By 
Whether it’s riding a bike or making sales calls, we all have to face our fears.
Let’s talk about fear.
What is your deepest fear? Mine is falling off.
I’m pretty sure my fear of falls originated when I was learning to ride a bike.
I remember just mastering going up and down the sidewalk, pedaling like a pro, feeling invincible with my newfound freedom. Just then, we headed to Oma and Opa for the day. Feeling pretty confident in my driving progress, I asked Opa to lend me my aunt’s old bike so I could go play with the kids on the block.
Oma and Opa lived in North Vancouver at the time, very mountainous terrain with steep hills.
Across the street from their house was a dead end where the children were headed. This cul-de-sac rested at the foot of one of Lynn Valley’s infamous steep hills. But with just a little hesitation on my part, I gripped the handlebars tight and headed down to meet the rest of the gang at the bottom.
Very soon I realized that I could be a professional in horse riding a bike, but not so much in stop a.
Panic hit.
Fear washed over me.
How do I stop this thing?!?
I staggered
And of course I lost all control and crashed to the bottom. Luckily I only had a few scrapes and bruises to show from my hobbyist sting at the bottom of the dead end, but my borrowed bike wasn’t so lucky.
One of the neighboring children alerted my Opa to the accident and she came running to see the damage. He managed to fix the bike but, as you can imagine, there was no way to get back to the house with that fool. We walk safely.
I didn’t realize I was afraid of falling until much later in life. Looking back, I realize that many of my decisions were based on that fear.
For example, you will never find me riding a roller coaster. (I did that once at PNE and literally died.) Or skiing. I mean, what person in his right mind would want to do an out-of-control nosedive and headfirst down a steep mountain? I do not! (And yes, even as I write this, I see the correlation to my bike disaster as clear as a bell.)
Fear certainly has a way of creeping into our lives, whether we realize it or not. And sometimes that fear is so completely irrational that it’s sad. Think of all the fun and excitement I’ve been missing out on because of this insidious fear of falling? At least I’m not afraid of heights!
What fear do you have lurking within you, keeping you from enjoying life or creating a successful business for that matter?
When it comes to our business, fear can definitely stop us in our tracks, preventing us from moving forward and achieving our goals.
fear of success
Fear to fail
fear of rejection
fear of the unknown
Fear of being called a fraud
fear of change
fear of losing everything
fear of judgment
Fear of _____ fill in the blank.
I was working with a consulting client a few weeks ago where we were mapping out a strategy to help them build their one-on-one coaching business.
Since in-person networking is not an option as we work our way through this pandemic, reaching out to previous clients and associates is a great way to reconnect, find out how they’re doing, let them know what’s been going on, and ultimately instance, ask. for references.
Since this customer had so many people they could reconnect with, I challenged them to start a 30-day outreach initiative where they would call 3 people a day, 5 days a week, for 30 days.
After 3 weeks, they proudly announced that they had reached 25 people. By email. Not once was the phone used in this challenge. And guess what? Not a single person responded to his email.
So this time I made it very clear that emails were not part of this challenge and asked them to start over with a new challenge. Whatever fear they may be feeling about picking up the phone, they had to face that fear and do it anyway.
What fear do you have about calling potential customers in your business?
Being yelled at? Do it anyway.
They saying, “no”? Do it anyway.
hang? Do it anyway. (This actually happened to me once when I was a consultant for Mary Kay.)
I know you’re saying, “easier said than done, Susan.” I understand. I’ve been there, done that. But realistically, what’s the worst that could happen?
Can they physically harm you? No.
Can they hurt you emotionally? Only if you let them.
Also, what do you think happens to them when they yell at you or hang up on you? how scary they are they feeling that prevents them from politely saying, “no”?
We all have fears. And maybe one day I will face my fear and ride a roller coaster again or even go skiing. But luckily, my fear of falling doesn’t negatively affect my ability to pick up the phone and use it to build my business.
If your business needs customers, the best way to generate new leads is to pick up the phone and reach out to people. Here are some good places to start:
? Previous clients to see how things are going with them.
? Past leads you never followed up on
? People put you up at previous networking events. You know, that big stack of business cards you have over there. Call them.
? Associates and colleagues to deepen their connection and explore the reference between them.
? People you chat with on social media. Send them a message and ask if you can call them to find out more about them.
The key is not to call with the intention of selling anything. Make the call about them. Ask them questions. Find out how they are kissing. The conversation will naturally focus on you having the opportunity to share what is happening to you. And instead of trying to sell that person, ask if they know someone who would benefit from what you’re offering.
There are plenty of opportunities to get more leads into your business, without paying for fancy lead funnels and expensive Google ads. You just need to feel the fear and pick up the phone.
For the success of your business,
Suzanne
Recommended Resources
Read: 6 ways to increase your income month after month. For a business to increase its revenue, it requires strategy, goal setting, and planning. Read these top 6 sales strategies to increase business revenue.
See: The 4Cs: Your Formula for Business Success. Your business is not successful? Do you have problems getting clients? Watch my guest Cheryl Bishop from Resilient Women in Business with the 4Cs solution.
Book: A Mind for Sales: Daily Habits and Practical Strategies for Sales Success by Mark Hunter CSP. For salespeople tired of feeling stressed, burned out, and discouraged because their customers don’t want to hear from them, A Sales Mindset is the guide they need to develop a success mindset and the habits needed to move forward into a new world. sales performance level.
Book: Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers. An old but good: Feel the fear and do it anyway: how to turn your fear and indecision into confidence and action.