What makes one person's "word" believable? Remember that saying, "A person's only as good as his word"? My Dad always said that when I was growing up, and my husband says it to our two sons.

I grew up on a dairy farm in Midwestern United States. Often in evening when my Dad and brothers were done with "after-supper" chores, salesmen would often come. My Dad invariably knew them by their first name. They were selling everything from soybean and corn seed to grain bins to hail insurance and more. You can imagine.

I was little then, and I remember them sitting at kitchen table. It was summertime, so I could stay up later. June bugs were bouncing off outside of screens, and sometimes there was distant heat lightning in horizon.

I liked listening to them talk on those evenings - sort of reassuring in a sense. I could feel they trusted each other. The words flowed freely - there was no pretension. Just two people sitting across table from each other - one a seller, one a buyer.

There would be much interaction, lots of body language: an eyebrow raised, a gentle pounding of palm of a hand on table to emphasize a point, or maybe rubbing an ear when trying to put a thought into words as a question, lips slightly askew; chuckle thrown in here and there, and even a loud guffaw erupted occasionally. If you didn't know differently, you'd have thought they were "old friends."

When it broke up, salesman was happy with a sale, and my Dad was happy knowing he would soon have product he needed for his business. They'd shake hands, and that was that. Everyone was happy.

Do you clearly map out a game plan of when and who you are going to call tomorrow, only to find yourself distracted with busy work and unable to make any calls?

Do your visions of all-expense paid, tropical vacations, big promotions and 5 digit bonus checks evaporate as phone stares viciously at you like a ten ton one-eyed, one arm fire breathing monster?

Call Doctor, you have a bad case of Call Reluctance.

If you are in business of selling, and let's face it, we ALL are to some degree, you need to identify, address and work through this disease if you are ever going to be successful.

Before we talk about ways of working through this, let's talk about what doesn't work -

*Oh, just go out and do it!*

Ever hear those words and want to choke arrogance out of one who uttered them?

*Get over it! No one is going to bite you.*

Again, visions of acting out a mad fantasy invade your mind.

* It's messenger, no one really cares what you say. *

Well, that sounds great to slick master of sales sitting next to you, but when you are dealing with call reluctance, this shallow encouragement will NOT get you off of start and into race.

So, how do you overcome Call Reluctance.

The first step is to recognize and acknowledge it. It is not unique, something to be ashamed of or incurable. Simply admitting that you are dealing with this is half of battle.

Second, identify what type of Call Reluctance you are experiencing. Below are a few categories -

Reluctance to call someone you view as having a higher socioeconomic standing.

Reluctance to admit that you are * selling * something.

Afraid to * bother * family and friends.

Obsessed with having a perfect presentation.

Fear of using telephone.

Fear of actually closing sale.

These are just a few of categories that could be afflicting you.

If it's any consolation at all, you are not alone. Call Reluctance is single biggest killer of most sales related careers.

Knowing this, what can you do to cure yourself once and for all?