If You’re Thinking About Making the Call, MAKE THE CALL!

Knowing is not enough; we must apply.  Being willing is not enough; we must do. Waiting is not an option.  — Leonardo da Vinci

A career in sales requires a lifetime of resilience. 

Having spent the better part of twenty-five years in sales, I have learned a few things about the ups and downs of life in the field.  Incredible moments of bonding with key customers. Dry spells of success.  Roaring markets.  Devastating downturns.  Shifting compensation plans.  Never a dull moment with life on commission!

But through it all, there has been one overarching principle that has resonated with me.  It applies to every type of industry, from commercial real estate to software to commodities.  And it doesn’t matter if it is high-end luxury, low-end generic, consultative, or transactional.  The fish aren’t going to jump in the boat.  In order to achieve success in any type of sales, you have to make the calls.

It sounds so simple. Of course we need to reach out to our customers! Of course we need to aggressively pursue new leads! But it is not easy. There are times when we will be tired. There are times when we are complacent. There are times when we do not believe in the process. There are times when we do not want to face rejection. There are times we are too wrapped up in other busy work. But deep down, it eats away at us. Deep down, we know the right thing to do.

It is during these times that we must espouse the most basic rule of all:

If you’re thinking about making the call…MAKE THE CALL!

It is a central tenet for finding new business in the sales world.  But it also applies to just about any profession.  And it is mission-critical in our personal lives as well!

Our Gut Rarely Lets Us Down

Making the call is not about pure sales.  As teachers and coaches, we may sense that a student or player is not connecting with the program.  We may make a mental note to offer encouragement or spend extra time.  But thinking and doing are two different things.  As entrepreneurs, we may think we need to re-adjust the business plan or enter a new market.  But until we actually do it, we will never know the true potential of our business.  As managers, we may have to make a tough call on an underperforming team member or initiate a difficult conversation about an upcoming change to the business.  It is easy to avoid.  But the longer we wait, the more painful it will be.  Problems don’t age well.

Our gut rarely lets us down.  If something is nagging at us, there is usually a good reason for it.  We need to take action.  We need to address the situation directly.

If you’re thinking about making the call, make the call!

Stop Thinking and Start Doing

This is even more critical in our personal lives.  We know the right thing to do.  But often we are too scared, intimidated or stubborn to make the call.

We may see a loved one struggling with poor decisions but can’t find the right way to communicate our advice.  We may want to ask someone out but can’t muster the courage to start the conversation.  We may be over our skis on spending, but have difficulty communicating changes to our family.   It’s time to stop thinking about changes and start making them!  Deep down, we know that NOW is the best time to take action!  MAKE THE CALL!

Resilience is NOT Easy

But what happens when we make the call and get rejected?  What happens when we follow our passion and fail?  What happens when we try to make amends and face disdain instead?   Acting on our gut does not guarantee success.  Taking action does not always lead to happiness.  The math is not always so simple.

Making the call is not a panacea for success and fulfillment.  But it is critical to building our resilience!  Regardless of the outcome, making the call is the right thing to do.  And it breeds more action.  Even if our initial results are not successful, we will have the confidence to keep calling. We will have the confidence to keep expressing our opinions and emotions.

The sooner we make the call, the sooner we will start leading a resilient life.

What is Holding Us Back?

We can’t hold it inside any longer.  Sitting on our hands won’t grow our revenue.  Stifling our opinions won’t help our loved ones.  We need to take action.  We need to communicate our concerns.  We need to tell people how we truly feel.

Tomorrow is promised to no one.  The only time is NOW.

If you’re thing about making the call, MAKE THE FREAKIN’ CALL!