OldDogNewTricks profile picture
OldDogNewTricks profile picture

OldDogNewTricks

Sales guy

Opinionated
Valued Contributor
Catalyst
+3

How do you define a cold call?

Genuine question as I'm hiring right now so I'm curious what sellers consider 'cold' calling


I've worked plenty of roles where leads were considered "warm" because they were past opportunities, past clients, they fit the ICP, they enquired at some point in the past... thus we were told the calls weren't cold, but warm.


For me, if someone is not expecting your call, and they are not already engaged in a deal process (ie. Its a prospecting call)... that's a cold call.


What say you, Bravado crew?


What exactly is a cold call?

🔎 Prospecting
📞 Cold Calling
🧢 Sales Management
17

20 comments

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CoorsKing
WR Officer
7
Retired King of the Coors Knights
To me a cold call is anyone not actively in a buying cycle that didn’t submit a contact request form. Regardless of past inquiries, if they are not actively evaluating my software there is still some elements of a cold pitch needed, and a good WYWYN to hook them. So I count pretty much everything as a “cold call”.
OldDogNewTricks
Opinionated
1
Sales guy
Yep yep @BigMeech 👌 

Also... WYWYWN? Pretty sure i know the WN but the rest?
CoorsKing
WR Officer
3
Retired King of the Coors Knights
why you why you now
CuriousFox
WR Officer
7
🦊
That warm shit is bs. If it was a lead from a year ago and they did nothing? It's still a cold call. Players change. You still do the research you'd normally do for other calls, so it counts as cold.  
DungeonsNDemos
Big Shot
4
Rolling 20's all day
If I have not spoken with them and they are not in a sales process yet. 
OldDogNewTricks
Opinionated
0
Sales guy
Ditto @DungeonsNDemos 👊
cw95
Politicker
2
Sales Development Lead
Exactly what you said, someone that hasn’t a clue who you are nor who your company are or what you do!
LordBusiness
Politicker
2
Chief Revenue Officer
Anything not a recent website call to action (free trial, contact sales, request a demo) is cold.  
Chep
WR Officer
1
Bitcoin Adoption Specialist
@inboundsalesrep we need your expertise here 🤣😎🔥🤝
Do.it.for.the.checks
Politicker
1
Account Executive
I agree with you.

And I'd hope what you are describing is what most people are referring to as cold calling. Like there's no reason in todays world to open a phone book and start dialing.

Making cold calls into "warm" calls is easy to do and drive significantly more success.
CCP
Opinionated
1
VP, Business Development
I think your definition is spot on. 
Blackwargreymon
Politicker
1
MDR
To me a cold call is anyone not actively in a buying cycle that didn’t submit a contact request form.
sellingsellssold
Politicker
0
SDR
I would also describe it as an informational call
Diablo
Politicker
0
Sr. AE
For me it's a first touch point  (human - human interaction)
OldDogNewTricks
Opinionated
0
Sales guy
So not just a phone call @Diablo ?
hh456
Celebrated Contributor
0
sales
anyone who didn’t contact me first & my wife when I call home to see if she’s DTF when I get home from work early but she asks if I got fired.
RealPatrickBateman
Politicker
0
🔪Amateur Butcher🔪
Calling to tell me that my cars extended warranty has expired...  but I ride a bicycle. THAT's a cold call. 
BeatCancer
Fire Starter
0
Account Executive
If they dont know who you are, who your company are.
TheRealPezDog
Notable Contributor
0
Account Manager
I agree with @BigMeech Anyone not in a active buying cycle or inbound lead is technically a 'cold call'  Although there are certain "degrees" of "cold" to consider.  My company has so many past clients that I almost never waste my time calling companies that haven't done past business with us.  How do I land new accounts then?  By building solid relationships and following clients as they move to other firms.  
Error32
Politicker
0
ISR
We're in sales. We get paid to sell. If a company tells me that they have a "gateway" to unlocking commission I'm not taking the job. If my current company changes the comp plan to include one, I'm looking for somewhere else to work.

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