The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance: Earning What You're Worth in Sales (Paperback)

~ George W. Dudley & Shannon L. Goodson (Author)
Key Phrases: goal clarity, call reluctant salespeople, prospecting performance, The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance, Sensory Injection, Thought Realignment (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Overcoming the Fear of Self-Promotion

Performance alone no longer determines success. Pioneering researchers George W. Dudley and Shannon L. Goodson discovered something more important: self-promotion. Some of the most highly-paid and powerful people did not attain their positions by being the most technically competent. They did it through purposeful self-promotion.

Some people are natural promoters. They are born with the instinct to self-promote. For others often the most loyal, motivated and deserving self-promotion is emotionally difficult. They are rendered invisible by a spirit-crushing condition the authors call the fear of self-promotion.

When the fear of self-promotion victimizes salespeople, emotionally limiting their ability to initiate contact with prospective buyers, it s tagged sales call reluctance. Far more than the fear of making cold calls or using the telephone, sales call reluctance obstructs all forms of prospecting for new business. And it costs. Each year, sales call reluctance single-handedly accounts for over half of all failures in one of the largest professions in the world.

Although written primarily for salespeople, anyone who has to practice visibility management to get ahead can benefit from reading this book. Through anecdotes, examples, and step-by-step directions, you will discover what sales call reluctance really is, how it cripples careers, and how to keep it from limiting your career.

Exchanging white lab coats for blue jeans practicality, the authors, top international authorities on sales call reluctance, guide you through the treacherous myths and subtle misunderstandings which make sales call reluctance the social disease of the direct sales profession. You ll discover key concepts and proven techniques for evicting fear from your career.

From the Back Cover

Performance alone no longer determines success. Pioneering researchers Dudley and Goodson discovered something more important: self-promotion. Some of the most highly paid and powerful people did not attain their positions by being the most technically competent. They did it through purposeful self-promotion. Some people are natural self-promoters. They are born with the instinct to self-promote. For others, often the most loyal, motivated and deserving, self-promotion is emotionally difficult. They are rendered invisible by a spirit-crushing condition the authors call the fear of self-promotion.

When the fear of self-promotion victimizes salespeople, emotionally limiting their ability to initiate contact with prospective buyers, it's tagged sales call reluctance. Far more than the fear of making cold calls or using the telephone, sales call reluctance obstructs all forms of prospecting for new business. And it costs. Each year, sales call reluctance single-handedly accounts for over half of all failures in one of the largest professions in the world.

Although written primarily for salespeople, anyone who has to practice visibility management to get ahead can benefit from reading this book. Through anecdotes, examples and step-by-step directions, you will discover what sales call reluctance really is, how it cripples careers and how to keep it from limiting your career.

"Your most valuable asset is your earning ability, and in this practical, insightful book, you'll learn how to increase your value and your income continuously throughout your career. It's worth its weight in gold." - Brian Tracy

"The key to success and recognition...down-to-earth theories and practical advice." - -The London Financial Times

"In today's global arena, where change rules and knowledge is power, you either are a leader or a loser. This book is your passport to survive and thrive in the new era. It will get you promoted instead of downsized, teach you how to become CEO of your own life and make your career 'fireproof'." --Denis Waitley --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 456 pages
• Publisher: Behavioral Sciences Research Press, Inc.; 5th edition (November 15, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0935907122
• ISBN-13: 978-0935907124
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 7 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (51 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #48,557 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Powerful, innovative and pragmatic, August 5, 2002

By	Chuck Kimbriel "Happy Amazon Customer" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance: Earning What You're Worth in Sales (Paperback)

The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance will help you truly Earn What You're [REALLY] Worth.Although I have long been a fan of the motivational books and still feel they have a place in success, too often, as pointed out by Dudley and Goodson, sales people ignore what they really need the most.For example, someone who is great at setting goals but a poor organizer goes to all the goal and motivation seminars, reads all the books and listens to all the tapes on those subjects but ignores organization.Some of the prescriptions such as *thought zapping, *sensory injection*negative image projection *thoughtrealignment and target reversal can eliminate negative thought habits in prospecting and making sales calls. I've used them. They work.The call reluctance self rating scale on pages 27, 28 and 29 will help you to identify your own individual type of call reluctance or call imposter.I think some sales people have been giving this book low scores because you won't find the silly, feel good type of fluff that is in other popular sales training guides or techniques on how to close a sale. Sales judo, features and benefits, gimmicky or 1980's type sales techniques that don't work anymore etc. This book will show you how to identify weaknesses in your sales personality that can help turn you into a sales winner.For more on sales technique I recommend Advanced Selling Techniques, Close the Deal or the Sandler Sales Method.We've entered a new millenium and these technques will be a powerful tool for all sales people who want to excel in the 21st century.Good luck and great selling to you.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For true students of selling, February 2, 2001

By	David J. (Boise, ID) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance: Earning What You're Worth in Sales (Paperback)

For many years most sales instructional material was from one of two camps. Either it was some attempt to reinvent the famous Xerox model, or it was filled with personal war stories and self aggrandizement. (See Tom Hopkins book in the "Dummies" series.) No more! This book comes at the science side of selling from a fresh perspective. The authors are neither sales people nor sales trainers, they are psychologists. As such their perspective is based purely on what they have been able to observe and measure. The authors have gotten to the bottom of most sales slumps... People simply stop making calls. The reason? Sales call reluctance. Pretty obvious right? But, the book doesn't just state the obvious, which is, if you've stopped making calls, start making them and you will end your slump. They have broken the causes for call reluctance into 12 different origins. They help you zero in on the reasons that keep you from earning what you are worth and then offer specific and scientific methods to help get back on track. It's a keeper. I highly recommend it.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Saved my Business, October 24, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance: Earning What You're Worth in Sales (Paperback)

I have consistently started out strong in sales roles and then petered out. I had started strong again in my new network marketing business, but had slowed down and saw my business dying.

The problem was that I would be overcome with shallow breath, a foggy mind, and churning stomach when I had to call people I knew but didn't know well.

The book allowed me to diagonose my problem as Role Rejection. I was afraid that I would disappoint people when they learned I was in a network marketing company, and I was physically feeling that fear every time I tried to make calls. I was able to bull my way through, but it was exhausting.

After reading the book and using the exercises I recognized that I was worrying to much about what other people thought of me. I used two of the techniques in the book to calm my nerves and remove the fear.

My business is taking off again!

It is rare to find a book that so obviously saved a career, but this is one.