Outbound classified sales: How to trade fear and avoidance for self-confidence and top performance

By Bob Davis

Lately I have been teaching a group of long-term inbound classified reps I consider to be among my favorites. The other day while I was teaching, a woman in the class who had been with the newspaper for more than 30 years told the group a story about computers being introduced to the department in the 1980s. Back then she and the other reps were afraid they would get cancer working so close to the computer screen for extended periods.

One of her co-workers was so concerned that she made a cone-shaped hat and a nose protector out of aluminum foil to shield herself from the presumed radiation coming from the monitor. She was so convincing in her fear that she got others in the department to wear this silly outfit. Looking back now it’s laughable. It also brings to mind an important question. Do we fear making outbound calls today the way reps in the 1980s feared computer monitors?

Indeed, I believe the number-one factor holding reps back from making outbound calls is fear driven by lack of self-confidence. This leads to avoidance behavior. In my experience in newspaper call centers, most classified reps will do just about anything to avoid making an outbound call.

The good news is that we’ve been very successful in helping reps overcome fear and avoidance by showing them how to make better outbound calls, and more of them. Here’s how:

• Be enthusiastic. If you look like you’re having fun while you are making the calls, reps will be more willing to give it a try. I like to teach a two-hour class first thing in the morning on a slow day. Then I follow the class back to the floor and work with each rep as they make outbound calls. Sometimes I make three calls, and then they make three calls, laughing and having a good time along the way. Other reps tune in to what is happening to the point that they become eager to work with me. Enthusiasm really is the key to the success.

• See the good. When we first begin working on outbound calls, reps stumble. After every call I could tell them everything they’ve done wrong, but I don’t. This would deflate them! Instead, I focus on the good things they’ve done on the calls. This builds them up and they become more open to coaching.

• Expect the best. In the beginning most reps have only been making about six dials per hour, so they look at me in shock when I tell them I expect 30 dials per hour. Yet once the expectation is out there, they do it. Even if the rep’s skills don’t improve (they always do), results improve dramatically because the reps are talking to so many more people.

• Celebrate success. At the end of each day, we have a celebration. Everyone gets to tell about their successes that day—how many outbound calls they made, how much money they generated. This really gets everyone excited about what they can do.

Based on my experience, implementing these ideas—being enthusiastic, seeing the good, expecting the best, and celebrating success—will help your reps improve dramatically. It’s the kind of leadership and confidence-building that newspaper classified departments need badly today.

My recommendation is to get started right away. You’ll love the results.