There is nothing I dread more than that first prospecting call of the day. If you are in sales of any kind, you know what I’m talking about….that moment when you have procrastinated as long as possible sending emails, researching your prospects, making one more cup of coffee, and now the only thing left to do is pick up that phone and dial that first number. I know I’m not alone in this feeling.
Last week I sat in my office for 8 hours for a phone block day. It had been a while since the last time I dedicated a large chunk of time with the ultimate goal of setting appointments. Boy, was it an eye opening experience!! I sent my boss a recap of the activity for the day, and I was honest about my disappointment in my progress and my skills. Surprisingly, I didn’t do as well as I had hoped. And to top it off, I noticed myself getting increasingly depressed and discouraged as the day went on. Where I started at 25 calls in my first hour, I ended in hour 5 with only 9 or 10. Definitely a defeating day.
Needless to say, I knew there was room for improvement. So I went home, opened up a book about objectives, listened to a podcast about cold calling and prospecting, listed out what I was going to different this week, and created a plan of action. My prospecting list is planned and laid out, with more numbers and contact names than before. My time is set. I plan on doing some personal development and refreshers in the morning prior to my phone block in order to get in to the right mindset and attitude. Most importantly, I will have a goal to make friends. It’s all about being able to find a connection quickly but also genuinely.
I am still dreading the first call this morning. I may always dread the first call of the day. I will probably find emails to send, research to do, and make a coffee run before I pick up the phon. But today, I have a plan to follow and feel that I am more prepared. I know it’s going to be a good prospecting day. My attitude is the start of something wonderful. And before I end my call block from here on out, I’m going to make just one more call. I’ll let you know how goes. Wish me luck!
The E.I. Insider 