Sales is one of the most stressful and fast paced fields to be in and it makes perfect sense. Just imagine an office full of salespeople, the hustle and bustle of constant phone ringing, the never ending meetings, and the cold calling conversations at every corner. This scenario is enough to make some of the most successful people in the industry feel the pressure and anxiety when cold calling. With that said, it’s totally normal to feel anxious from time to time but if not managed properly can drastically affect your confidence at work. So here  are some helpful steps for you to manage those nerves by Kendra Warlow.

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Cold calls are similar to going on a date. It’s normal to feel the nerves when talking to someone new and worry about the unexpected. The first thing you should do is take a breather. Breathing exercises prove useful to calm your breathing down as it can become fast and erratic when nervous. Having shallow and fast breathing can cause you to slur your words and tensing up of the body. Try closing your eyes and breathing in and out slowly while sitting in a peaceful location. Once you’re calm and comfortable, you can regroup your thoughts and go on calls confidently.

The second step in managing anxiety when cold calling is to stay present. Sometimes when we are nervous, we tend to not be aware of the subconscious negative self-talk that we indulge in. This self-sabotaging habit can flow into sales calls and makes us feel more pressured. As explained by Kendra during ‘Rethinking Cold Outreach’, it is crucial to be mindful and aware of the present moment so that you’re not caught living in the ‘what ifs’ of the future and the regrets of the past. With that said, staying present means to slow down your thought process, listening intently, understanding their needs and taking time in answering the questions asked as well as not rushing into any decision making. By doing so, you are presenting yourself with an open mind and character which will help you engage better with the prospect on the line.  

Lastly, managing anxiety means to also manage your emotions after the cold call. Regardless of how the cold call went, it is crucial to check in with yourself and regulate how you feel. One of the greatest human freedoms is being able to choose how you feel and think about the experience. To achieve that, you have to destress yourself after a hard day’s work or cold call by taking a walk, switching off your devices and completely disconnecting yourself with work and connecting with the outside world. By doing so, you are allowing yourself to have a clear line between work and life which helps in regulating your emotions. This is helpful so that you do not define your achievements solely based on work performance and do not attach yourself too much to a single event.  

All things considered, you should consider your personal preferences and do what makes you feel most comfortable. Kendra noted that the whole experience of cold calling should be approached the same way you would when you go to a dog park or when you’re walking your dog. It should be a pleasant, curious and interesting experience for you.