subject: End The Cold Calling Exasperation [print this page] You know in your guts that something is fundamentally wrong if you get only 2 or 3 contacts after hours of calling and supposedly your average per day is 10. You realize further that even being well compensated for doing what you do does not justify the aggravation and that disagreeable sense of uselessness that starts to creep into your consciousness. On days like these, keeping tabs on the outcome of the cold calls you've made and comparing them with the successful calls of your co-telemarketers seem to only confirm your worst fears, that you're useless as a telemarketer, thus, sinking your morale at an all time low. You're at a loss, almost tearing at your flesh, grasping straws, anything to come up with an answer. This is what I call having the "telemarketing blues."
After the initial shock sets in, discouragement will get to you and will slow down your production rate noticeably. You'll begin to rationalize that maybe it's just not your day or that it's just not the right campaign for you, specially, if you've been producing before. Realizing that it's really you who's lacking, you decide in your infinite wisdom that the solution is to go online and check your favorite online social media site or even just go down to the coffee machine-- whatever your favorite time wasters are. Malingering seems to be the word of the day. You feel the urgency and the need to violate that little rule on call avoidance. Panic, desperation causes you to speed up in the hopes of reaching your average before the day is done, but that doesn't seem to help either because you're doing more damage to your own numbers than good. And why? Because you are calling for all the wrong reasons and in a manner not befitting a professional telemarketer.
Here are some practical things you can do to help ease with the telemarketing blues:
Take a breather. Relax. Go hiking. Watch the sunset or a movie. In short, stop the activity itself. Go on leave if necessary. If you feel harassed already, then by all means, stop calling. Because if you don't, it will eventually show in your voice and reduce your effectiveness.
Remember that you have your production goal. Keep an accurate record of your performance. This will let you know if you're still up to speed as far as the production goals are concerned.
Know the dollar value your calls make. This will make you feel more significant knowing you actually contribute to the cause.
Variety is the spice of life. If it needs be, spend time following-up on appointments, researching names, preparing new scripts....mixing all these to your day will help keep the monotony at bay.
Keep track of your "yes" moments. Successful calls reminds us of what we did right and what we should continue doing.
Remind yourself daily what motivates you to work. Is it the money, the benefits, the camaraderie, the chance to overcome something greater than you? Whatever your main motivator is, you need to focus and constantly be aware of it on a daily basis.
Don't be too hard on yourself. Be kind on yourself and don't berate yourself too much. Watch out for explanations that highlight your failures, instead of the uncontrollable variables such as the availability of the decision-maker or the gatekeeper's willingness to cooperate. Remember, there is this thing called Murphy's Law which states that Anything that CAN go wrong, WILL go wrong (usually at that exact time when you really hoped it wouldn't). Hey, you can't be wrong all the time.
Keep an open mind and try to relax. Realize that if you're consistently a low-producer, it really wouldn't hurt to think deeply and maybe consider the fact that telemarketing just isn't for you, if it's not a consistent thing, well then good. There's still a glimmer of hope and light at the end of that tunnel. Welcome rejection with open-arms and try to learn from it. Eventually adversity in telemarketing will become mind over matter for you. You don't mind simply because they don't matter anymore. Now go make those calls!
