls – if you do, you will have to go through all this again to make the next call!
This list is by no means conclusive but if you want to find out more, get in touch.
