Recently I was speaking privately with one of the speakers in a mastermind I run…he says, “I don’t have call reluctance, calls just have not been a priority.” Really? This is classic denial call reluctance at its purest form.

If you want to make it in the business of professional speaking…somebody must regularly be on the phones doing outreach. If not you, then hopefully you’ll have a go-getter staff person to make the calls. Sure social media presence and Website SEO help, and yet…phone calls still deliver results faster than any other method of outreach.

It is so easy to “get ready to get ready” in doing other, generally more fun or creative activities. And if you do this, you are lying to yourself. Fear not, there is an antidote…structure.

Here is your plan…set aside an amount of time each morning that is realistic. Also, pick a time to start that is realistic. Have a list and make a personal commitment to yourself to do it. If you are calling associations, pick a vertical that most resonates with you and your message. A great place to find such a list is within the pages of the “National Trade and Professional Associations of the United States” directory. Look in the Subject Index…there are over 400 subjects listed. Pick the industry (subject) that most resonates and you will find anywhere from a few dozen to several hundred associations listed in that subject. This is your vertical-specific prospecting list.

If you live in the west, you’ll most likely want to start your calling at 7 AM as a great number of the associations will be in the east. If you live in the east, then you’ll most likely want to start at 9:30 AM. Pick a time and pick a length of time (perhaps an hour or two) and make the daily COMMITMENT! You will be amazed at how much starts happening…bookings and interest in you…when you systematically get on the phone.