Only 37% of salespeople consistently meet their targets. In this episode, we uncover the surprising science behind what’s really holding the rest back, and why fear, not skill, is often the biggest obstacle to success.

Many sales teams assume that better leads mean better results, but what if that’s not the real issue? In this episode, we explore one of the most overlooked challenges in sales performance: sales call reluctance.

You’ll learn why even the best-trained, most well-equipped salespeople can hesitate to reach out, how this hesitation quietly impacts results, and why call reluctance doesn’t disappear even when leads are handed to you.

We’ll also unpack research showing the 16 distinct forms of call reluctance and how tools like the Sales Preference Questionnaire (SPQ) can help identify and manage them. Because once you can measure what’s holding your team back, you can start to change it.

In this episode, authors Suzanne Dudley and Trelitha Bryant share an entire chapter from their book, Relentless: The Science of Barrier-Busting Sales.

You'll Learn:

The three essential conditions of authentic sales Call Reluctance

Three potential barriers to your career success that are NOT Call Reluctance

The symptoms of insufficient energy and clear focus

Resources:

Get the book on Audible or Amazon.

View the tables from the audiobook.

Get the tools to power up your sales with the online Power Up Your Sales Workshop.

In this episode, BSRP’s CEO Suzanne Dudley continues her conversation with Certified Financial Planner Marion Iliohan—a management and transition strategy coach for financial advisors—about defining a clear mission for the current and future state of your business.

In this episode, you'll learn:

Where to find exceptional salespeople.

How to keep good salespeople fully engaged in meeting objectives.

Who should be a salesperson's biggest advocate.

Resources:

Take our complimentary Call Reluctance Quiz to check your sales-resistance behaviors.

Check the pulse of your sales team with our Sales Team EKG Survey

Get the tools to power up your sales with the online Power Up Your Sales Workshop.

Successful selling stems from a mindset focused on prospecting that needs to be practiced every day. In this episode, BSRP’s CEO Suzanne Dudley talks about the importance of embracing the salesperson role and why the process of building your pipeline is the lifeblood of your business with Certified Financial Planner Marion Iliohan, a management and transition strategy coach for financial advisors.

In this episode, you'll learn:

How to use adversity to your advantage to revisit and rethink business strategies.

Why it’s important to not let the grind of business to overpower prospecting.

Why a good succession plan that includes motivated prospectors should be a part of your legacy.

Resources:

Take our Free Survey to check your sales-resistance behaviors.

Check the pulse of your sales team with our Sales Team EKG Survey.

Power up your sales with the Power Up Your Sales Webinar.

The importance of virtual selling is more prevalent now than ever before and many salespeople are adjusting to a new sales environment. In this episode, BSRP’s CEO Suzanne Dudley and Director of Research & Field Testing Trelitha R. Bryant discuss why some salespeople struggle with virtual selling as well as how to overcome the obstacles that stand in the way of success.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• What salespeople can do if they are struggling with virtual selling.

• How sales leaders can help sales teams thrive in a virtual selling environment.

• Why virtual selling can actually give you more time to sell.

Resources:

For more on Virtual Selling, check out Trelitha's blog.

Take our Free Survey to check your sales-resistance behaviors.

Power up your sales with the Power Up Your Sales Webinar.

Behavioral Sciences Research Press CEO Suzanne Dudley interviews BSRP’s Director of Training Megan Quirk, Ph.D., about why setting meaningful and realistic sales goals the right way can lead to an increase in your performance and boost your pipeline.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• The characteristics of a good sales goal.
• The right strategies to move toward your goal.
• The difference between an attainable goal and a pipedream.

Resources:

For more on motivation and goals, check out Megan's blog.

Take our free survey to check your sales-resistance behaviors.

Power up your sales with the Power Up Your Sales Webinar.

In the final episode of this series, Behavioral Sciences Research Press CEO Suzanne Dudley and Jerome Gafford, Ph.D. aka The Sales Doctor talk about best practices for individual and organization sales success as well as the keys to keeping business moving forward during challenging times.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• How personal goal-setting can lead to real motivation.
• Why organizational communication is key for all stakeholders.
• What you can do instill hope in your customers about the future.

Resources:

Find out more about The Sales Doctor.

Take our Free Survey to check your sales-resistance behaviors.

Learn how to Power Up Your Sales with our latest webinar.