5 Things I Learned About People After Doing 1500+ Sales Calls
I spoke with more people in two years than some do in their entire lifetime—here’s what I learned.
Many people are scared of sales calls. And among those who aren’t, few have the time, drive and nerves to go through thousands of calls to truly master the art of selling. I’ve done over 1500 calls as a Sales and Mindset Coach through my company, Conway Consulting, and during my time working as a consultant for legendary entrepreneur, Bob Proctor.
Each call helped me improve in one way or another. I’ve spoken to thousands of people about what motivates them, scares them, moves them. I grew so much over those calls, not only as a salesperson, but as an individual. I realized that to sell well, I needed to listen on an emotional and intuitive level. I became more empathetic and patient. I developed persistence and mental stamina and realized the importance of showing up 10/10 for each and every call. My clients taught me that the most effective way to get through is to be direct, honest and loving. I also had to learn the art of detachment and building my ‘don’t give a sh*t’ muscle so that I could grow without taking everything personally.
While I’d recommend putting in the work and making the calls, that may not be your calling (pun intended, sorry) so here are five big lessons I picked up on the way to becoming a master salesperson.
1. Everyone is a liar.
Sounds clickbaity, but what I mean by this is that people lie to themselves about what’s possible for them. They don’t know how much their thoughts impact their lives, and how those thoughts can put a limit on their capacity. Helping people see what they’re capable of is not only an act of service, it’s also essential to selling the right thing to the right person at the right time.
2. People are not good at making decisions.
They claim they want things but lack the faith or the desire to go after them. The problem here is that decisions control our lives, and most people don’t have an inch of power over their decision-making. They follow a process that’s holding them back instead of pushing them forward. One of my favourite authors on the topic is Napoleon Hill, who covers decision-making in his best-selling book Think and Grow Rich (see Chapter 8: Decision—The Mastery of Procrastination).
3. No one understands what goals are for.
Goals are meant to get us through all kinds of situations. I know that my goals are essential to me closing sales and being able to serve more people. I heard more noes than yeses over those 1500+ calls, and if you’re a salesperson, you know how hard it is to be rejected multiple times. Having goals is what pushed me through, especially when I set my mind on earning $100k/month in commissions (though I never knew it would lead me to doing so many calls). My goals transformed my life and allowed me to transform the lives of others. I use a step-by-step goal-setting method that has been life-changing for me, watch the video about it here.
4. No confidence = no imagination.
At about the 800 call mark I came across a very dark, but true realization. When a human being has no confidence, their imagination goes dormant. It’s very difficult to sell to someone who is not allowing themselves to dream bigger—people without wants are the toughest to close. Without imagination, there is no growth, and that’s a sad thing to accept. The grand antidote to this is changing the way one feels about one’s self. This video is a must-watch if you’re interested in boosting confidence and self-image:
5. People are energetic copycats.
It was around the 600 call mark when I spoke with a client named Carmen. When I got on the call, I immediately noticed that Carmen was blocked. Automatically, I was going to end the call as quickly as possible, but a voice went off in my head and it said, “This call is not for you, it’s for her — give her a 10!” I realized in that moment that I mirrored back the attitude of the client. I would go up and down with them and that was holding me back… and from that day forward, I gave a 10 on every call. Giving it your all translates to the person you’re talking to—whether they can articulate it or not, they can feel your energy and that will affect your sales outcomes.
Those are some of the most important lessons I’ve learned going through 1500+ sales calls, and I can say it was worth it. Each call helped me improve in one way or another and shaped me into the master salesperson I am today. Mastery is about mileage—you must get in the reps to truly master something. So, look at the noes as one more step towards a yes.
That’s it for today, I hope you enjoyed it!
—Dave
