By Robert Middleton - Action Plan Marketing

In this short book excerpt, MC, the Marketing Coach had been working with RJ, his client. They had been working on RJ's fear of following up with clients. The fear came out of worrying he'd be interrupting them. If you've ever had that fear (and who hasn't) you might find this scenario helpful.

All the scenarios from the book, including this one, come from actual coaching sessions with my clients.

Unsticking Images 

After exploring RJ's thoughts and beliefs about interrupting people, MC had RJ look at related images… 

"One more valuable technique related to mindsets is what I call 'unsticking images.' Not only do we have thoughts and beliefs that stop us and keep us in our comfort zone, we have a never-ending stream of images that block us just as effectively.

"Your issue of interrupting people is a perfect example of this. In addition to thoughts, you have images of the people you think you're interrupting when you call them. What's the image of a person you don’t want to interrupt?"

An image sprang to my mind immediately. "It's a big guy, the CEO of a company, with a mustache and a cigar in his hand. He's sitting in a huge executive chair behind a massive mahogany desk inside a vast, ornately carved, wood-paneled room. Behind his desk is a giant window looking out over Wall Street."

MC laughed out loud. "Yeah, that's a guy you definitely don't want to interrupt! But tell me, is that image true? It it real? Have you ever encountered anyone like that, let alone a client of yours?"

"No, I guess not, but when I make a follow-up call to someone I haven't met yet, that's pretty much the image that pops up. I see him as powerful, inaccessible and definitely not someone who wants to be interrupted by me!"

"Exactly," said MC, "and can you absolutely know that the person you're following up with is like this?"

"Well, of course not. It's absurd."

"Yet, like our thoughts, we attach to these images unconsciously, perhaps for years, and as a result we stop ourselves from making those calls, or we make them under a cloud of fear and intimidation. 

"Since this image is completely false, why not replace it now with a more realistic image?"

"OK, let me see. A real image would be a quite normal looking person, a man or a woman, who is very busy. They are rushing from meeting to meeting. Their office is comfortable but modest. They are juggling a lot of projects, trying to stay on top of things and concerned that their business is succeeding and profitable. They are always on the lookout for sharp people who can help them achieve their goals. When they get a call from me, they are usually enthusiastic because they know they’ll get value. 

"That about sums it up. It fits most of my clients to a T."

"Perfect," said MC. "Now for a minute I want you to imagine making a follow-up call to someone like this instead of the person in your first image. Let me know what that's like for you." 

I closed my eyes, visualized this person in their office and then imagined picking up my phone, giving them a call, reaching them, and having an upbeat, productive conversation. 

I opened my eyes and said, "That's amazing MC. Instead of a feeling of dread I felt excited. I didn't feel small and insignificant; I felt confident and powerful. You might not believe this, but I have never had the urge to make follow-up calls before, and right now, that's all I want to do!"

"Now that's what I call a transformation," said MC. 

- From Chapter 14 of Marketing Ball

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