Cold calling.
The mere mention of it can make even the bravest sales reps suddenly fascinated by their email inbox and updating their CRM. I get it—dialing up a stranger and hoping they don’t hang up faster than you can say, “Hi, I’m with…” can be terrifying.
But here’s the thing: cold calling does not have to feel like an audition for a low cabin on the Titanic. It does not have to be dreaded. In fact, with one simple mindset shift, it can become… fun. Or, at the very least, less soul-crushing.
Enter: curiosity.
Curiosity is that superpower that makes even the dullest interactions interesting. Instead of dialing with a sense of dread, try dialing with a sense of wonder. What does this person do? What’s their biggest challenge? What’s it like to work for their company? What is their passion? The psychological concept at work is that fear and curiosity cannot simultaneously occupy the conscious mind. They cannot co-exist. That’s a fact, confirmed by a neurobiologist that recently appeared on my podcast.
Think about what that means. You can BLOCK fear by focusing on curiosity! The trick is, how you channel curiosity without coming off as an interrogator.
- Start with a Question, Not a Pitch: Instead of launching into your product spiel, hit them with a genuine open ended question. “I’m curious—how do you currently handle [common pain point]?”
- Listen Like Your Job Depends on It (It Kinda Does): Actually care about what they say. People can sense fake interest faster than you can say “unsubscribe.” You can’t fake curiosity and have the desired effect of the conversation.
- Celebrate the Mysteries: Not every call will be a sale, but every call can teach you something—about the industry, about the common objections, about the timing of this specific prospect, or even about the different ways someone can say, “Not interested.”
Real-World Example: One of my clients had a rep who had serious call reluctance. We came up with an approach where he deviated the call on purpose, essentially interrupting himself to ask an off topic question. On the first account, after a quick google search, he found a really unique product on the client;s website. When he got them on the phone, he interrupted his talk tract, and asked them about how they made that product and who bought it. The client engaged and before he knew it, they were having a comfortable conversation. Curiosity = 1, Cold-Calling Anxiety = 0.
Cold calling is like opening a mystery box….a box of chocolates! (oh no, a Gump analogy!)—sometimes it’s a gift, sometimes it’s a prank. But when you approach each call with curiosity, even the rejections can feel like part of an adventure. So, take a deep breath, dial with wonder, and who knows? You might just surprise yourself.
Stay curious.