Guest Post by Brad Shorr
Image © Zsolt Biczó | Dreamstime.com
Fear Number One – Fear of Initiating Contact
Fear of rejection is bad enough (we’ll get to it soon), but way before that comes into play, we must deal with the challenge of being the initiator. I’m one of those people who prefers to respond and react. I’m uncomfortable walking into a room full of strangers and introducing myself. I’d rather have people come to me. Does that sound familiar? If so, here are a few ways to get comfortable initiating contact.
First, remember that you are talking business. You know what you are talking about. You are familiar with objections a prospect might raise, so you can anticipate them and be ready. In short, unlike at a social gathering where the topic of conversation might be anything from farming techniques to fine art, in the sales setting you are on familiar ground.
Second, performing, being on stage, wowing the prospect –these are secondary issues anyway. In sales, it is far more important to listen than talk. By asking questions you remove the pressure of having to say something significant.
Third, never forget: practice makes perfect. When you practice, fear melts away. Skydivers are afraid the first time they jump out of a plane. Public speakers are afraid the first time they take the podium. Why should sales be any different? When I started selling, I had to spend entire days making cold calls on the phone. To be honest, the first few days really stunk. Some of the prospects were rude. Some of them made me feel insignificant. On every call I hoped the prospect wouldn’t be available, and my stomach churned whenever a prospect actually answered the phone and said “Hello.” But do you know what happened? By the fourth or fifth day none of it bothered me any more. I got used to the routine. That’s when I started to enjoy cold calling. It became a sort of game, and I began looking forward to getting a tough cookie on the line just to see if I could make any headway.
Have you ever struggled with this fear? How did you overcome? Please share your comments, experiences and questions in the comments.
This is Part II in a four part guest series by Brad Shorr. Tune in tomorrow for Fear Number Two.
Brad is a sales and marketing consultant who lives near Chicago, Illinois. His company, Word Sell, Inc., provides strategic consulting, sales training and coaching, and business blog and other online marketing services. Brad is a prolific reader and writer who is masterful at communicating even complex subjects with warth and humor.
Karen/Brad
My limited experience in traditional ‘sales’ activities (I do note your broader definition of sales in an earlier post) involves door to door charity collections, Amway, and making cold calls for a finance company to ascertain sensitive financial information in order to generate sales leads.
The final item on the above list will be the subject of a discussion on my own blog fairly shortly as the practices of my employer certainly raised questions about call centre ethics and etiquette.
How did I overcome the fear? In short – I didn’t. And I never have.
By my personal nature, I can’t stand the thought of a confrontation, and will do virtually anything to avoid the possibility of having one.
Cheers
Andrew
Hello Brad & Karen:
The very first time I began sales was in retail, truly the best training for a life in business. I was scared also, when I had to use the phone, so I developed a technique, I pretended to be an actress on an audition and each time it got easier and I found my voice, so to speak. Now, nearly 20+ years later, I have been a stand-up comic for 10+ years and work in marketing and P.R. Incidentally now you cannot get me off the stage!
Yvonne B. – Los Angeles CA
Evelyn, you make a great point! Everyone can benefit from selling skills. Learning to listen and respond to needs with solutions is a skill that is valuable in your family life, work life and personal life. I have always said that everyone is in sales they just don’t all know it!
Robert, labels are tricky aren’t they? I have found that there are labels we proudly bear and others that just terrify us. Sharing is a perfect way to describe that thing we call “selling.” You’re listening to the other person and focusing on their needs, preferences and desires and then sharing solutions. When done in this manner it’s the beginning of a wonderful relationship.
Karen Swims last blog post..SELL Is Not a Four-Letter Word – Part II
You may have something there, Karen. Labels often pre-determine our responses to many things, don’t you think? Take the current debate about calling these “blog posts” or “articles”. Different folks react differently to those labels.
For me, “selling” is so much harder than “sharing personal experience”, yet it may be the same thing. Guess I need to work on that a bit more…
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..Three Amazing Truths, Part 2
Everyone sure can benefit from learning effective selling skills. You cannot hope to “survive” in today’s competitive environment without being equipped. Even in a backroom job or at home, you need to “sell’ your ideas.
Evelyn Lim | Attraction Mind Maps last blog post..How To Calm Down From Unresolved Anger Quickly
Brad, another great “keeper” post. I know that many are reading and learning from these lessons. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge!
Robert, I wonder if calling it sales sometimes is scarier than the actual act. You’re good with people and I wonder how things would have shifted if the pressure of “sales” were removed. Hmmm… 🙂
Karen Swims last blog post..SELL Is Not a Four-Letter Word – Part II
Robert, I don’t know if everybody can become a salesperson, but sometimes, people have to. that’s really who I’m trying to speak to. I’m sure you could do it, though!
Brad Shorrs last blog post..How Do You Create a Web Site for All Generations?
Have I ever struggled with this? Are you kidding? Does a bear roller skate in the woods?
I seem to remember cold sweats, clammy hands, a nervous stutter, my tongue suddenly grew three times its normal size – and that was just to convince myself to pick up the phone! When they said “Hello” I just dropped it and ran screaming into the night.
Do you think some folks are simply not cut out for this kind of sales? Is it truly something anyone can learn to get over and, well, do?
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..Three Amazing Truths, Part 1