Cold calling. It’s one of those avoidable yet beneficial tasks that will push you past your comfort zone and into a powerful personal leadership realm. Some say it’s difficult to do, others say it’s easy.
In reality, it is what you make of it. The biggest reason why many don’t like making cold calls is the fear of rejection. If you’re looking to accelerate your personal development, overcome the fear of getting dismissed and do so in a unique way, cold calling is a great option.
Think of it like exercising. Sometimes, you’re motivated to do it for days without stopping, and other times, all you want to do is curl up on a couch and avoid it like the plague. Just like exercise, cold calling can push you beyond your limits, allowing you to grow in an uncomfortable yet fulfilling way.
Time Management
Cold calling can be a great way to set yourself up for future success while learning how to manage your time better. Once you decide on how many phone calls to make, you’ll need to get creative in finding the time to do them. Then, you’ll want to know how much time to set aside, who you should call, and when it’s best for you to reach them. However, without a structured plan, all your efforts could go to waste.
This is why discipline is key. Now that you’ve decided to make calls, challenging yourself to stick to a plan and follow-through will keep you accountable. You do not want to default into old habits and fall short in your follow-through. You’re keeping a commitment to yourself and seeing it through. Time management requires discipline and discipline can be difficult. Creating a cold calling system will give you a chance to work on your discipline while adding a social element to the experiment.
Simplifying Your Day
The best way to ensure productivity is to be laser-focused on a specific objective. One great benefit of cold calling is the ability to be in the moment and work without distractions, since distractions can quickly throw you off your game. If you have a goal of making 25 calls a day, your task is crystal clear, make 25 calls. Anything outside of making your calls is a deviation from the goal and therefore unnecessary at the moment. Your day becomes much more simplified and less burdensome, you don’t have too many things on your plate except the calls.
By the same token, once you’ve completed your phone calls you now have the rest of the day to do other things on your task list or go about your day. You now have the freedom to do what you want with your time.
Thinking On Your Feet
You never know what to expect when you cold call. Some people will be very friendly, some will be rude because they don’t like being interrupted, and others will just hang up in your face without even a second thought. But as long as you have a willingness to dive in and the mental fortitude to withstand the negative exchanges you’ll be in good shape. Since you are speaking to people in real-time you will have the opportunity to think on your feet and develop that specific skill set. There will be nervous jitters when you go through initial calls but the more you speak to people who pick up the phone, the close you’ll get to finding your sweet spot for tone and natural script.
Keeping It Simple
Cold calling is very simple. you pick up the phone dial the number put on a smile and be nice on the phone. The more you can simplify the process, the better off you will be. When you create a cold calling plan, block out time to work, and build your skillset throughout the calls, it becomes a repeatable process that can happen on an ongoing basis. Simplify to amplify.
When you’re able to keep things simple, everything becomes easy. The cold call script takes shape and becomes more defined, your mental effort switches to second nature, and the nervousness dissipates while you actually look forward to making your calls. Don’t be surprised when you feel good about yourself as you develop a tangible skill set that can grow a business as well.
When was the last time you made a cold call?
At the end of the day, cold calling is not the most attractive task to perform, however, it is a great way to develop emotional resilience and create structure. From building time management skills to improving your ability to think on your feet, cold calling is a great way to develop as an individual and as a professional.
There’s a reason why many shy away from cold calling, it’s stressful and nerve-wracking. But it is also very meaningful when people are able to commit to it and take it on for a certain period of time.
When was the last time you made cold calls? When was the last time you decided to build your resilience to rejection?
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