The Psychology of Sales Call Reluctance: Earning What You're Worth in Sales

Overcoming the Fear of Self-PromotionPerformance alone no longer determines success. Pioneering researchers George W. Dudley and Shannon L. Goodson discovered something more important: self-promotion. Some of the most highly-paid and powerful people did not attain their positions by being the most technically competent. They did it through purposeful self-promotion.Some people are natural promoters. They are born with the instinct to self-promote. For others often the most loyal, motivated and deserving self-promotion is emotionally difficult. They are rendered invisible by a spirit-crushing condition the authors call the fear of self-promotion.When the fear of self-promotion victimizes salespeople, emotionally limiting their ability to initiate contact with prospective buyers, it s tagged sales call reluctance. Far more than the fear of making cold calls or using the telephone, sales call reluctance obstructs all forms of prospecting for new business. And it costs. Each year, sales call reluctance single-handedly accounts for over half of all failures in one of the largest professions in the world.Although written primarily for salespeople, anyone who has to practice visibility management to get ahead can benefit from reading this book. Through anecdotes, examples, and step-by-step directions, you will discover what sales call reluctance really is, how it cripples careers, and how to keep it from limiting your career.Exchanging white lab coats for blue jeans practicality, the authors, top international authorities on sales call reluctance, guide you through the treacherous myths and subtle misunderstandings which make sales call reluctance the social disease of the direct sales profession. You ll discover key concepts and proven techniques for evicting fear from your career.

George W. Dudley and Shannon L. Goodson are recognized as the world s leading authorities on sales call reluctance and the fear of self-promotion. For almost thirty years they have studied the reasons why so may talented, hard-working people fail to earn what they are worth. With backgrounds in science, research to them is not a hobby. It s a lifestyle. Their research has been featured in popular and professional media including CNN, The Financial Times of London, The Australian, European Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Therapies, and the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Dudley has degrees in research psychology from Baylor University and the University of North Texas. He began working with psychological assessments while serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, and for many years directed the Field Testing & Research department of a Fortune 500 financial services company. He is the principal author of the seminal textbook, The Hard Truth About Soft-Selling. His scientific studies such as Where In the World Can You Find an Honest Salesperson? and What Really Motivates Salespeople: A Multi-Nation Comparison have generated worldwide interest. He is listed in Who s Who in America and Who s Who in Science and Engineering.

Goodson holds a Master s degree in psychology from Lamar University. An experienced psychotherapist, author, and researcher, she is also a noted expert on women in the business world. Her research studies such as Women in Management: Self-imposed Barriers to Career Advancement and Leadership Networking: Attitudes toward Networking in Outplaced Executives have been presented to professional associations all over the globe. She is listed in Who s Who in America and Who s Who of American Women.