Cold Calling vs. Asking for Referrals: Which Is Scarier? (October Referral Selling Insights)

Here’s what you might have missed this month from No More Cold Calling.
Most sales reps dread cold calling, but they don’t exactly fear it. After all, they have no skin in the game. If someone hangs up or sprays them with expletives, they move onto the next name on the list. No harm, no foul when you’re talking to strangers. But whether or not they want to admit it, most salespeople do fear asking for referrals. Especially men.
I’ve been asked in the past if women or men are better at referral sales, and I didn’t think it mattered. Once people have built referral skills and learned how to ask for referrals, the genders fare pretty equally. At least that was my belief until two highly experienced, savvy salesmen told me they felt uncomfortable asking. Why? They said men are supposed to know stuff and be strong, and it’s weak to