From Nervousness to Confidence

Jun 11, 2025

If you're nervous before starting cold calling, you're not alone. According to a study by ValueSelling Associates and Selling Power, 48% of SDRs are afraid to pick up the phone.

The key to overcoming nervousness is understanding your fear of cold calling and changing your approach to it. This article examines the fear associated with cold calling and shows you how to transform that fear into confidence. We'll also explore ways to analyze and improve your momentum in cold calling.

FEAR

Fear of not knowing what will happen in the conversation

Ring … ring …

“hello?”

⏸️ PAUSE ⏸️

At this moment, you don't know what kind of personality awaits on the other end of the line or how receptive they'll be to your pitch.

You're facing so many unknowns, which can cause anxiety and fear to bubble up. If you're fearful about failing a call, you're more likely to fail. Put simply, your fear becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The more afraid you become, the more your body releases chemicals that trigger a "fight or flight" response—encouraging you to run rather than think.

Physiologists who've studied fear and emotion say the best way to deal with intense emotions is to acknowledge them. Saying "I'm afraid right now because..." shifts your brain from emotional to logical thinking. This gives you the ability to face the conversation directly, without unnecessary stress.

To become more confident in cold calling, you need to train your mind and body to embrace the unknown. Accept that you won't know who this person is or how they'll react—just prepare yourself for anything. Listen carefully to their response after your pitch, even if they interrupt you. Stay curious about their reactions and respond with logical, thoughtful comments.

Fear of failing the conversation

Unfortunately, you won't convert every conversation you have. Rather than seeing this as failure, view it as a learning opportunity. Instead of focusing solely on "booking a meeting," aim to learn what excites your prospects about your product or service. Turn it into a game—refine your messaging and stories until you get them right!

No’s are apart of this. Every sales rep gets no’s. So you are NOT alone. Your situation is NOT different.

The best basketball players don’t win every game.

The best batters don’t hit every ball.

At the end of the day sales is just as much a numbers game as it is a skill game. There are some prospects out there that wont say yes to anyone! bush it off. and move on. You’re not failing you’re learning.

EXERCISES

Roleplaying is one of the best ways to overcome your fears. Regular practice helps you understand the common objections and responses you'll encounter during cold calls. Jump in and start practicing with Suade's AI roleplayer. Here's a guide to help you get set up!

INERTIA

Let's talk about inertia. What is it? Inertia means that objects in motion tend to stay in motion, while objects at rest tend to stay at rest. If you're new to cold calling, you're currently at rest—not used to the rhythm of making calls. It's going to take time and effort to overcome these initial barriers and get into the flow of cold calling. But once you build that momentum—DON'T STOP.

When people want to start cooking instead of eating out, they need to get used to how much time meal preparation takes. They must plan ahead for when hunger strikes—otherwise, they'll fall back into the habit of eating out.

It's the same with cold calling—you have to get used to the voicemails, gatekeepers, and dial tones. You must maintain momentum by immediately clicking the call button after each conversation ends. Don't pick up your phone to check messages, don't think about what you'll do afterward, and don't even rehearse your pitch. Just hit that call button.

EXERCISES

Challenge yourself to make 10 roleplay calls in 10 minutes. Maintain momentum by immediately clicking the call button after each conversation ends. This practice will train your mind to smoothly transition from one call to the next.