Overview
It sounds bizarre to learn that
a salesperson may have a fear of talking on the phone. They talk all the time!
While it seems as absurd as a surgeon fainting at the sight of blood, many
sales professionals break into a cold sweat at the prospect of a cold call.
But, just like most medical students adapt in their first year of studies,
salespeople can overcome their fear too.
When cold calling, there is
always the risk of rejection, which is precisely why sales call anxiety is a
reality. It’s as true for the rep who made their first call 20 years ago as it
is for the one who made their first call an hour ago! The first step to
conquering your phone fears is to know your enemy—and it’s not the phone.
Phone Fear – Understanding The
Root Cause
Fear is a funny thing. It may
strike unexpectedly but has a fixed way of operating. When you are scared, the
blood flows away from that part of the brain responsible for rational thinking
and rushes to alert your fight or flight mode. This leaves no room for logical
reasoning and reinforces your belief that, yes, you’re bad at making phone
calls. It’s almost a self-fulfilling, vicious cycle.
So how do you break the cycle?
One method is to give yourself a
pep talk:
- “I can do this.”
- “There is no danger here. What’s
the worst that can happen?” - “I am going to kill this.”
As you talk on the phone more,
your brain goes easy on the fight or flight reaction. You stop perceiving fear
from phone rings. Along with the pep talk, try the tips below to overcome your
telephone phobia.
Tips to overcome phone fear
Repeated failure when trying to
book a meeting or make a sale over the phone can crush even the most
enthusiastic seller’s self-confidence. Did you know our body processes
rejection like we do physical pain? It’s no wonder that we don’t want to engage
in an activity that involves a lot of rejection! Then there is the fear of
looking foolish—probably because you don’t feel prepared or confident enough.
You may also be hesitant to interrupt somebody and risk making them angry. It
might also be the fear of coming across as the stereotypical aggressive
salesperson, something your sales manager probably warned you against.
Let’s address these fears and
disconnect them from making phone calls using the 7 tips below.
1. Rehearse like you’re going on
stage
Most of the time, sales reps
attribute their phone phobia to being unsure of how to begin a conversation.
They simply cannot get to the point without sounding like a pushy used car
salesperson. Or, they rely too heavily on reading a script and sound
robotic.
Say “hello” to fear of appearing
awkward or looking incompetent.
To overcome this, draft a script
that contains the main points you need to get across and sort your thoughts
around them. Rehearse like you’re going on stage. No theater artist mouths
their lines and makes a hasty retreat, do they? They work on tonality and use
gestures too. Let the conversation flow naturally. The old-fashioned
“practicing in front of a mirror” always works to unlock the
uninhibited version of you. Have fun, make faces, and be a bit silly if that is
what it takes. In sales prospecting, preparation never disappoints.
2. Tell yourself you’re not
interrupting the prospect
The moment you think ‘disturb’ and ‘interrupt,’ it triggers fear of rejection. Ultimately, you need to understand that every prospecting action—cold call, cold email, cold text, saying ‘hello’ at a networking event—begins by interrupting. If the interruption is valuable to the lead’s business goals, then all is well. If not… all is still well! You get to move on to find someone else who is interested.
3. Grow a thicker skin with this
exercise
When you sign up for adventure
sports like mountaineering or skiing, the program always includes a couple of
days for acclimatization. People from lower altitudes need time to adjust to
the thinner air. Similarly, you can keep your call anxiety under control by
acclimatizing yourself to what may not be comfortable in the beginning.
Here is an activity for that.
Start each day by calling 10 leads (preferably the least likely to convert).
Leave scripts and specifics at the door and tell yourself you don’t give two
hoots about the outcome. Just get talking and see what happens. This exercise
can help to build the confidence to talk and develop a sense of detachment so
that one disappointment won’t crush you. And who knows, maybe when you are
freed from the pressure to deliver a positive outcome, you will uncover a new
way to engage with prospects!
4. A balanced sales cadence
ensures you get enough breaks
To call the prospect too soon after the previous call can be a strain, even for seasoned callers. Again, the ‘too soon’ bit is subjective. Yet, following a balanced cadence can give you a breather. Multiple touchpoints like email, call, SMS, leave a voicemail and targeted social media posts in a proper order ensure there is enough gap between the first and the next call. Nowadays, many sales engagement solutions enable sales managers to set a standard cadence for sales teams, ensuring persistence without annoyance.
5. Set appropriate goals
Most companies do not expect their salespeople to close a deal on their
first call or contact attempts. The sales process can take time, and an
immediate deal on the phone may not be realistic. In the initial contact
attempts, convincing them for a meeting is less challenging than making them
buy. Focus on getting that meeting first as it is less pressure. The added
benefit of scheduling a meeting is that you will be able to hold the prospect’s
full attention. Let the cadence work its magic.
6. Put them on hold, take a deep
breath, go back
‘What if they ask me something I don’t know about?’
‘Am I using too many fillers like “um,” “well,” “you see,” and
“ah”?’
‘Is my voice getting weaker?’
‘Oh, I need to catch my breath.’
Situations like those listed
above are often triggers to your phone phobia. In such situations, the hold
button is pure gold. Feel free to use it when you are feeling overwhelmed or
you want to retrieve specific information. A quick, ‘Could I place you on hold
for a few seconds while I get the answer to your question?’ is not a bad thing
to do occasionally.
7. Pick up the phone already
Even in the age of social media,
talking in real-time still holds plenty of power to build better rapport with
the prospect—if you add value, that is. But first, you need to pick up your
phone and dial. Think of it as an adventure and jump in!
Are you ready to say goodbye to
telephone phobia?
Deep inside, you know you are
good at this. Accept that sales is a noble profession that requires intellect,
a mind for learning, and a diverse skillset, which you have. In the end, you
help prospects solve their pain points, and your company makes revenue. And the
rep who picks up the phone more earns more.
Happy cold calling!
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