Mom, what’s a phone booth?

Once upon a time, when you wanted peace and quiet and lots of privacy, you stepped into a phone booth and made your calls.  A small phone booth was designed for one person and usually contained a phone, a phonebook and sometimes small change left behind in the coin return. 

  Perhaps this is what my client had in mind when they decided to change behavior with their service and support team. The goal was for them to make more outbound calls and become more proactive in their prospecting efforts. Their teams complained making outbound calls from their desk was too noisy and distracting so management came up with Phone booth Time. This consisted of a dimly lit tiny room with a phone and laptop that each rep had to spend time each day making outbound prospecting calls. 

And they did- for 6 months. Did their Phone booth Time drive the change in behavior? Sure it changed behavior- it made outbound prospecting a chore and punishment. Some caught up on personal calls during their Phone booth Time while others reserved that time for providing responses to their customers, not prospects.  It also helped management track metrics and ensure the phone was being utilized.

When I came on-site and learned about this, my reaction to this idea was pretty drastic and adament- I wanted to tear it down immediately. I called it sales pergatory and empathized with their sad pathetic faces when they were assigned Phone booth Time.  

I explained that every minute and everyday should be Phone booth Time when you are driving new opportunities. It is not an event, it is not a performance, it is not a punishment. Prospectiing is the most adventurous and risky part of being in sales, it is an opportunity to dig, research, uncover and hunt. A curious, creative and brave mind loves to prospect but a cautious mind with low self confidence will not take to prospecting quickly.

What do you need to prospect effectively?