Are You Relentless … or Reluctant?
For generations, salespeople have possessed a well-defined reputation as outgoing, fearless, and audacious. But for many, the familiar stereotypes mask a darker reality. Far from being unstoppable selling machines, they struggle with a secret fear of prospecting.
Whether on the phone, in person, online, or in front of groups, initiating contact with prospective buyers causes discomfort and distress. So they avoid it. Instead of making calls, they make excuses. It’s a costly trade-off. Sales call reluctance — emotional hesitation to prospect — can be a career-killer.
Studies show that up to 80% of new salespeople may fall victim to it. And 40% of veteran sellers have considered leaving the profession because of negative feelings toward prospecting. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Building upon the pioneering research of call reluctance experts George W. Dudley and Shannon L. Goodson, authors Suzanne Dudley and Trelitha Bryant present proven strategies for busting through the barriers that keep talented, deserving salespeople from achieving success. No platitudes. No gimmicks. Just practical solutions, rooted in science and field-tested on thousands of salespeople around the world.
Whether you sell a product, a service, or yourself, you can learn to overcome the fears that hold your career hostage. Become an effective advocate for your interests — proudly, ethically, and above all, relentlessly.
Who Should Read This Book
Salespeople
Salespeople struggling to increase sales revenues and build client bases.
Recruiters & Hiring Managers
Recruiters and hiring managers wanting to secure top producing salespeople.
Sales Managers
Sales managers who are frustrated with declining sales.
Consultants & Coaches
Sales consultants and coaches working with sales professionals.
What People Are Saying About Relentless
“Relentless gives super insight into the psyches of salespeople. Not only does the book outline the reasons why salespeople don't make sales calls, but it gives you a way to diagnose and prescribe exercises to cure sales call reluctance. As someone who has used the call reluctance assessment for years, I found the book refreshingly easy to read and digest. The well-documented research comes from years of studying the behaviors of salespeople, and the book puts a nice bow on the information. Recommended reading for any sales leader or salesperson!”
— Gary Pittard, CEO of Pittard and author of Why Winners Win
“For the low cost of a book, you will learn how to cure Call Reluctance in your sales team, and in yourself if you suffer from this sales malady. Think of the increased income and profit this could give your business or career. Looked at this way, Relentless is the bargain of the decade.”
— Jeff Tanner, Dean at The Strome College of Business, Old Dominion
“Dudley and Bryant have co-authored a must-read book on one of the greatest challenges for salespeople – prospecting. Addressing the personal barriers to effective prospecting, this science-based approach is a welcome alternative to the hucksters that proffer formulas without evidence. Built on the foundation laid by George Dudley and Shannon Goodson, Suzanne Dudley and Trelitha Bryant introduce a more finely-grained model of sales call reluctance with the detail of social scientists but in an approachable fashion that makes Relentless a highly useful volume for any sales professional.”
— Dr. Jerome M. Gafford, Ph.D., The Sales Doctor; Professor of Professional Selling, University of Texas at Dallas