Making sales calls involves emotional risk because of the fear of rejection which is exactly why salespeople are compensated so well. We must leave our comfort zones and subject ourselves to negative responses on regular basis, but the rewards for overcoming fear of rejection are enormous.

That fear, also known as call reluctance, is the runaway number one reason that salespeople fail. It rears its ugly head when we avoid seeing the people, making the phone calls and asking the questions that we know we should. So we procrastinate, make excuses to ourselves and find other things to do. All at the tremendous expense of our careers, income and future security.

Once you get over your call reluctance, you will notice your success ratio go way up (along with your income) as you get more at ease an you will appreciate the failures and rejections for the opportunities that they really are, Better yet, once you get a slightly "thicker skin" and accept a certain amount rejection, you will find great enjoyment in what you once used to dread.

To get over your call reluctance, try giving yourself a reward of some kind for making the calls that you know you should. For example, if you visit ten referral sources this week, then buy yourself a new pair of shoes.

Like so many things, the tough part is simply getting started. Because once you make those calls and get some momentum from your new discipline, you will find that calling on others is one of the most fun things about being a Loan Officer and you can buy all the shoes you want!