German Special: “Cold Calling Made Easy” with Expert Renate Witt-Frey
Today we are excited to share an honest, encouraging, and deeply practical conversation with Renate Witt-Frey. Renate is a business economist, Gestalt therapist, holistic coach – and has spent around 40 years working in sales and communication. She has been self-employed since 1981 and supports companies, entrepreneurs, and teams in conducting confident, successful sales conversations – on the phone, in Zoom calls, or face to face.With her company “Connections”, founded in 2010, she combines psychological depth with hands-on sales strategy. Thanks to her training sessions, many of her clients generate four- and even five-figure revenues – sometimes after just a few calls. Her passion lies in mindful communication, in the joy of real conversation – and in helping people who want to grow into sales with confidence. She also writes books, hosts readings, and is developing a digital “telephone coaching assistant” that will guide users step by step through live sales calls.
Privately, you will often find her at the North Sea – talking to people, of course.
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1. From Family Printing Business to Telephone Sales Expert
Renate’s path into sales did not begin in a corporation, but in her family’s printing business, where she worked for about 30 years. At some point, however, she realized:
“It felt too narrow. I wanted to do something of my own again.”
Leaving the safety of the family business for full independence came with a few stomach aches – but it opened the space for her true talent:
Connecting with people through conversation.
Very early, she learned that:
Sales is nothing but communication at eye level.
Talking, listening, understanding what people really need – skills she picked up from her father, who would chat with everyone on vacation at the North Sea, turning strangers into customers and friends.
Today, Renate teaches exactly that: how a simple call can turn into a real connection – and often into a business opportunity.
2. Why So Many Fear Picking Up the Phone – and Why They Don’t Have To
Many people – especially young professionals – avoid sales roles.
Their image of sales?
rejection
uncomfortable situations
“bothering” people
pressure to push
Renate knows these fears well. She names the most common ones:
fear of the word no
imagination of “everything that could go wrong”
the feeling of being a burden
Her message is refreshingly simple:
“Nothing bad can happen on the phone. The worst case? Someone hangs up. It’s not personal.”
Especially in uncertain economic times, there are many valid reasons for a no: budget, timing, other priorities, existing vendors.
None of these are judgments about you.
Understanding this gives people breathing space – and courage.
Renate’s mission: Bring lightness, joy, and healthy confidence back into sales.
3. Practice, Practice, Practice – Renate’s Training Approach
Renate rarely makes calls on behalf of clients today. Instead, she invests her time where it matters most:
“Practice is what truly creates success.”
Her training sessions include:
Role plays
Switching roles – caller and receiver – to feel which sentences work and which don’t.
Authentic language instead of scripts
No stiff sales persona.
Just real words that match the speaker.
Practical phrases for any situation
How do I open a call?
How do I handle hesitation?
How do I exit after a no – without closing the door forever?
Once someone experiences one good call, the fear melts away.
And the results speak for themselves:
One client sold €5,000 worth of services within a week after training.
A managing director who previously hated calling closed a €200,000 deal.
An estate agent won his dream client after his very first training call.
4. Introverts in Sales? An Underestimated Superpower
Many believe that only extroverts thrive in sales.
Renate strongly disagrees:
“Introverts are often the better salespeople – they’re calmer and listen better.”
She describes herself as very enthusiastic – sometimes too enthusiastic.
But introverts bring exactly what sales really needs:
calm presence
patience
attention
space for the other person to speak
If someone struggles with deeper fears or blocks, Renate involves her network:
A hypnosis coach with call-center leadership experience, therapists, specialists.
Her philosophy:
“There is always a way. You can always open the door just a little and see what someone needs.”
5. Success Through Genuine Interest – From a €3.8M Deal to a Dream Client
One question has been Renate’s compass for decades:
“What else can I do for you?”
It is more than politeness – it is an attitude.
One example shows its power:
A real estate company repeatedly declined Renate’s invitations to a networking event. Instead of pushing again, she asked:
“What do you actually need right now?”
Their answer:
“A general contractor.”
Renate connected them with a construction company in another business group.
The result:
A €3.8 million building contract, plus additional fees for land and architectural services.
Her first reaction? Pure joy.
Her second? “A commission would’ve been nice.”
But in her heart, the connection and the impact mattered more.
This story shows:
Sales success often comes from helping first, selling second.
6. Three Best Practices for Your Next Cold Call
Renate shares three essential tips – perfect for anyone wanting to start (or restart) phone sales:
1. Start short & clear – then let the other person talk
Who are you?
What do you offer?
What’s the immediate benefit?
Example:
“I’m Renate Witt-Frey and I help teams sell more successfully on the phone. Many of my clients generate four- and five-figure revenue within just 30 minutes of training. How is telephone sales going for you at the moment?”
Then: be quiet and listen.
2. Preparation beats procrastination
Create your call list in advance
Block phone time in your calendar
And then: actually call
Waiting makes the hurdle bigger.
3. Don’t take no personally
A no usually means:
“Not right now.”
“Different priorities.”
“We already work with someone.”
Not: “You’re bad at this.”
Keep going – and if you can’t sell, leave value:
a contact
a resource
a helpful link
a short follow-up email
It keeps the door open.
7. Advice for Young Professionals
Renate sees sales as one of the greatest learning environments for career starters:
“Sales teaches you to talk to people, handle rejection, and communicate clearly. It’s life training.”
Her advice for young talents:
Try sales – especially if you want to lead, consult, or work with clients
Don’t take no personally
Focus on what you learn – not just what you sell
Want to work with an expert like Renate Witt-Frey?
Or would you like to become part of the SalesPro4U Expert Community – as a trainer, coach, or specialist? Email us at expert@salespro4u.com
We’re happy to connect you with Renate and our international network of coaches and mentors.
Stay curious, stay brave – and see you in the next episode of “The Expert Talk”!
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