If you start looking around, you will soon realize that there are at least a few hundreds books available on cold calling. Leave aside training courses, magazine articles, CD's, hypnotic programs and what not. You can learn techniques that have fancy names to voodoo magic that will help you get over the fear. No matter what you do there are priests and pundits that have the recipe for you to completely overcome your cold calling issues.
In spite of that it's just not happening and while you have tried so many times, even just the thought of making calls to people out of the blue makes you cringe. People have been reported to have gotten goosebumps to shingles because they just could not handle it. Here is the good news. You're not alone. Hundreds of other people just like you share the same fear. Cold calling, in other words, is a form of speaking with people, and Public Speaking ranks at one of the biggest fears of the mass population. "That's preposterous. C'mon guys, it can't be that bad. I mean other people can do it. right? So why can't you?" And saying that would be MY biggest mistake.
In all fairness, if you feel you can't breathe when cold calling and your mind gets numb, you are one of us. The regular people. Folks who are normal. With that now made clear, you can take a deep breath and relax.
The fear of cold calling is attributed to many things. Some of these being, the fear of rejection, the wrong type of personality and so on. There are many theories. But these may not be necessarily be true for every individual. It's very much possible that you are a confident young lad or a lady and you still have a fear of cold calling. So what is it that's stopping you from achieving your goals and raking in those numbers or whatever! Well, here it is.
Scientifically, if there was term it would be called "developis skillum." Just kidding. Cold Calling is nothing but Pure Skill Building. WHAT? Yes ! Learning how to make cold calls is nothing but purely skill building and training. Here is the evidence.
- Stig Severinsen holds the world record for holding his breath for the longest time at 22 min 00 sec.
- Kim Allan, a mother of four, set a new world record by running three days straight and completing 310 miles without sleep.
- Douglas Mawson is a legendary Antarctic explorer who is known for making one of the most treacherous and dangerous journeys in the cold Antarctic and survive despite many odds.
These people did what was once known to be impossible. They went above and beyond the limits of human capacity and succeeded. Yet their success is closely based on skills and continuous training and not just sheer luck.
I am sure you understand the point here. Learning to do something the right way and then continuing to practice the skill is key in being able to master something. Had that not been the case, all brain surgeons would have broken down in tears on the first day or medical school crying out that they don't know how to cut someone open and cure them. You get the point? There is no point. The fact of the matter is that cold calling like anything else is a skill that can be learnt. If you have not mastered it yet, I can guarantee that the one or more of the below reasons is the culprit.
- You have not yet learnt how to execute a Cold Call (Factual Explanation - No Training)
- You have not yet aligned your personal goal with your cold calling goal (Factual Explanation - No Alignment)
- You are still taking No's as personal rejection (Factual Explanation - No Risk Management)
- You have not yet learnt to move on (Factual Explanation - No Transition Plan)
- You are not yet hungry enough (Factual Explanation - No Plan)
I am sure you have a slight inclination to ask me about point No 2. Well, I am not sure if you have seen the Hollywood Movie "In pursuit of happiness." Watch it. You will get the answer!
In all honesty, the science behind being petrified of cold calling is clear and visible in these 5 points. It's a science of human skills, emotions and development. It is the science of human development. It's not rocket science!
As long as you put fuel in the fire, it will burn. As long as you put one foot in front of the other, you will walk. In a similar way, as long as you keep on sharpening the axe of your cold calling skills, you will keep on getting better and better with every call. Here are three steps to get you started.
- Step No 1 - Connect Your Personal Goal with Your Cold Calling GoalThis means literally saying to yourself. If I need to make x amount of dollars and every call I make will help me reach that goal then be it. I will make as many calls to get the money in. Your goals aligned with cold calling goals. If you're not motivated and aligned, cold calling will be a very painful experience.
- Step No 2- Establish Clear Learning Goals For YourselfDon't beat yourself up for failing in the start. Instead be proud every time you make another call. Dialling the next number is a great achievement and you should measure your progress through goals. Track how many calls you can make per hour, what your success rate is and how you are doing. Track it and keep on improving it. Measure your progress, not your failure or success
- Step No 3 - Fake it Until You Make ItThis is one of the craziest life hacks I can offer. You literally have to fake being a good cold caller until you start believing in it yourself. It may take you a few days or a week but you will see how your own transformation will be as beautiful as a butterflies. Without going deep into how the mind works, this technique will help your body and mind accept the fact that you are actually getting better at cold calling and surely you will see the transformation yourself.
We all measure success in different ways. We have different barometers for being good at something, but one common thing that defines our success overall, is are we living life the way we deserve. The day you answer yes to this question is when success is yours in every way.
If the fright of cold calling is holding you back from enjoying the quality of life you deserve, well then its time to break the mold and write a new chapter. Good luck !
This article views cold calling as a business function within the enterprise software solution sales industry helping connect business users with solutions. In no way is this article meant to support unauthorized calling, calling without permission or calling without identifying a business need.