Every sales professional at one time or another experiences the fear of picking up the telephone.

Whether you are brand new to sales or a seasoned veteran, it can be daunting to make that one phone call that could either make or break your month, quarter, or even year.

Any time the stakes are high, we tend to doubt ourselves and out abilities because the risk is there that we may lose.

The key to overcoming call reluctance is being prepared. Just as any athlete practices and prepares for the big game, we also need to be ready.

Do you have a powerful value proposition and call purpose, packed with benefits to your prospect?

Are you ready for the gatekeeper’s question, ”What is this call regarding?”

Do you know what questions you are going to ask to truly understand the prospect’s business, goals, and challenges?

English logician, mathematician and novelist Lewis Carroll said, “When you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there,” .

When you pick up the telephone, do you have your map? Do you know where you are going?

Tags: cold calling, confidence, inside sales, preparation, Prospecting, sales