1.	I probably spend more time planning to prospect than I devote to actually prospecting.	yes no
2.	I'm probably not really trying to prospect for new business as much as I could or should because I'm not sure it's worth the hassle any more.	yes no
3.	I probably don't try as often as I could to initiate contact with influential people in my community who might be prospects for the products or services I sell, or at least a source for referrals.	yes no
4.	I get really uncomfortable when I have to phone someone I don't know, who is not expecting my call, to persuade them to buy something they may not want to buy.	yes no
5.	Personally, I think having to call people I don't know, who promote a product or service is humiliating and demeaning.	yes no
6.	To me, self-promotion doesn't really bother me. I just don't apply myself to it very purposefully or consistently.	yes no
7.	I try to avoid giving presentations before groups if I can.	yes no
8.	Actually, prospecting doesn't really bother me. I could initiate more contacts if I were not involved in so many other activities which compete for my time and energies.	yes no
9.	I find myself hesitating when it is time to ask for a referral from an existing client.	yes no
10.	I seem to need some time to "psych" myself up before I prospect.	yes no
11.	I tend to spend a lot of time shuffling, planning, prioritizing, and organizing the names on my prospecting list (or cards) before I actually put them to use.	yes no
12.	Regularly making cold calls (calling on people I don't know who are not expecting my call and who may not want to talk to me) is really difficult for me.	yes no
13.	I tend to feel uneasy when I prospect because deep down I think that consistently promoting yourself or your products is not very respectable or proper.	yes no
14.	To me, making sales presentations to my friends or asking them for referrals is unacceptable because it might look like I was trying to exploit their friendship.	yes no
15.	I often feel like I might be intruding on people when I prospect.	yes no
16.	To me, making sales presentations to members of my own family, or even asking them for referrals, is inappropriate because it might look like I was trying to selfishly exploit them.	yes no
17.	It is very important to me to find innovative, alternative ways to prospect which are more professional and dignified than the methods used by other salespeople.	yes no
18.	I think that prospecting for new business probably takes more out of me emotionally than it does out of other salespeople.	yes no
19.	I do okay in one-on-one sales situations, but I would probably get really nervous if I found out that next week I had to give a sales presentation in front of a group.	yes no
20.	Highly educated, professional people like lawyers and physicians tend to annoy me, so I don't try to initiate contact with them even though I probably could if I wanted to.	yes no
21.	Self-help material, like this self-rating scale, is superficial and probably won't teach me anything I don't already know.	yes no
22.	I have reasonably clear goals, but I probably spend more time talking about them than working towards them.	yes no
23.	I would probably feel more positive about prospecting for new business if I had some additional training to fortify my product knowledge.	yes no
24.	I probably could prospect more, but I'm really just marking time until I get to do what I really want to do.	yes no
	Use the scale below to see how you did.
Scoring Your Call Reluctance� Self-Rating Scale Step One Compute your overall Call Reluctance� score by adding up your "yes" responses. Then read the following interpretive summary, which is based on your total number of "yes" answers. 1-2 "Yes" Answers Indicates one of two conditions: Either you are experiencing no emotional difficulty whatsoever associated with prospecting, or you really are experiencing some distress but you’re hesitant or emotionally unable to reveal how much, even to yourself. 3-4 "Yes" Answers Indicates that you are like most other salespeople. The fear of self-promotion is present but only in low, non-toxic amounts. It may be occasionally annoying but it is not likely to be serious if it remains at this level. It should be manageable by simply emphasizing the markets and prospecting techniques you are most comfortable with and avoiding those which are the most threatening. 5-6 "Yes" Answers You probably have moderate levels of Call Reluctance� at the present time. One or more forms of Call Reluctance� are currently limiting your prospecting activity to a level beneath your ability. Low prospecting probably keeps you from exploiting the potential of your market. 7-8 "Yes" Answers Your answers indicate a considerable amount of Call Reluctance� at the present time. Your prospecting may be only a shadow of what it could be or needs to be. 9 or more "Yes" Answers According to your score, you could have enough Call Reluctance� to stop a small sales force. Are you comfortable making calls on any prospective buyers? If your answers are truly indicative of your attitudes toward prospecting then you should consider taking immediate corrective steps; honestly discussing the problem with your manager if he or she does not already know about it. Does your score indicate that Call Reluctance� could be holding your career hostage? If it does, look at step two. It will help you pinpoint the type(s) of Call Reluctance� that might be choking off your prospecting ability and endangering your sales career. Proceed to Step Two