Is it important to have a proven systematic, step by step system to apply in my sales process with OOH prospects?  Of course it is, but only if you want to have a MUCH higher closing ratio than you currently have!  However, the best OOH selling system in the world is worthless if you don’t have a prospect!  Prospecting is the lifeblood of OOH sales.

Recent studies show that the average salesperson spends less than 16% of their time prospecting for new customers. If prospecting is so vital, why do we dedicate so little time to it? Well, some of it is unavoidable…we do have current clients to service, checking avails, our paperwork, getting creative approved, internal meetings, and more.  However, many salespeople also fill their time with these tasks to avoid consistent prospecting.

The root cause of this avoidance? Sales call reluctance. This reluctance includes the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that prevent talented and motivated OOH salespeople from reaching their potential and earning their worth. Many forms of call reluctance are so common that they have specific names. Do any of these sounds familiar to you? Be honest!

1. The Doomsayer: “My last three calls were awful, so this one will be too. Why waste time on it? Isn’t there something more productive I can do?”
2. The Over-Preparer: Do you spend too much time analyzing instead of prospecting? Information gathering and preparation can become crutches. Is this because you fear appearing unprepared, or are you just avoiding prospecting?
3. The Emotionally Unemancipated: Do you take rejections personally? Does it ruin your mood when someone refuses to discuss OOH advertising? Does it make you feel like a failure?
4. The Yielder: Are you afraid of being seen as pushy or intrusive? Yielders often delay calls, waiting for the “perfect” time, or focus excessively on rapport-building over closing. The desire to avoid conflict can interfere with assertive selling behaviors like discussing budgets or handling objections.
5. The Hyper-Pro: Is your energy focused on projecting success rather than acquiring new business? Hyper-Pros may overuse jargon, name-drop, and flaunt expensive accessories, educational degrees, or professional associations.
6. The Status Conscious: Is your prospecting effective until you need to contact high-level executives or owners of larger organizations? Social self-consciousness can cause discomfort and avoidance of influential individuals, leading to inefficient targeting of lower-level or non-decision makers.
7. The Telephobic: Do you prefer in-person meetings over phone calls? Does the thought of using the phone for prospecting make you anxious? Do you focus on less efficient forms of contact that avoid using the phone?

To overcome these challenges, you must first identify and acknowledge the root cause of your sales call reluctance. Taking personal responsibility for addressing these barriers is essential to achieving your goals, dreams, and aspirations. No one is perfect; we all have areas to improve. What is holding you back and costing you money that you need to overcome?

Recognizing and tackling your call reluctance is the first step toward more effective prospecting and greater success in OOH sales. Address these roadblocks, and watch your closing ratios improve dramatically!

Need help with sales skills or coaching to take your out of home company to the next level.  Learn more about OOH Sales Mastery at oohmastery.com  or Contact Dan Nausley at  dan.nausley@sandler.com, 423.702.5579.

Lisa & Dan Nausley and Reggie Piercy of Sandler Chattanooga have developed the OOH Sales Mastery Program after more than a decade of training/coaching thousands of OOH Operators across the country in sales, leadership, and executive coaching. 

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