The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance
Earning What You're Worth
By: George W. Dudley, Shannon L. Goodson
Published: Dec 30, 2007
ISBN: 9780935907124
Format: Paperback, 433pp
Publisher: Behavioral Science Research Pr
The fear of self-promotion is the general condition which makes sales call reluctance possible in salespeople, write behavioral scientists George W. Dudley and Shannon L. Goodson in their landmark book The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance: Earning What You're Worth. the authors conclude that sales call reluctance is a condition that causes sales people to limit their achievement levels by limiting their number of sales calls.
George W. Dudley (photo left) and Shannon L. Goodson understand the importance of ethical self promotion as crucial to a salesperson's overall success. The failure of many sales representatives to promote themselves leads to inevitable failure and disappointment. The resulting sales call reluctance may stem from a not using the telephone to prospect for customers. Call reluctance can often result from failing to ask for a personal sales presentation. In more extreme call reluctance cases, the cause may be an inability to act on both counts.
George W. Dudley and Shannon L. Goodson recognize that self-promotion skills vary from person to person. While many people are natural self-promoters, other people are very reluctant to promote themselves and their accomplishments. Instead of letting others know about their achievements, the reluctant self-promoters trust their work to speak for itself. Instead of being rewarded for their efforts, others less skilled at the job, but more talented at self-promotion, receive the accolades, promotions, and the money.
Shannon L. Goodson (photo left) and George W. Dudley divide the book into two important sections that are mutually dependent. The first half of the book diagnoses the root emotional causes of sales call reluctance and how to identify their symptoms. In the second half of the book, the authors provide the solutions to the various call reluctance problems. Backed by solid research in the behavioral sciences and real world testing with sales representatives, the book is the definitive text book for recognizing and treating sales call reluctance successfully. Free from homilies, anecdotes, and stereotypical cults of personality, the book rests on scientific field research, to reach the ultimate conclusions.
For me, the power of the book is its practical approach to a widespread problem among salespeople. Everyone who has sold products or services, either as an employee or an entrepreneur has suffered from sales call reluctance at one time or another. The failure to self-promote in an honest and ethical manner has limited the achievement and success levels of everyone infected with the problem. The authors provide the diagnostic tools to uncover the root causes of each of the dozen listed forms of sales call reluctance. The solutions to each of the causes are presented in a usable and understandable way, designed to change the limiting traits into positive action.
I highly recommend The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance: Earning What You're Worth by George W. Dudley and Shannon L. Goodson, to anyone who is serious about overcoming their own sales call reluctance; or that of their sales staff. The book will change the way you and your employees will look at self-promotion, and will boost your productivity.
Read The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance: Earning What You're Worth by George W. Dudley and Shannon L. Goodson, and overcome the fear of making those important prospecting telephone calls, and of asking for face to face meetings with potential clients. Instead of sales call reluctance, you will experience the empowerment of sales call success.
