I can tell you honestly, it is my least favourite thing to do. I’m always in awe of those that have no problem promoting and marketing. What came to me in the midst of helping my client with her job search was even the words cold call holds negativity. It sounds just like it is, “Cold.” It doesn’t project that there will be a happy, positive, productive outcome from making that call. It doesn’t scream “This is going to be a healthy conversation.” Instead, cold usually conjures up rigidness, freezing, a sense of “just get me out of here so I can warm up.”

We make calls on behalf of ourselves, family and business to people we don’t know all the time. We chat with people momentarily, whom we’ve never met, to gain information or to just share an observation. However, if there is even a hint that it may be a ‘cold call’ for job search or product/service marketing, fear sets in. This fear can be really huge for some people, sweating, tenseness in the throat, butterflies in the stomach…Yuck!

Well, here are some ideas that may help us all find some success:

1. Let’s change the name – I say “Cold Calling has to go!”  Make it more personal and find something to call it that conjures up a good image.

Strategic conversation ——-An invitation to know you or your product —-A helpful connection

Something that makes you feel less cold and more optimistic. (Maybe some of you have some ideas around alternative names, feel free to add in a comment)

2. Set yourself up before making that call with exactly what you need. Have a script that you rehearse and when it feels more natural make that first call. Keep the script in front of you, it’s a place to land when and if you feel a twinge of uncomfortableness. Have a glass of water there for a dry throat and eat before you start this; empty stomach means empty brain. Get pens and paper ready just in case you receive information for follow up.

3. Pick a no distractions room for your base of operations. Surround yourself with things that make you feel comfortable in that space. Let everyone know, including the dog that you are not to be disturbed!

4. Be yourself. In all other dealings your personality shines through. Sure, there is a professional voice and a hang out with your friends voice but that professional voice is still YOU. This is a brief interaction normally between you and another person, it isn’t like you have to recite the constitution.

5. Think about times when you have enjoyed talking with others in business. Most the time I have found, as was the case with my client, that people are making those type of connections with others and not realizing the essence of what they did would have been called a cold call.

6. Set yourself a goal of how many people you will contact and when that is obtained, regardless of the outcomes, give yourself a reward! Treat yourself to something – I’m big on treats for accomplishing both the large and small things in life and career.

7. Realize the  majority of people you are calling feel the same as you do. We are human, there is nervousness and all sorts of things going on no matter what side of the desk or phone you are on. Don’t take any rejection personally. That rejection, any way you look at, was the best thing that could have happened. (Personal growth or protection of your product it is all good)

8. Keep records of your contacts. This is your business and knowing who, why and when you spoke to someone is essential. If life happens right in the middle of this new found drive to connect, you don’t want to lose track of that hard earned information.

So, let’s make a movement to change cold calling to something more user friendly. Keep in mind, if you have troubles with marketing yourself then ask for help. I, and many others, are happy to help you see the value that you bring to our communities. Ultimately, you are the expert on you and once you discover that, you will never be left out in the cold.

There are two websites I found for North American readers who may be interested in finding out more about working outside your country but where ever you are the best thing to do is Google ‘working abroad.’ For Canadians, Foreign Affair and International Trade Canada has Working Abroad – Unravelling the Maze . There is downloadable information along with plenty of advice on what to consider before booking that flight to your dream work destination. The United States Government website offers a list of resources at their International Jobs – Working Overseas page.

One of the things that currently stops me from exploring this further is family commitments. I’m not sure I can be away from those I love very long. Clearly, I’m not as adventurous as I would like to think I am or maybe just to loyal to move on, just in case I’m needed. Still, the idea comes up in my mind from time to time and I go off dreaming about what it might be like to pack up and spend some months or years abroad. Living, loving, working and learning.

Have you packed up and moved somewhere else for work? How was it?

or

Have you always wanted to work in another country? and What is preventing you from acting on that desire?

All of these statements, and more, represent what I have heard from others and have even uttered myself. They are at the core of our reasons for working but how we get to them is often the challenge. What we should know, going in, is that we don’t work solely for money. If it was about money the Oprah Winfrey’s and Donald Trumps of the world could have quit a long time ago. However, there was a time perhaps when money was a strong motivator.

Remember that first JOB you received? That was most likely born out of a need for pocket money or to keep a roof over your head. I remember my first “real” job as a retail sales clerk, I needed it! I had left home and survival was my only true reason for dropping off resumes. Soon into my job, I quickly realized there is more to this than just a paycheque. At the end of the day I went home going over my experience and realized “Hey! I like this” or “Hey, I don’t like that.” I became aware that I had ethics…I didn’t know the definition of the word so much but I knew the feeling and I had preferences that made me strong in certain areas of my work. It was important to me that what I did mattered and that I was authentic in my dealings with people.

There are so many examples of how we go from the “job” to developing  our careers; shaped in profound ways. The definition of ourselves and those around us expands expediently through the career, which as I have mentioned before is the sum total of all your life experiences. How magnificent that you, unique in all the world, gets to contribute your talents to the betterment of our communities. Whether paid or unpaid, it does not matter, as you are welcome to make a difference. Having said that, “making a difference” should not be something you painfully strive for. I see and hear about so many people tortured by the question “How can I make a difference?” You already are! You are here. That may seem so insignificant from your perspective but not from those who have come in contact with you, been loved by you, been nurtured by your spirit.

To feel fulfilled at the end of any day is to look for one thing you learned that you didn’t know yesterday. It can be about yourself, someone else or the world. In taking in that piece of information you may well be enhancing your career, let alone your personal life. How many times have you used something you have learned personally and applied it to a professional situation. In that moment, in the success of that one moment, you have fulfilled something you were meant to do. Things don’t have to be grandiose in order to be impressive; simplicity fits wonderfully in our space.

To live up to your potential, I believe, you must be truly open to possibilities; not strangling its energy in ‘should be’s’ nor marring it in unrealistic timelines. A while back I had a young man in my classroom that was worried that he was not living up to his ‘purpose’, he felt God had a plan and he was not hearing what that plan was. It was painful to see in his face that he believed time was ticking away and he wasn’t getting things right. He was in his early twenties. What struck me in the course of our discussion, is that while he toiled over his perceived shortfalls he was unable to devote energy to hearing the answers to his own questions. He is a brilliant, talented, intelligent young man, already doing incredible things for his family and community but that in itself was not enough.

We have all the answers we need inside ourselves. If we truly are open to the natural rhythms of our life than we can trust that we live in harmony with what is possible every day. If we listened without the noise of “yes buts” and “what ifs” our potential would not seem so dependent on outside entities. We often get in the way of ourselves, restrained by fictitious outcomes and old voices in our heads.

We live up to our potential the minute we break free from those chains and begin to open up the question “What’s next?” with the enthusiasm of a child rather than being stunned by the veracity of our experiences.

At the end of the day if you really want a fulfilling career you must be very clear about what you value. Be open to learning in all of its forms, which includes, through people you initially did not perceive were your teachers.

You must be aware of that emotional blueprint that exist within us all, which is manifested most when you are doing something you love to do. That twinge of excitement, relaxed state, pure bliss moment; times when you have dropped all guard.

Don’t look to others to validate your existence or direction because many will surely let you down. Instead, trust that you came into this world to learn your own lessons and everything that comes your way is already in service of realizing those goals.

Don’t compare yourself to others, they have very distinct paths they are to follow. If you really want to see the magnificence of living your purpose or potential look to nature.

From the mightiest tree to the smallest insect everything matters – it truly is a sacred circle.

The first is Jessica, owner of Young Seagull. I was recently referred to Jessica by a client and upon speaking with her I was just blown away not only by her knowledge but her enthusiasm! Speaking to Jessica by phone did not interfere with receiving the energy she brings to potential web projects. Shortly into our conversation I felt as though a picture was being created immediately before my eyes and it was framed in a way that I did not need to stand way back to interpret it. Beyond the ideas I already had for my website and blog came a plethora of logical and visual necessities for those pages. Jessica was straight to the point, professionally directed and wonderfully magical in her approach. When someone exceeds my expectations in terms of their expertise and support I am compelled to recognize them. Anyone who is looking for a web designer may want to speak to Young Seagull. She has given me lots to think about and she can do the same for you!

The second person I want to introduce you to is Christine of Scully Love Promo. I have known Christine for about two years now, never met in person but you know how that goes in today’s world…we all find each other some way. What is so neat about her work is that she meets and promotes amazingly talented people. Artists, Musicians, Writers and Business people all benefit from her drive to market. Social Media is definitely something this woman embraces which she highlights not only in her services but also in articles; giving helpful tips to use social media effectively. What is really cool is your exposure to books and other artists that maybe you would have never discovered on your own. If publicity is something you need, Christine might well be the person to talk to or you can just enjoy her posts on the latest discoveries that make business and entertainment exciting.

The following statement resonated with me the first time I heard it…“Please take responsibility for the energy you bring into this space.”  I heard this through an interview Oprah was doing with Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor who after having a stroke, suffered severe cognitive and motor skills damage. In the hospital, where she lay, she could not talk with others but she could feel peoples energy. Out of that experience and her subsequent eight year recovery came the realization of just how powerful our own energy is.

“What is the energy I am bringing to this space or  conversation?” We get so caught up in our own stuff that it is so easy to spew it out negativity without any regard to those around us. We need somewhere to dump our life trash and often that dumping ground becomes anyone within range. This could be a friend, a family member or even a complete stranger. In those moments we have no concern for others and how our transferring of that energy affects not only that person but really our world at large.

“I must take responsibility for my own life.” After all, we truly are the architect of both our triumphs and our destruction. Through our own decision making, fear and education comes what we see in front of us. If we take responsibility for our own life than it matters not what comes our way; we simply must adapt.

However, there are some people where these life lessons come hard. In some perverse way they get off on the drama or they simply have not found a way to learn otherwise.  They are oblivious and often unwilling to make the hard choices that would change perspective or direction into a more positive form. If we accept that what we are experiencing is a direct result of the energy we are putting out than we have the power to change. If we subscribe to the thought that it (whatever it is ) is outside of ourselves than we stay in victim/drama mode.

“How can I take responsibility for the energy I bring?”

* Begin with a conscious recognition that we do not have the right to dump negative energy anywhere we want and we need to be aware of the fragility of those around us.

* Accept that our human activity in mind, body and spirit is powerful. This is an important lesson to be learned in an ever troubled world.

* Find an alternative way to channel negative thoughts, energy or speak – distancing yourself enough before making a call or coming into someone’s space. Breathe and self reflect.

* Learn from your experiences – if you are in a constant state of chaos you probably are missing several lessons that are important to understand. However, even if you are not willing to see the writing on the wall that doesn’t give you permission to wrap everyone else up in your story.

* Accept the truth and don’t be annoyed if someone calls you out on your behaviour – the other person is establishing boundaries you have not been willing to establish for yourself.

* Take Responsibility!

All tough things for each of us to do but maybe we can try to minimize our drama Queen and King moments.