Imagine this scenario.
You’re on a park bench reading.
A stranger taps you on the shoulder and says:
“Hey, how’s it going?”
“How are you feeling?”
“Is you’re day going okay?”
“Been to any good restaurants lately?”
Awkward right?
Why?
There’s no context.
You secretly think:
“What does this person want?”
“Why are they talking with me?”
The stranger has no idea why you’re talking to them, so they’re Zone of Resistance (ZOR).
The ZOR is a defense mechanism that protects you against awkward encounters with strangers.
To lower the ZOR, you need to provide context.
Like this::
“I’m sorry for interrupting you. I just moved into town and was hoping I could ask you a quick question.”
That’s going to make people more comfortable because they know why you’re talking with them.
It’s the same thing with cold calling.
No context:
“Hi, John, Coach Anna. How are you doing today?”
With context:
“Hi, John. Coach Anna. We’ve never spoken before. And I know you weren’t expecting my call. I’m working with several athletes in the Boca Tri group and came across your name. Are you able to talk for a brief moment?”
The takeaway?
Context lowers the ZOR.