If a sales professional is successful on ten percent of their prospecting calls they are typically a superstar. So the one unavoidable fact for everyone making prospecting calls is that most of them will be unsuccessful. That is why they are so challenging. Sales professionals know the odds are stacked against them and if they aren’t careful they go into prospecting calls expecting to lose. If they expect to lose, they will. They won’t put any effort in to begin with- that transfers over the phone- and they won’t convert any prospects. Successful prospecting is largely about confidence and mindset. To attain this mindset, sales professionals need to realize that they are earning interest every time they dial.

How do we collect on this interest? There are two ways. One is obvious- the more calls made, the higher the confidence level, the more polished the delivery, which leads to higher conversion rates. So every call earns interest in that it helps ensure that we will increase our success percentage. The other way is that on some level, prospecting is a numbers game. The more people you call the higher the probability that you will encounter interested prospects.

What makes prospecting calls unique is that they are the only real hybrid of sales and marketing. The numbers work just like marketing numbers tend to, but at a higher rate. However, the trade off is the personal investment from the sales professional. Comparing sales prospecting calls to direct mail marketing, 10% success on calls is typically a very good conversion, while 4% is typically a very good conversion for direct mail. So the calls are 6% more effective. So why doesn’t everyone just make calls? It’s because most people don’t have the right outlook. If they call a thousand people, too many would focus on the 900 no’s, not the 100 yes’s. On the flip side, marketers never lament the 960 no’s, they want to celebrate the 40 yes’s. This happens because there is a personal investment in prospecting calls. The one on one interaction breaks people down if they take the no’s personally.

Recognize that a no is a personal success, not a failure. Making the call has value regardless of the answer. You’re improving your skills while tipping the odds in your favor. That interest will build up and you’ll find a nice return on yes’s as long as you stay at it.

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