The first thing you need to understand is that you are not alone. Everyone, including myself, suffers from some sort of call reluctance. The key is to emphasize our strengths and minimize our weaknesses in this regard.

How do you overcome call reluctance? The steps to overcoming call reluctance are simple to understand, but not so easy to implement

• First you must admit that you have call reluctance, and it is having a negative effect upon your business.
• Then you need to identify your source of call reluctance
• Formatting a plan to overcome this issue is very important and will require being specific (as with all goal-oriented plans)
• Finally, you must implement the plan. This will require a solid commitment

You have achieved the first step. That is, you recognize that you have a problem. If you don’t recognize that there is an issue, there is no chance you can effect a change in your circumstances.

The second step is to identify the source of your reluctance. There are many types of call reluctance. For example, some are reticent to cold call. Others do not want to call those who are close to them. Still others might be great at making calls, but do not like meeting with people face-to-face.

Until you specifically identify your call reluctance, it will be hard to move to the next step—formulating a plan to overcome your reluctance. The plan must be specific to your particular reluctance. Once you have identified that you have call reluctance and you know the source of this reluctance, it is possible to move to that next step.

In developing the plan, keep in mind that this is not a zero-sum game. You will not go from having total reluctance to having no reluctance. The key to all improvement is to take one step at a time. What steps might you take?

You would start by prioritizing and setting goals. Again, you are not going to go from making no calls to making 1,000 per day. Of your possible calls, which are the most important? Which are the most comfortable? Start with those and move incrementally to less comfortable calls. Perhaps you start with five per day and, by the third week, you are making 15 calls per day. And even though I keep saying the word “call,” your reluctance may take other forms. For example, it could be reluctance to speaking in public. Regardless of the source, you have to have a plan and you must implement that plan. I'll discuss this more in a future column.

Dave Hershman is Senior VP of Sales of Weichert Financial and the top author in the mortgage industry. Dave has published seven books, as well as hundreds of articles and is the founder of the OriginationPro Marketing System and Mortgage School – the online choice for expert mortgage learning and marketing content. His site is www.OriginationPro.com and he can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..