Coach Wade: “They Don’t Want to Call Us Back”

Hi — Coach Wade here.

In a recent (and completely unofficial) survey, the number one reason prospects don’t return our calls came back loud and clear:

They simply don’t want to talk to us. 🙂

Funny—but also very revealing.

The truth is, prospects don’t call back unless there’s a clear benefit for them. Our agenda—to recruit or sell—is not a benefit in their eyes.

When the value is strong enough, people respond. For example, if someone left you a message saying, “We have your children,” you’d return that call immediately. (Obviously not a real strategy—just an illustration of how motivation works.)

So if we agree that callbacks aren’t about a prospect’s motivation, but about what we say, then our focus shifts. The solution isn’t chasing people—it’s improving the message.

Here’s another important point: if we sound like a stereotypical salesperson, prospects may shut down immediately. Many people have emotional baggage when it comes to “salespeople,” and we don’t want to trigger that response.

Ask yourself this simple question:

Why should this prospect call me back?

If we’ve already told them everything about our business, there’s no reason for another conversation.

So instead, what can we offer that creates value and curiosity?

A short story about someone in a similar situation as the prospect
A free resource, book, or report that requires their email or address
A sample that needs to be mailed
Important information that directly affects them
A three-way call with someone they would genuinely want to hear from

Any of these can dramatically increase callback rates.

But here’s the deeper question most people avoid:

Instead of asking, “How do I get prospects to call me back?”
Maybe we should ask, “What did I say in the first conversation that made them never want to talk to me again?”

That’s worth thinking about.