Are cold calls ever effective?

📞 Cold Calling
27
MMMGood
Celebrated Contributor
4
Senior Account Executive
Yes...when the proper research on the prospect has been done. 
Wolfof7thStreet
Valued Contributor
1
AE
How in depth do you go on your research? I find that I have better calls when I am less prepared generally, tend to overthink less. I usually just scan the LinkedIn profile first if anything
MMMGood
Celebrated Contributor
1
Senior Account Executive
Title/role. Industry. Any recent big events (like IPO/Merge, hack, etc)
Wolfof7thStreet
Valued Contributor
1
AE
Great, that is similar to my approach. It definitely helps to have a general idea of what could/should be important to them 
poweredbycaffeine
WR Lieutenant
4
☕️
Yes. I closed the largest deal of my career off of a cold call to an F500 CTO. Picked up, I had a contextual hook ready to go, we scheduled a meeting, the rest his history.
Wolfof7thStreet
Valued Contributor
1
AE
Amazing, one of my best cycles to date was set over a call with the CFO of a hypergrowth marketing firm. Calling is powerful
Accidental_Sales_Guy
Politicker
4
Account Executive
Yes. The more businesses that leave the cold calls behind (or automate it) for email and social selling, the more effective your personalized cold call becomes.
Incognito
WR Officer
2
Master of Disaster
They can be, are they as effective as other methods? No. 
CuriousFox
WR Officer
2
🦊
Yes as long as you do your research before you make the call.
deviantzen
WR Lieutenant
2
Consultant
Do your accounts pick up the phone? Yes? It can be effective. Do they mainly look at other channels and STVM your dials? Get better info or focus on other channels.

I hate how certain companies with products around cold calling (sales coaching and autodialer companies are notorious for this) have published a million thought leadership pieces about how cold calling is the first, only, and last great prospecting channel. Makes it easier to sell a value prop of 500 dials per day right?

Or any sales engagement tool and the conversation of "personalization at scale". If you're a seller you don't need to overthink it. What's working for you, what's worked before, what do you think will work: balance that mix and keep testing. The thought leadership people probably didn't sell your specific service to your specific personas.

The phone is not dead but it's not the end all be all.

I get more opps from meme content and "wasting time on Clubhouse"
BigCheese
Notorious Answer
2
Agency Recruiter
100%. Really shouldn't be a question, in my opinion.
Wolfof7thStreet
Valued Contributor
2
AE
Yes all the time. I call a lot and either get a ton of good info, alternate contacts, and the occasional meeting. The key is mixing up your cadence between call, email and social, but calling is key.
paddy
WR Officer
2
Director of Business Development
Wtf yes they're effective
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
1
Director Sales and Market Development
Absolutely. Call with purpose, keep it short, you are stealing time so get to it quickly. I always start with this is a sales cold call, I know this is not anyone's favorite thing, can I have a few seconds to tell you why I called,  9 times out of 10 they say yes, it is a small time commitment and hit them with purpose. It either turns into a longer call or you say your piece and hope to schedule a real one or get the Intel you need 
Wolfof7thStreet
Valued Contributor
1
AE
I open all of my calls like this, a similar idea. I only lead with the company name because it is well known

Hey NAME,

This is NAME calling from COMPANY. How are you today?

Great! I know I am calling out of the blue, do you think I could have 30 seconds to explain why?
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
1
Director Sales and Market Development
nailed it
countingmyinterest
Politicker
1
Account Executive
Yup, I use this exact script but I just say "I know I'm calling out of the blue, reason why I'm calling is _________". 

Works like a charm. I hate the whole cutesy "Can I have 27 seconds to explain why I'm calling". So cheesy 
Coffeesforclosers
Notable Contributor
0
Director Sales and Market Development
agreed, cause i will start the clock and hang up at 27 seconds lol
Bejblount
Fire Starter
0
Senior Account Executive
I don't recommend asking how people are. They hear this from every sales person that calls them and it's clear after you try to get an appointment you didn't really care how they were. They aren't actually telling you how they are anyways so it's pointless. 

Telehealth_2the_Moon
Notable Contributor
1
Director of Business Development
Hell yeah! We sell a big ticket, long-cycle product and despite that still source a large chunk of our deals from cold calling. 
Wolfof7thStreet
Valued Contributor
0
AE
Same here! I think that getting the voice recognition/ actually talking to someone on the phone builds instant credibility vs an email
Bittersweet0326
Politicker
1
Digital Business Associate
Yep - it's one of those things that has a lower likely hood of success but man they can be game changers. It's all about the dials, all about the dials.
bambi
1
Director of Inside Sales
Arguably the most effective outreach
Blackwargreymon
Politicker
1
MDR
Yes. I closed the largest deal of my career off of a cold call to an F500 CTO. Picked up, I had a contextual hook ready to go, we scheduled a meeting, the rest his history.
Clashingsoulsspell
Politicker
1
ISR
Yes. I closed the largest deal of my career off of a cold call to an F500 CTO. Picked up, I had a contextual hook ready to go, we scheduled a meeting, the rest his history.
bellaccione
Valued Contributor
0
Growth Consultant
of course. 

JDialz
Politicker
0
Chief Operating Officer
Oh hell yes. 85% of our business comes from cold calls, 10% from A+ leads, 5% from direct "closely held" referrals.
SaaSguy
Tycoon
0
Account Executive
Yes. I would say they are more effective than email for me. 
BlueJays2591
Politicker
0
Federal Business Dev Director
definitely. its how you separate yourself from the rest of the herd that's trying to sell to the exact same person. they are going to buy from someone, might as well call them and make sure its you.
Ace
Arsonist
0
CEO
Absolutely, but the conversion could be low. But you can always play with law of averages
softwaresails
Politicker
0
Sales Manager
Yes. And anyone that says they aren't effective doesn't have the right approach. I understand that there are maybe some industries or niche markets where it may not be the best fit or could be more difficult but cold calling definitely is not dead.
Chep
WR Officer
0
Bitcoin Adoption Specialist
Yes and it isn't always about booking the meeting. If you can play your cards right sometimes you can land fire information that will help you schedule a meeting later on
salesandstrategy
Opinionated
0
Senior Account Executive
When done properly, with some level of research and intent. YES. When done just to do it, no
southernfriedsales
Opinionated
0
Senior AE & Business Owner
Of course. You have to ensure you're prepared and have your fundamentals built.
Spade
Arsonist
0
Global Business Development Manager
The most effective for us by a mile 
CRE_TREP
Good Citizen
0
Associate Director
Yes, but I also find there is a ton of information out there, and if you do some diligent research, cold calls should become warm calls in many instances. 
thegrinch
Politicker
0
SDR
If I ever have success with cold calls, its usually after 3 - 5 touches
mythbuster
Catalyst
0
Account Executive
100%
Bejblount
Fire Starter
0
Senior Account Executive
Yes, this is my script: 

"Hi my name is _____ with XYZ company. The reason I am calling is to set an appointment with you because I work with "Insert role/Company Vertical" like you/yours to 1)Point of Interest, 2) Point of Interest, and 3) Point of interest. How does next Thursday at 2PM work for you? 

Then, I get a yes. Handle their objections. Or get a no and move on. 
whathaveyousoldtomorrow
Opinionated
0
sales
YEP. People answer their phones. 
14
Members only

How Do You React When You Recieve Cold Calls?

Question
34
7

When someone cold calls you, what do you do?

Question
9
What do you do?
24% Hang up
76% Give them a shot
42 people voted
4

How do you open your cold calls?

Discussion
12