I remember it like it was yesterday—my early days as a sales professional, staring at the phone, absolutely dreading making sales calls. And I don’t use the word “dread” lightly. I wanted to be successful, so I did what any ambitious salesperson would do: I devoured every book I could find. From Brian Tracy’s The Psychology of Selling to Jeffrey Gitomer’s The Sales Bible, I absorbed everything I could about sales strategies and communication skills.
But there was one big problem: no matter how much I learned, I still didn’t want to pick up the phone.
Sound familiar? Maybe you’ve felt this way recently. Maybe you even planned to make calls today, but somehow the hours slipped by, and you never got around to it.
If that’s you, don’t worry—you’re not alone! The truth is, most salespeople and entrepreneurs struggle with this. In fact, statistics show that 50% of us only call our prospects once before giving up, and the numbers drop dramatically after the second attempt. Why? Because we don’t like rejection. No one does!
Yet here we are, as business owners and sales professionals, needing to make calls to close sales. So how do we get past the resistance? How do we actually make calls without it feeling painful?
The great news is: you don’t have to spend more time making calls to be successful—you just need to make smarter calls. In fact, when you focus on your top 20% of prospects, you can work less and make more money. Yes, really! But first, you have to pick up the phone.
So, what should you do when you really don’t feel like making sales calls? Here are five proven strategies that will help you make more calls—without the stress.
1. Get Out of Your Head (and Go Do Something Fun)
This might sound counterintuitive, but hear me out—when you force yourself to make calls from a place of fear or resistance, you’re going to get a lot of “no’s.” Your energy matters! So if you’re feeling stuck, take a break. Go for a walk, head to the spa, hit the golf course—whatever helps you shift your mindset. The key is to get into a place where you want to make calls, rather than feeling like you have to.
2. Stop Thinking You Have to Make Hundreds of Calls
I was once trained to make 100 calls a day before I could go home. Guess what? It didn’t work. Instead, I started focusing on quality over quantity. I created my Top 20 List—the top 20% of my best potential clients—and I called them with intention. I only stopped when I got a “yes,” “no,” or a clear next step”. This one shift dramatically increased my appointment-setting rate. In Sales Camp, we teach this strategy, and one attendee set 11 appointments in just 30 minutes—representing $70,000 in new opportunities! Sales is not a numbers game; it’s a strategy game.
3. Begin with the Easiest Calls First
One of my clients once told me he was bringing his “Chicken List” to Sales Camp—the list of prospects he was too afraid to call. I loved his honesty! But here’s the thing: if you start with the toughest calls first, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Instead, start with the easiest prospects—the ones most likely to say yes. Once you build momentum, those “Chicken List” calls won’t feel so intimidating.
4. Reverse Engineer Your Sales Goals
You don’t need to make endless calls—you just need to make the right number of calls to hit your goals. Here’s how:
- Start with your sales stretch goal. Let’s say it’s $10,000 per month.
- Determine your average sale. If it’s $1,000 per client, you need 10 sales per month.
- If your close rate is 50%, you need 20 appointments to hit your goal.
- Now, work backwards to figure out how many calls you really need to make.
See? You don’t need to make 100 calls a day—you just need a focused plan!
5. Create an Intentional Schedule (and Stick to It)
Once you know how many appointments you need, schedule dedicated call time into your calendar. Track your activity so you know how many calls it takes to set one appointment. Over time, this data will help you fine-tune your strategy so you can work less and achieve more. At Sales Camp, attendees often book 1-2 appointments per 30-minute call session—because they come prepared with the right script and mindset.
The Bottom Line
I get it—you don’t want to make sales calls. But if you want to be successful in sales and in your business, it’s a necessary part of the process. The good news? It doesn’t have to be painful. When you shift your mindset, focus on your top prospects, and create an intentional plan, you’ll find that making calls becomes easier—and even fun!
These are the exact strategies we dive into at Sales Camp—helping you overcome call reluctance, set more appointments, and close more deals. Ready to transform your sales game? Join us on April 3, 2025, and learn how to make sales calls with confidence and ease. Register now
