Contact avoidance (not making the calls, not reaching out, etc) is usually caused by fear. That fear is caused by friction that makes otherwise easy tasks (picking up a phone, researching a prospect, asking for a referral) feel much harder than they actually are.
Here are some examples of friction:
- Not knowing who to ask for
- Not knowing anything about the company and person you are calling on
- Not feeling 100% confident in the value of your solutions (or yourself)
- Not knowing what to say at the beginning of the call that will create immediate interest in why you are calling
- Not understanding the mechanics of persuasion: Making the call all about yourself instead of about them, and then wondering why no one wants to talk to you
- Not letting go of the outcome (that you have no direct control over) and instead focusing completely on the actions and attitude you can directly control
- Blowing up each call in your mind into an overwhelming life or death event
If you’re finding it really hard to get out of your comfort zone and start initiating the conversations that matter most, start with this list as a way to troubleshoot your own friction points, then focus on eliminating them one at a time.
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