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How do you keep your sanity?

by thet
22 replies
For the people who cold call 5 days a week, 40 hours a week.

How do you keep your sanity? (the word "sanity" a bit exaggeration, but it comes close )
#sanity
  • Profile picture of the author Andrea Rillo
    I don't even call.
    I go directly door to door to businesses and let them know what I can do and how can I help.
    Sometimes I even build a relation before selling them my product which seems much easier to achieve once they get confidence with you.
    Plus, if I should call all these hours I would definetely outsource it to someone who can do it.
    I don't really like cold calling but if I am forced to do it, I would do it.
    Although I'm currently finding out that talking eyes to eyes with my leads is much easier and profitable instead of cold calling.
    My 2 cents.
    Andrea
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  • Profile picture of the author bob ross
    No one is calling 40 hours a week consistently. 3-4 hours is the max you can do productively. Anything past that and the returns diminish. You can take a break for a few hours and return and do a couple more hours but doing this consistently is not going to happen.
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    • Profile picture of the author thet
      Originally Posted by bob ross View Post

      No one is calling 40 hours a week consistently. 3-4 hours is the max you can do productively. Anything past that and the returns diminish. You can take a break for a few hours and return and do a couple more hours but doing this consistently is not going to happen.
      I do the following:

      09.00 - 12.00 AM
      2 hour break
      12.00 PM - 17.00 PM
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      — Charlie Munger

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      • Profile picture of the author kirbymarketingconcierge
        total "talk" time around 3 hours.

        like radio talk show hosts.

        3 hours total, small breaks during that time.

        that Is a lot of work

        women speak about 20,000 words a day - some 13,000 more than the average man.

        I think total time on average is 12 minutes / day for the average.
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      • Profile picture of the author socialentry
        I guess everyone has their way to deal with it. I goof around a... lot... on the calls espescially with the prospects "suffering" from egomania and other salespeople.

        Some people are just really laid back. Others are just hard working.

        Originally Posted by bob ross

        No one is calling 40 hours a week consistently. 3-4 hours is the max you can do productively. Anything past that and the returns diminish. You can take a break for a few hours and return and do a couple more hours but doing this consistently is not going to happen.
        Hey bob, just wondering: If I take that literally, do your guys do less then 40 hours then? Surely the output hourly is much higher if you call only 25 hours or so, but if you call 40 hours, volume makes up for it no?

        I'm just curious.
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        • Profile picture of the author bob ross
          Originally Posted by socialentry View Post

          Hey bob, just wondering: If I take that literally, do your guys do less then 40 hours then? Surely the output hourly is much higher if you call only 25 hours or so, but if you call 40 hours, volume makes up for it no?

          I'm just curious.
          my callers are part time. I hire them for 4 hour shifts per day with one 10 minute break if they're producing. I like hiring part-time because:

          1. they don't rely on this income, they usually have other jobs so this is a bonus.
          2. their production on 4 hours would be the same if they worked 6 hours.

          In some cases I'll let a caller work two shifts, like 9-1 and then 4-8 if they really need the money but they know they have to produce in that first shift to come back for the 2nd... and if the production lacks they lose the next day of work.

          A 40 hour telemarketer will have the same production as a 25 hour telemarketer, 40 hours is just WAY too much calling.
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          • Profile picture of the author socialentry
            Originally Posted by bob ross View Post

            my callers are part time. I hire them for 4 hour shifts per day with one 10 minute break if they're producing. I like hiring part-time because:

            1. they don't rely on this income, they usually have other jobs so this is a bonus.
            2. their production on 4 hours would be the same if they worked 6 hours.

            In some cases I'll let a caller work two shifts, like 9-1 and then 4-8 if they really need the money but they know they have to produce in that first shift to come back for the 2nd... and if the production lacks they lose the next day of work.

            A 40 hour telemarketer will have the same production as a 25 hour telemarketer, 40 hours is just WAY too much calling.
            I never thought about the idea that decreasing call volume might actually help sales.

            Do you also set a limit @ four hours for yourself?
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            • Profile picture of the author bob ross
              Originally Posted by socialentry View Post

              I never thought about the idea that decreasing call volume might actually help sales.

              Do you also set a limit @ four hours for yourself?
              No one stays consistent over long periods of time calling for days on end. Like others have said, with frequent breaks you can go longer but you can't really push hard for a few hours and keep going at it, it's absolutely brutal.

              If you push yourself to the max, you just can't stay that way for hours on end, it tops out after 2-3 hours and you can squeeze another hour in there for the most part. A lot of it is mental... where if you know you're going in for a six or an eight hour shift, you're going to pace yourself for that kind of time. If you're going in for a four hour shift you don't have to 'conserve' as much energy.

              If you worked in a warehouse and you had a section of it that needed to be reorganized and you had to do it in 4 hours, you'd work like mad to get it done and you'd probably get it done. If you had six hours I guarantee you'd work with less effort and would just be finishing it up when six hours came 'round.

              Look up Parkinson's Law.
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            • Profile picture of the author bob ross
              Originally Posted by socialentry View Post

              Do you also set a limit @ four hours for yourself?
              Regarding myself... I couldn't tell you the last time I called for more than two hours and that was a while ago. I lose money if I'm on a phone (I have employees, multiple businesses, projects, etc going on) but I still hit the phones every now and then to prove a point if I'm explaining a certain process, to motivate, and in general to keep everyone fired up.

              Calling is monkey business, I have a system that's setup for monkeys to run so there's no real need for me to get on the phones.
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  • Profile picture of the author laurencewins
    Hey Thet,

    9-12 and then 12-5 when do you take your 2 hour break?
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    Writer/Editor/Proofreader.

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    • Profile picture of the author thet
      Originally Posted by laurencewins View Post

      Hey Thet,

      9-12 and then 12-5 when do you take your 2 hour break?
      Yes ofcourse. Brainfart (me, not you).
      9 am - 12 am
      2 pm - 5 pm

      My break is between 12 and 2
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  • Profile picture of the author umc
    I used to call from 10-7 with an hour lunch and we took a 10 minute break every hour. That was with a group of 20-25 people, and the energy in the room helps at that point. I've also done solo calling from 9-5, and that was really tough. I always found though that a 10 minute break each hour helped me. A quick walk outside was a good refresher. Ultimately if you call for any amount of time it will wear on you. Breaks are your friend.
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  • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
    Why would I want to keep my sanity? My goal is to be so jacked up, fired up, and crazy for my goals that time doesn't matter, and I am in the zone 24/7.

    People already think I am bit off. I push so hard, with so much force towards my goals, that people can't help but help me.

    Forget sanity. If you believe that cold calling is what you need to do right now to reach your goals, you should think about it 24/7 and push yourself beyond sanity.

    Bob Ross is right - it can't be effective for most workers and employees. But that isn't you. You are driven beyond measure.

    Forget balance. Forget sanity. This is your life man. You push yourself BEYOND the breaking point for the next few years, and your success will start a chain reaction that carries you the rest of your life.

    Burn your boats in the harbor! There is no going back. From now on, you will outperform, outwork, and outlive every aspect of what most people consider "normal." You are NOT "normal" - You are a God Damned Gladiator!

    EDIT: Thinking more about this. So many people are worried about "burning out." Don't fear burnout. Burnout is the goal!

    Ask any military Special Forces member when their greatest gains in ability and knowledge have come. It is when you push yourself BEYOND burnout that your greatest gains are possible .

    The harder you work, the more you can work. When you burnout it's just time to stack more wood on your fire. People burnout because they don't have enough wood on the fire. They accomplish some small goals and then run out of steam.

    The only way to push the limits of success is to push your limits personally. You can only do that by going beyond what you think is normal or acceptable. By doing this, you will increase your ability to accomplish great things.

    How many hours per day would you cold call if your mother and father lives were at stake? Whatever it takes!

    Guess what? The lives of everyone around you hinges on you succeeding at a high level. One day your mother or father or brother or sister or child or friend will get cancer or be in a horrible accident or suddenly lose everything.

    Your ability to help them will hinge on you creating success. Or, you can just sit there impotent and unable to help them - and you will know it was because you didn't cold call enough to EARN THE SUCCESS YOU DESIRE.

    Screw burnout. Screw normal. Screw limits. I want to be able to do what I want, when I want, and for whom I want. That is why I don't care about sanity.

    DO YOU WANT COMFORT OR DO YOU WANT FREEDOM????

    I chose freedom over comfort every single day. I simply do not care about anything else.
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    Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
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    • Profile picture of the author ewenmack
      Dan, if a person has had chickenpox as a child,
      like I did, you run a high risk of getting shingles.

      For years I pushed myself until I woke up one morning
      and I could hardly get out of bed and think straight.

      The doctors nurse took one look at me and said
      I had shingles.

      Had it in my left temple.

      Caused a spot on my eye and ringing in my ears as
      well what could be described as electric shocks running
      through my left temple.

      8 months before I could gain physical strength to
      walk to the shops, to be able to think and concentrate
      enough to work, to be able to sleep 4 hours straight.

      Willpower doesn't beat a bad case of shingles.
      You surrender to it and relax into it to get out on
      the other side.

      A cautionary note to people pushing hard who have had chickenpox as a child.
      The virus is the same which causes shingles never leaves the body and nothing
      doctors can do to remove it.

      One day you are good, next day you are hit by it out of the blue.

      Stress triggers it.

      Wouldn't wish it on anyone.

      Best,
      Doctor E. Vile

      Originally Posted by Dan McCoy View Post

      Why would I want to keep my sanity? My goal is to be so jacked up, fired up, and crazy for my goals that time doesn't matter, and I am in the zone 24/7.

      People already think I am bit off. I push so hard, with so much force towards my goals, that people can't help but help me.

      Forget sanity. If you believe that cold calling is what you need to do right now to reach your goals, you should think about it 24/7 and push yourself beyond sanity.

      Bob Ross is right - it can't be effective for most workers and employees. But that isn't you. You are driven beyond measure.

      Forget balance. Forget sanity. This is your life man. You push yourself BEYOND the breaking point for the next few years, and your success will start a chain reaction that carries you the rest of your life.

      Burn your boats in the harbor! There is no going back. From now on, you will outperform, outwork, and outlive every aspect of what most people consider "normal." You are NOT "normal" - You are a God Damned Gladiator!

      EDIT: Thinking more about this. So many people are worried about "burning out." Don't fear burnout. Burnout is the goal!

      Ask any military Special Forces member when their greatest gains in ability and knowledge have come. It is when you push yourself BEYOND burnout that your greatest gains are possible .

      The harder you work, the more you can work. When you burnout it's just time to stack more wood on your fire. People burnout because they don't have enough wood on the fire. They accomplish some small goals and then run out of steam.

      The only way to push the limits of success is to push your limits personally. You can only do that by going beyond what you think is normal or acceptable. By doing this, you will increase your ability to accomplish great things.

      How many hours per day would you cold call if your mother and father lives were at stake? Whatever it takes!

      Guess what? The lives of everyone around you hinges on you succeeding at a high level. One day your mother or father or brother or sister or child or friend will get cancer or be in a horrible accident or suddenly lose everything.

      Your ability to help them will hinge on you creating success. Or, you can just sit there impotent and unable to help them - and you will know it was because you didn't cold call enough to EARN THE SUCCESS YOU DESIRE.

      Screw burnout. Screw normal. Screw limits. I want to be able to do what I want, when I want, and for whom I want. That is why I don't care about sanity.

      DO YOU WANT COMFORT OR DO YOU WANT FREEDOM????

      I chose freedom over comfort every single day. I simply do not care about anything else.
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      • Profile picture of the author adam westrop
        Originally Posted by ewenmack View Post

        Dan, if a person has had chickenpox as a child,
        like I did, you run a high risk of getting shingles.

        Best,
        Doctor E. Vile
        I always thought you were at a higher risk of shingles if you didn't have chickenpox as a child...... I think that's a common myth in my part of the UK.

        Got to ensure I stay healthy and keep those vitamins up!
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      • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
        Originally Posted by ewenmack View Post

        One day you are good, next day you are hit by it out of the blue.

        Stress triggers it.

        Wouldn't wish it on anyone.
        That sounds terrible. I hear what you are saying. The thing is, I'm less stressed than ever. I have worked hard over the last few years to build systems into my life that support my productivity. I'll share some here - I picked it up from many different places and it has changed my entire life.

        Body:
        Health is the most vital gift anyone can have. Good health is like a foundation on which everything else is built. So, keeping my body happy is a core discipline. I look at my body as a tool - I am my mind - my body is a tool, like a car, that needs to be maintained and taken care of.

        So - I eat no junk. I almost never eat crap food. Every meal is healthy and fuel. I take vitamins and supplements like Omega-3 and COQ-10 to help my body recover and stay strong. At 38, I'm at that point where if I don't maintain the machine, it degrades faster than someone in their 20's.

        I get up every morning at 5am and workout. I have essential goals, and some of those are physical. Right now I am at the peak of condition - more than ever before in my life, even my military years. It is because the last several years I have been serious about this discipline.

        Mind:
        I always thought meditation was mumbo-jumbo and only for weird people. Then one day I stumbled onto a video of Jerry Seinfeld saying it was the reason he was able to be the best in his industry. Then I saw another with Howard Stern saying the same thing. Then Russell Simmons. Then many others, some top CEO's - crediting a daily meditation practice as a major key to their success. The clincher was when I saw a video of Clint Eastwood saying he had been doing it for 40 years and it had helped him succeed.

        I've always respected Clint - so I thought I should learn how to do it. About a year ago I started, twice per day, for just 20 minutes. There was an immediate difference in my life and productivity! I don't think this is some spiritual spooky nonsense - deep meditation does something for the brain that I can't explain. Stress is gone and I am hyper-focused, disciplined, and productive afterward. It takes a few weeks to start "getting" it - but I highly recommend it. After a few months, you really notice a change.

        Productivity:
        I have watched this Darren Hardy video dozens of times. It keeps getting removed from YouTube and put back up by different people. It's called "The Productivity Secrets of Super-Achievers" - I literally watched it back to back for a month straight. Now, at least once per week I watch it. This morning it was playing during my workout.

        How to Be More Productive by Success Publisher Darren Hardy - YouTube

        1. Healthy Eating and Exercise
        2. Meditation twice per day
        3. Focus on productivity

        These three practices (plus another that is not really related to this discussion) have revolutionized my life! I am more stress free and productive than ever. My goals are enormous and I simply will not get there without continuous improvement.

        I have learned clearly that the money is in the morning routine.

        This may sound like too much work for some people and I assure you they are mistaken. It's not much work at all. Failing on my goals - now THAT'S work. Rationalizing why I let myself down, that is real work. The life I was living five years ago...THAT was work. Settling for less than I am capable of - that would be work. That would cause me stress.

        Massive Success is the easiest route. By far.
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  • Profile picture of the author thet
    So you work very hard till insanity to be free in the future. You could also drop some ambition and be free now.

    / advocate of the devil
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    Recognize reality even when you don't like it - especially when you don't like it.
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    • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
      Originally Posted by thet View Post

      So you work very hard till insanity to be free in the future. You could also drop some ambition and be free now.

      / advocate of the devil
      I am more free that anyone I know.

      Am I free if my mother gets sick and I CAN'T help her? Am I free if my son needs something and I CAN'T get it for him? Am I free if I want to buy my wife a nice purse and I CAN'T?

      No! To the degree that we are not succeeding - we are imprisoned by small thoughts, lack, and disappointments.

      I am doing what I love. I love to hustle. I love to get it done. I love to accomplish. I love to check things off my goal list.

      Success in life is really the only thing that matters.

      Is it better for a relationship to fail or to succeed? The answer is obvious - so I work hard on my relationships.

      Is it better for my child to fail or succeed? The answer is obvious - so I work hard to be a good father.

      Is it better for a business to fail or succeed? The answer is obvious - so I work hard to make it succeed.

      If success is better - then HUGE success is the best of all.

      People sometimes seem to think that relaxation will make them happy. I used to feel the same way. Now I know it is BS. SUCCEEDING in the things that are important is the only thing that brings happiness!

      I know plenty of people who relax all day and don't do anything and they are depressed. Relaxation isn't the key.

      I believe your answer is a cop out. It is based on FEAR. We fear we will fail so we are afraid to GO ALL IN. 100% commitment to large success takes courage and a clear vision for what my life should be.

      Success is the key to a happy life - not comfort or relaxation.

      The bed was sure comfortable this cold morning at 5am - but I want freedom more than comfort. So, I dragged my carcass to the basement and started moving the weights.
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  • Profile picture of the author Amanda Murdoch
    Hi Thet
    Sorry to hear about your sanity

    I just replied to a thread on here with similar problem ... So for speed - I have copy and paste ...


    I would sack the calling immediately - and re think what you are doing ...

    People want to get rid of a salesman asap - they won't even be listening to you - they've already decided to get rid of you quick ...

    Re-position yourself as a consultant - Build a simple funnel - Put the right lead generating strategies in place, and let people come to you -

    This way you are not wasting any of your time, and you can then focus all your activity in only client getting and income producing activity

    Hope this helps
    Good luck
    Amanda
    PS - I've been invited to do a training on offline marketing very soon - It might be useful to you??
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    Marketing Consulting, Training & Coaching
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  • Profile picture of the author thet
    Great Dan!

    I have been meditating for 2-3 years now. I take 20 minutes a day. Works amazingly for my ADHD.
    have seen major improvements in my mental health, eventhough ADHD will always stay a challenge
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    Recognize reality even when you don't like it - especially when you don't like it.
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    • Profile picture of the author DaniMc
      Originally Posted by thet View Post

      even though ADHD will always stay a challenge
      Are you sure of this? Many of us have this condition. If you believe it will always be a challenge, then it most certainly will.

      The brain is plastic - new connections and neurons are formed constantly.
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      Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.
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      • Profile picture of the author thet
        Originally Posted by Dan McCoy View Post

        Are you sure of this? Many of us have this condition. If you believe it will always be a challenge, then it most certainly will.

        The brain is plastic - new connections and neurons are formed constantly.
        Well. I am not a teenager anymore. And its still there. Medication and some pro active things like crossfit, meditation, lots of reading and low sugar helps.
        But with meds, I am not functioning my best lol
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