Written by Machen MacDonald

Call reluctance is a common obstacle that hampers the productivity of sales professionals and small business owners. It’s the internal resistance to the act of picking up the phone and contacting prospects, often stemming from fear of rejection, lack of confidence, or the comfort of procrastination. Below are a sequence of 9 strategies to overcome these mental and emotional barriers. You can remember them by the acronym: MAKECALLS to overcome reluctance.

Understanding Call Reluctance
Call reluctance comes in many forms, the most popular being creative avoidance behavior, where individuals find alternative tasks to avoid the discomfort of making sales calls. This resistance not only impacts sales performance but also inhibits growth opportunities. The right environment plays a crucial role in mitigating this resistance. An organized, distraction-free workspace, clear goals, and supportive relationships can significantly reduce the emotional and mental burden associated with sales calls.

Written by Dr. Dorothy Martin-Neville

Imagine someone says:

“That project came out great.”

Written by Juli Shulem

How many times do you speak like this?

“Hey Steve, I understand you didn’t follow through on the customer order yesterday. Can you tell me what happened?”