I recently received a love note from one of my subscribers. It was anonymous because nothing screams bravery quite like hiding behind an angry email. They wrote, and I quote, “Salespeople who have Sales Call Reluctance are weak.” Ooh, spicy! Now, normally, I’d file that under “Fan Mail from Admirers Who Need a Hug,” but this particular gem inspired me. Yes, Anonymous, your tantrum turned into my teachable moment. Thanks to you, I now get to clarify exactly what Sales Call Reluctance is, clear up some misconceptions. So, as you hide behind your keyboard fortress, thank you, Mystery Critic! You’ve given us all the priceless gift of clarity, served with a delightful side of irony. Official Definition of Sales Call Reluctance™ Sales Call Reluctance is the emotional hesitation to proactively prospect and promote on a consistent basis. It stems from hidden fears, doubt, avoidance, procrastination, and untrue limiting assumptions salespeople/financial advisors/recruiters hold about themselves, selling, and the prospecting dynamic. Misconception 1: Call Reluctance = Weakness Wrong. Flat-out wrong. The truth? Some of the most conscientious and high-integrity salespeople experience this significant reluctance. Why? Because they care. It is a psychological issue, not a character flaw. So calling them weak is like saying people with stage fright shouldn’t perform – when in fact, they might just need a better warm up. Misconception 2: They’ll grow out of it. Spoiler alert: They won’t. This isn’t puberty! Sales Call Reluctance doesn’t magically vanish with time and a few extra training sessions. It requires a diagnosis that addresses their core hesitation and intentional, structured coaching. Misconception 3: It’s just picking up the phone and cold calling. The real danger is thinking it’s all about phone fear. It isn’t. It is about how salespeople perceive risk, identity, and rejection. There is a Big Difference. Sales Call Reluctance encompasses 16 ways salespeople hesitate. Some people perceive the “Call” as just using the telephone to prospect. Telephobia, fear of using the phone, is one of the 16 types and the easiest to overcome. Misconception 4: They just need more training. Not quite: This isn’t a skill issue – it’s an identity issue. When a salesperson hesitates to prospect, it’s often because deep down, they don’t see themselves as someone who confidently shares the value of their product or service. Until that changes, no amount of technique will stick. Misconception 5: Just use a better script. You mean use the top producer’s script? Scripts only work when they’re crafted from the salesperson’s own language, style, and story. Otherwise, it sounds fake, and prospects can smell “fake” faster than they can spot an AI-generated email. Misconception 6: Call Reluctance only shows up during prospecting activity. Oh, no, no. This sneaky little gremlin shows up everywhere — in meetings, discovery calls, follow-ups, and even when a salesperson wants to ask a happy client for a referral. It’s not just reluctance to initiate contact – it’s hesitation to go deeper in uncovering the impact of the prospect’s problem, to qualify and ascertain whether this is a genuine prospect or someone who is vaguely interested. It’s tiptoeing around the close – building up to it, then pulling back at the last second, silently hoping the prospect will do the heavy lifting and close themselves. How do I help salespeople break free from their Sales Call Reluctance? My approach is grounded in clearly identifying the source of the hesitation using the SPQ Assessment, the only assessment in the world that measures the 16 reluctance types. It is a highly credible diagnostic with 45+ years of research and is psychometrically calibrated to measure the salesperson’s ability to build their clientele. Once correctly diagnosed, the second step is to engage in a psychologically safe conversation in which the salesperson can be honest and vulnerable, admitting that they have fear-driven behaviors, and replace them with productive mindsets and habits that genuinely build confidence. I diagnose precisely and intervene decisively. When salespeople discover and truly embrace empathy, understanding that their role is not to convince someone but to serve and problem-solve for their prospect, their reluctance shifts dramatically. We reframe prospecting from a daunting task into a meaningful human connection. The magic happens when salespeople stop asking, “Will I get rejected?” and ask, “Who can I help solve their problem?” Empathy dissolves reluctance. This is a purpose-driven mindset. I help people rewrite their internal narratives. It is not about “what to say,” but about ” who they believe themselves to be.” It probably feels like I’m about to blast you with a hard close! That is totally fair. That is a classic concern because this is actually a soft open to something that could change your close rate forever. Ready to break free from Sales Call Reluctance? Let’s be honest. You know prospecting is the lifeblood of your business. The SPQ Assessment is a precision tool built to expose sneaky mental habits that prevent you from prospecting confidently. It is the prospecting EKG without the gown and awkward waiting room silence. You’ll get: The SPQ Assessment A personal debrief so revealing, you’ll feel like you’ve just been handed the remote control to your own momentum. A 60-minute 1:1 coaching call with me, Connie, to shift you from stuck to strategic, for just $295 Let’s do the math: $295 to finally stop ghosting your potential? Or continue slow-dancing with mediocrity while your competition closes your ideal clients? Call or email! Because the truth is… if you’re not in control of your reluctance, it’s in control of you. Let’s change that. To your prospecting success, Sales Call Reluctance is a trademark of Behavior Sciences Research Press, Dallas, TX. I have been a licensee in good standing for 28 years. *Tactical Empathy is defined by Chris Voss in Never Split the Difference. |