Cold calling for self development...

Omprakash and Madhan are both 27, graduates and had no selling experience yet. One is an IT professional and the other is an auditor. Recently they approached me, and was trying to recruit me into their new found direct selling scheme. Instead of being recruited, I assisted them to be a better salesperson.

To be a good sales professional, one has to start with the basic first. Since both of them had no any form of selling experiences before, I advised them to start with the cold calling first for self development. Walk into any shopping malls, approach anyone you like, introduce yourself and try to befriend strangers. If you could make friends from such cold calls, then you would understand what is selling. The only way to build confidence and to overcome fear is to see and approach as many strangers as possible. Not just a few prospects but by the hundreds. If you could see and meet the thousand, you will have the heart of the lion. The experiences you gather would change your entire personality. Both young men were inspired with my proposal and they promised that they would attempt cold calling soon.

Last night I had the chance to meet them again. They were too eager to brief me on their recent cold calling at two different malls. Though they had not seen the hundred strangers yet, but by their words and movement, I could sense that they definitely had improved tremendously. They had overcome their fear of meeting people and they spoke with much confidence now. They were frank to admit that those first few calls were terribly scary  and they had goose pimples while talking. I was glad that both took my challenge and I'm sure they will do well if they continue to do cold calling to acquire the selling skills. I wish them luck.

Charles M. Schwab: Sales Motivation Quotes

The man who does not work for the love of work but only for money is not likely to make money nor find much fun in life.