Please help me!

If you're afraid of rejection, just go for the no. Instead of letting the no's get to you, make them your goal. I've been meaning to read the book titled such, but found the concept very interesting. Ultimately nobody can make you pick up the phone. I can tell you that it does get easier with time. It is like a bandage, sometimes you just have to rip it off. You're standing at the edge, just jump. Remember, you have the control. You have your script and you have the skills, anf if things went ugly you have a magic button that makes the call disappear. Picking up the phone is largely a mindset game. Do it to help businesses. Do it to help you get whatever it is that you want. Do it just to prove to yourself that you can.

There's my pep talk. If I can do it, so can you. I did it for years and suffer from social anxiety to a disordered extent. Just do it. Right now. Pick up the phone and go get a no. Each one is closer to a yes.

You said that you should expect the worst. What's that look like to you? What specifically is it that scares you?

Hi Jamie,

First of all I would like to congratulate you for taking action.! Well done! You are in the starting stage, and this is just a season, you will surely get through this and make it to the next stage as long as you dont quit and keep trying.

Cold calling is not as hard as you think. All you got to do is make a list from the Yellow pages etc, call up the bussinesses and tell them that you just found them on the yellow pages, and you are a web designer. Ask them questions: When did you have your website designed? How is it working for you? How do you get most of your work? Recommendations? people find you online? Do you do any advertising at the moment?

This will help you get a conversation going. REMEMBER YOU ARE OFFERING TO HELP THESE BUSINESSES AND ARE NOT BEGGING THEM TO BUY A WEBSITE FROM YOU. If they dont realize what a difference a good website can make it's their loss, not yours.

It is a numbers game believe me. I also sucked at cold calling when I started but you got to play the numbers. I was expecting to sell 1 in 100 numbers that I dialled.. Did I? NO... On the average it took me 500 dials to make a sale. But who cares? Just work your ass off, If you know that after 500 dials you are going to make a sale would you not do the 500 calls?

Also many threads on this forum give you the impression that the sale is closed on the first call or within 2-3 days. But this is not always the case. I did do some one call closes but usually for me it took 3-4 weeks to close the sale since the first contact.

So all I can say is, you have stared in the right direction. Keep going and get used to closing sales. Once you have enough money invest in google adwords and then people call you! So they need you!

All the best Brother... Trust me on this one,, DONT EVER GIVE UP AND YOU WILL BE SUCCESSFUL!

Jamie, it's a common case. There's a bunch of nice introvert specialists who don't like sales. There are at least two nice ways of solving it. Well, let's say I like just these two ways:

1. Do not respect the companies you call too much. Be easy. Everybody's people. You can consider it "Dr. House's method"

Well, it may be more complex than it sounds. I'm not sure if it is, so I prefer the other solution:

2. Find a bloody salesmen. Or a few. There are tons of people who don't feel any discomfort while calling to potential clients. Moreover, they know how to sell, so you can just set fixed price for a website and your salesmen will get 70% of the difference between your price and the amount your client paid (you get the rest 30% on top of the price you set).

While cold calling would be ideal for someone starting out, there are many other methods you can use to attract clients. Why do you feel you just have to cold call? Do you have money to invest in other lead generation activities?

You are afraid because you know that doing this is important to your future and your growth. If it were not important, it would hold no fear for you because failing or being rejected would have no impact on your life.

There is a difference between hating to do something, and being afraid to do it.

The signal that you are afraid, means it is VERY IMPORTANT. You must do what you fear - this only happens with repetition.

Conquering fear is the only way to succeed. It impacts you in many ways. Just push.

You think I wasn't ever afraid in the military? Could I just walk away? Can you just walk away?

Nope. If you do - you are failing yourself.

So - get real. It's a telephone. These are people you don't know. Dial the damn numbers.

There is a rational side to the fear of making prospecting calls, and an irrational side.

I explain the rational side here:
http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...beginners.html

The irrational side is valuable, not at all understood by people except a tiny few, and not an understanding you are going to get for free.

I think it is 100% a mindset game.... when I began cold calling, I had to "fool" myself into getting onto the phone.

Back when I was in high school (late 90's) looking for a PT job, I'd have no reservations about just calling local businesses and ask "Are you hiring?"

This is the mentality I put myself into when I start a cold call session, as opposed to "I'm calling you to sell you something".... I'm just reaching out to see if they are "hiring a web designer/SEO/social/etc guy".

It's a simple mind game, but it relieves the pressure enough to get you on the phone. The first few dials are the hardest, then they start to flow.

you are not calling people. you are calling numbers. The absolute worst that can happen is the secretary says the owner is not in, or the owner says he is not interested. If you are talking to anyone but the owner, you are wasting your time.
get a simple quick script, if you are scared, just a survey call would be easier for you. Then follow up the next day with the owner when you have some rapport and a little trust built.
chunk your time. call straight for a period of time - 9-10am, then take a 5-10 mimute break...then back to it. Play it as a game. See how many owners you can get on the phone, then see how many you can get an interest out of and set a follow up call? Just ask a couple quick questions if you are nervous. Once you talk to 10 owners, you will be a pro. Dont physic yoursef out...I train all my people to not to think just call and let it flow.

http://www.warriorforum.com/offline-...ccess-tip.html will help you.

I hate cold calling.. and everyone and his brother offers website design.. your better bet would be to put together a website, get it ranked and start getting in coming calls.. post your offer on craigslist and go from there.. You could also do a youtube video ad, or purchase some business lists and do some email marketing..

real businesses/offers DO NOT NEED TO COLD CALL!

Now watch all the "cold callers" (wow they must have such a fantastic offer they just can't give it away) give me hate. Enjoy