What is Cold Calling? Tips and Examples for Sales Reps

Let’s be frank:

Cold calling gets a bad rap. It’s awkward, kind of nerve-wracking, and anxiety-inducing.

But you know what else it is? Effective.

This is a guide for sales representatives old and new, exploring the cold calling process and sharing tips and hacks for improvement.

What is cold calling?

Cold calling is a sales technique that helps reps spark a conversation, gauge interest, or qualify a lead.

The reason it’s called cold calling?

There’s no prior introduction. It’s like striking up a conversation with a stranger and engaging them to determine if they’re interested in hearing about your business.

Compared to warm calling, which is when you contact a lead with your offer after engaging with them for some time, cold calling gets straight to the point: your prospect understands you are selling something right off the bat.

For cold callers, it can be intimidating; it can also land your business in the spam category if done incorrectly. Cold calls turn into spam when you target the wrong audience repeatedly.

That’s why qualifying your leads and ensuring you have correct working phone numbers are so important. (More on this later!)

Is cold calling dead? 

It’s a question a lot of cold callers ask themselves!

If you keep up with stats, you know cold calling is only about 2% effective. Compared to other sales techniques, that is a bit low.

We asked Ian Wynne, Vice President of V6CO and Partner of Revcarto, if he thought cold calling still had a pulse.

He said:

“I don’t think cold calling is dead at all. With AI and the related movement, we will see an increase in the effectiveness of cold calling in the coming months and years.”

The biggest reason for this increase in effectiveness? Human connection.

Ian said:

“Everybody is just so upside down with the emails and text messages we get. We’re over-inundated with outreach requests all the time. So I think having more of that personal direct human-to-human connection is something that’s going to be increasing.”

How do you make an effective cold call?

Cold calling is an art, and there’s more to it than just picking up a phone and dialing a number.

One reason most sales reps give up on cold calling before seeing any traction is that they fail to do their research, qualify leads, or verify phone numbers.

Don’t be like those sales reps. Instead, follow these steps to ensure your phone calls open doors to new opportunities.

1. Conduct pre-call research

Pre-call research is crucial to a successful cold call.

Without it, it’s like walking into an important meeting with cue cards stuffed only with facts about the weather. Not very convincing, unless your client sells umbrellas!

Conducting pre-call research is simple. You’ll want to review:

• Your prospects’ LinkedIn accounts.
• Company websites.
• News alerts about the prospective company.

Tools like Kaspr cut down the time you’ll spend conducting your research. With Kaspr, you can access verified data like phone numbers (crucial for cold calls!) and other important insights.

With Kaspr, you can start planning Step 2 much faster than researching on your own.

2. Ace the opener (in the first 5 seconds!)

You have about five seconds before a prospect will hang up the phone. This means...

You need a killer opener that gets their attention and piques your prospects’ interest.

It’s tough to make the best use of this limited time if you’re new to cold calling. But it’s not impossible. And the best news?

It’s a learned skill. With the proper phrases, you can nail your cold call opener each and every time.

Phrases like, “Hi, can I speak to your boss?” will likely go nowhere. They don’t give your listener any idea of why you called them.

 Instead, consider using:

• Permission-based cold calling openers: “Hi, this is Joe with Kaspr. Do you have thirty seconds to talk?”
• Personalized approach: “Hi, I just read your team has hired a new VP of Sales. Congratulations on finding a superstar!”
• Pattern interrupters: “Hi, this is Joe with Kaspr. This is a cold call. I hate making cold calls, but do you have 15 seconds to let me explain why I’ve called?”

These phrases respect your prospects’ time and, if you’ve done your research (like learning about the new hire!), can open a door for a productive cold call.

3. Qualify fast

A successful cold call is just as much about listening as it is about selling your brand.

If you use a cold calling script, you’ll need to leave space in it for solid questions that lead to quality conversations. 

Questions help uncover needs, pain points, and timing. These three elements help you paint a better picture of who your prospect is, how your solution solves their needs, and the timeline they’re working with.

The quicker you can demonstrate your value proposition, the better.

4. Handle objections like a pro

Cold calling objections are par for the course. You will hear “No” or “I’m not interested” at some point.

The key to objections is responding like a champ.

You have options: either mark the prospect off your list or consider the objection as part of the call and keep moving forward. 

Our advice? Get curious. 

Calmly ask your prospect why they’re objecting to your offer. For example:

It might just be that you’ve called them at a bad time. Or maybe they’re planning their quarterly budgets and can’t entertain a new offer until they’ve locked in their spending. 

If they tell you, “I’m not interested,” read between the lines and try to understand why.

Pro tip:

Create a list of common objection phrases and list your rebuttals. Keep the list close to your phone.

It may take a few tries to test various lines, but you’ll quickly learn which phrases keep a door open and firmly close it. 

5. Nail the close

A cold call is just the beginning of a relationship with a prospect.

Instead of closing a deal, focus on booking a meeting. A meeting allows you to dive deeper into your prospect’s needs and offer tailored solutions to serve them better.

Offer specific times to book your next meeting. This helps put the ball in your prospects’ court but lets you still maintain control.

Once a meeting is booked, send a follow-up email to confirm the appointment and keep it top of mind.

What are best practices for cold calling in B2B sales?

If you speak with any seasoned salesperson, you’ll find their opinions on cold calling vary.

But for the sales pros who love cold calling? They’re good at it because they live by cold calling best practices. 

Consider these best practices before making a call with a potential customer. 

1. Call with a goal and a plan 

The best cold calls start with a plan. Before you even dial the number, you should have an idea of the call’s goal so you can steer it in the right direction.

If the goal is to book a meeting, deploy questions and statements that persuade your prospect to open their calendar and confirm a time with you. 

2. Use a flexible script

A script is a great way to stay on topic and drive the conversation toward your goals.

However, it’s essential to understand that your script must be flexible. Not every conversation will neatly follow it (especially when your prospect is unaware of their lines!).

Plus, flexibility leads to genuine conversations. Ian said:

“I think cold calling creates a connection when you get somebody on the phone. When you have a meaningful conversation with them, it can change the game.”

Allow your script to guide you, but don’t box yourself into pre-written lines. Allow your prospect to respond and always listen to what they say. 

3. Be consistent 

Sure, cold calling doesn’t always lead to immediate success. However, your wins will stack up over time when you do it enough and follow up with the right prospects. 

Ian shared his top cold calling tip:

“It’s about consistency. We make sure to follow up with the right person at the right time.”

This is why pre-call research is so important. It can help you iron out small details and put you in touch with the right people at the most appropriate times.

4. Qualify with intent 

Ian told us that sales professionals must qualify their leads and talk to the buyer, not just a buyer. Your buyer will be interested in your product, have a need, and be a decision-maker. 

If the person on the other end of the line doesn’t meet those qualifications, it’s okay to ask to speak to the person in the organization who fits the bill. Just be nice about escalating your call.

5. Use automation and data tools 

Data tools like Kaspr help speed up the process. And when time is money, you can’t afford to spend too much time digging for phone numbers - especially when there’s a chance those phone numbers no longer exist.

Kaspr provides direct business numbers for decision-makers, helping you and your team get in touch faster.

What are the common cold calling challenges?

Cold calling isn’t tricky. However, there are a few challenges that come along with this sales tactic. 

Let’s talk about those challenges so you know how to avoid them.

1. Bypassing gatekeepers

There will be a few instances when you call a prospect only to speak with their assistant first. Sometimes, assistants can be a barrier to connecting with the prospect.

To get past gatekeepers, be confident and personalize your call. They are a real person with real feelings, so treat them with respect just like you would your prospect.

2. Rejection fatigue

It’s tough to hear “No” constantly. But frankly? Rejection is part of the sales process; don’t take it personally. 

Instead, track your wins and your progress. You’re likely doing better than you think!

3. Lack of good leads

Your cold calls are only as good as the data you use. You’re wasting your time if your prospect list is full of bad numbers.

Instead, use tools like Kaspr to verify your data before sitting with your phone. Kaspr eliminates the frustration of dialing bad numbers and keeps the ball moving in the right direction.

4. Call reluctance 

If you’re new to cold calls, it can be a challenge to understand what to say and when. If you’re hit with reluctance from your prospect, it can throw you off your game.

Instead, practice.

Role-play with your team, listen to top reps, and review your sales calls. Doing this will help you find the areas you can strengthen to ensure your calls are successful.

Speaking of success, let’s discuss how to measure your actions.

How do you measure cold call success?

Obviously, connecting with the right people and closing a deal is a measurable win. But there are other ways to measure your cold calling success, especially if you’ve not yet made a sale. 

Here are a few cold calling metrics to track:

• Connect rate: Measures how often a prospect picks up the phone. 
• Call-to-convo ratio: Describes the number of calls you place compared to the number of conversations you have. 
• Meetings booked: This is a good number to keep track of, as it helps determine the effectiveness of your calls.
• Call duration: Do your calls only last 15 seconds? That’s not a lot of time to explain your offering. Track the length of your calls and compare them to other numbers, like meetings booked, to determine your effectiveness.

Reminder:

What gets measured gets improved. Kaspr enables more calls with better data, which drives better metrics.

How can you be a better cold caller (with examples!)?

Cold calling is a skill. Like any other skill, it gets better with time and intentional practice. 

Here’s how to improve your cold calling techniques and become a top sales professional on your team:

1. Call at the correct times

The timing of your call can speed up or slow down your momentum. You’ll want to monitor buyer intent signals, like new funding rounds or leadership changes.

But, believe it or not, the time of day you call a prospect matters, too.

Mid-mornings and late afternoons work best. Test various times and track it to find your sweet spot.

2. Review and reflect 

If you don’t record your sales calls, here’s your permission to start.

Recorded calls allow you to review and reflect easily. Re-listen to them to find patterns in your calls. You’ll quickly understand what’s working and what’s not.

Reps who review their calls improve faster than those who don’t.

3. Focus on conversations

A cold call is just the first piece in the long game known as sales. Sometimes, it isn’t a sales pitch but an introduction to your brand.

Use your time on the phone to invite conversation and genuine curiosity. This approach will help you close a deal more easily than jumping into a hard sell from the get-go. 

4. Use tools 

It’s simple: better data = better calls. And the best way to find better data? Sales tools. 

Sales tools are every top sales rep’s secret weapon. Tools like Kaspr help you skip the guesswork and get straight to honest conversations that increase your revenue and help you meet your sales goals.

Data = Every cold caller’s secret weapon

Cold calling might not be a flashy sales technique. However, it’s effective, and that’s what matters.

When done right, it places you in direct contact with decision-makers, helps start conversations, and propels a prospect through your sales funnel. 

The secret?

Consistency. Preparation. And good data (like verified phone numbers).

Whether you’re dialing for the first time or looking to up your connect rate, cold calling is a skill you build. The more you practice, the better your cold calls become.

With the right tools, like Kaspr, you can spend less time hunting down contact info and more time doing what counts - talking to real, interested prospects.

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