Cold calling sales prospects should be part of your prospecting plan. Your plan to generate leads may include networking, trade shows, seminars, referrals, etc. Cold calling is just one method of many lead generation tasks you should employ. Therefore, it should also be part of your weekly/daily plan. Let's say for example you plan to make cold calls for 1 hour per day each morning. This would then be the first task on your daily agenda or calendar. I don't know about you but some days my mood or energy level is higher or lower than others. Know Thy Self.

I may plan for one hour of cold calling each morning but if I'm at a high energy level I may extend this period when I have the time available. Alternatively, if my energy level is low I will only make a few calls. Why? Because my prospects are important to me and I don't want to jeopardize a new relationship because I said all the wrong words or did not express my objectives clearly or passionately enough to generate enough interest from the prospect to learn more.

I also don't want to carry over the negative energy from one bad call to the next call. If I have a bad call I will take a short 15 to 30 minute break from the phone and do something to clear my head and change my mood. For example; I do another task or take a walk. It is important to be in the moment with each and every call. I can't truly listen and engage with someone new if my mood, my energy and my thoughts are somewhere else.

Know Thy Self!