Fear of phoning. (Marketing News).

If you've spent the morning on the phone with nothing to show for it, you're probably frustrated and about to quit Don't do it, says Gail B. Goodman.

As president of ConsulTel Inc. in White Plains, N.Y., Goodman conducts seminars in telephone skills for the financial services industry. She believes many telemarketers are hindered by a number of myths about phone prospecting. Those myths, she says, limit their chances for success to the extent that they are becoming epidemic.

"When there is frustration attached to the activity of setting the appointment, most bank sales people will make up a series of myths that support their inactivity," Goodman says. These convenient but counterproductive myths include such concepts as, "My friends will call me if they need financial help," and "Scripts hamper my style. I'm better when I ad-lib." None of these excuses are accurate.

Contrary to popular mythology, she says, it is important to count such activities as dialing, the contacts you make, the number of phone presentations and the number of appointments you make. If you don't keep track of such matters, you don't know how much time you need to spend in order to set up an adequate number of appointments.

Other myths: It's OK to fit in your phone prospecting when you have time, rather than setting aside some time each week (you need time to get in your rhythm); qualifying prospects ahead of time saves time (an appointment is a qualifier in and of itself.)

"Being a successful banker is dependent on your ability to call people and make face-to-face appointments," Goodman concludes. "An honest appraisal of your style might increase your appointment activity right away."