Have You Got Salespeople Confident Enough to Pick Up The Phone?

Do You Have Salespeople Confident Enough to Pick Up the Phone?

As someone who works with businesses across leadership, sales training, and coaching, I see the difference every day between teams that confidently pick up the phone and those that avoid it.

Why Phone Confidence Still Matters

Picking up the phone isn’t about “cold calling” in the old-school sense. It’s about building genuine relationships, understanding client needs, and demonstrating emotional intelligence in real time. A confident call goes beyond a simple sales pitch; it’s a chance to listen, identify pain points, and establish trust. Leaders who invest in this skill tend to see stronger sales pipelines, quicker decision-making, and improved long-term client retention.

Common Barriers Holding Salespeople Back

Even talented salespeople can feel hesitant when it’s time to make a call. Here are the barriers I commonly observe:

• Fear of rejection: Worrying about being shut down before they’ve started.
• Over-reliance on digital channels: Using email or socials as a “safe” option.
• Lack of structure: Struggling to guide a conversation effectively.
• Confidence gaps: Having difficulties with tone, clarity, or emotional connection.
• Unhelpful mindset: Approaching calls with the belief that they’re “interrupting” rather than “helping,” which quickly undermines motivation and confidence.

How to Build a Team That Picks Up the Phone

1. Start with preparation, not pressure
   Often, hesitation stems from uncertainty about what to say. Provide your salespeople with simple call structures and prompts, a clear opening line, two or three powerful questions, and a natural way to close. Thorough preparation can reduce anxiety and build confidence.
2. Encourage call sprints, not marathons
   Instead of asking your team to “make 50 calls a day,” start with short, focused bursts, for example, 30 minutes of calls with a clear target. Smaller chunks feel less overwhelming and help build momentum.
3. Celebrate effort as well as results
   Confidence grows when salespeople feel recognised. Don’t just celebrate closed deals, acknowledge those who consistently pick up the phone, even when it’s tough. Effort creates habits, and habits lead to results.
4. Normalise the ‘no’
   Many salespeople fear rejection because they view it as a sign of failure. Reframe it: every “no” gets them closer to the next “yes.” Track call outcomes in a way that shows progress, such as conversations initiated and insights gained, rather than solely focusing on sales won.
5. Provide live feedback and encouragement
   Be present during call times. Walk the floor to offer quick and supportive feedback. A small tweak in tone or phrasing, delivered in the moment, can quickly transform nerves into confidence.

Final Words

Salespeople who can pick up the phone with confidence create opportunities that digital channels alone can’t deliver. The difference between a hesitant caller and a confident one often comes down to thorough preparation, practice in real-world scenarios, and ongoing support from leadership.

As a leader, your responsibility is to make picking up the phone feel less like a risk and more like a natural part of the sales process. When salespeople feel supported, encouraged, and recognised, their confidence increases, and in turn, so does your pipeline.

If you want your sales team to stop avoiding the phone and start using it to build genuine client relationships, my Sales Training and Coaching programmes are designed to make that shift happen.

Let’s start a conversation about how we can work together to achieve this. I deliver In-Person Sales Training across Surrey, Sussex, Kent, and Essex, as well as online nationally and internationally.

Please call me on 020 8337 5937 or send an email to gary@garymorgan.coach

Find out more about my sales training here.