How to Succeed in B2B Cold Calling

I’ve been cold calling for 9 years. Here’s everything I know about it: (this is a longer post so bear with me) 𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟬 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: People don’t hang up because it’s a cold call. They hang up because you sound unsure, scripted, or boring. - Be calm. - Be confident. - Be clear. 𝟮. 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸: Don’t ask “𝘏𝘰𝘸’𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨?” Don’t ask “𝘐𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦?” Just try: “𝘏𝘦𝘺 (𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦), 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧.” That opener alone will double your talk time. 𝟯. 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁: No one cares that you’re the “𝘯𝘰.1 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘟.” Tell them what pain you solve, fast. 𝟰. 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: “I’m not interested” just means they don’t understand you yet. Use the FFF method: Feel - Felt - Found. “𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦… 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 (𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵).” 𝟱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: If they’re talking, you’re winning. If they’re curious, you’re in. If you book the meeting, that’s the win. 𝟲. 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁: You could have the best pitch in the world… But if you don’t make the dials, you won’t get the meetings. Consistency > perfection. 𝟳. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲: Don’t waste time trying to convince people who don’t have the problem you solve. Laser focus on your ICP, the ones who feel the pain. 𝟴. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆: Your tone > your script. People say yes to people who sound like they believe in what they’re saying. 𝟵. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝘂𝗽 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁: Most meetings I book happen after the call. Send a short LinkedIn DM or a value-driven email right after. 𝟭𝟬. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁: They have a framework. They prep. They reflect after each call. And they improve daily. Cold calling still works if you do it right. Now let's book some meetings!!!! P.S. I've created a free cold calling cheat sheet where I share all of my do's & don'ts. You can access it for free here: https://lnkd.in/g9BrrDA6

In 2022, I tried cold calling like it was 2010. Result? 0 meetings booked. Why? Buyers are smarter, busier, and less patient. But here’s the thing: Cold calling works—if you adapt. Here’s how I turned it around and booked 60 meetings in 20 days becoming a Top Sales Performer in a Startup Unicorn: 1️⃣ Do Your Homework No more blind dialing. Research your prospect: → Recent news about their company → Their pain points based on their industry → Key decision-makers (know their names!) My mistake: I used to pitch without knowing their challenges. My fix: I spent 5 minutes researching before every call. 2️⃣ Open Strong Don’t waste 15 seconds introducing yourself. Hook them right away: “Hi [Name], I noticed [specific insight about their company], and I think we might be able to help you solve [key challenge]. Do you have 2 minutes?” My mistake: I started with, “Hi, I’m Carlos from Sales Titans.” My fix: I led with value and got their attention in 10 seconds. 3️⃣ Focus on THEM, Not You Cold calls flop when you start with “We do this…” Instead, ask questions: → “What’s your biggest challenge with [their area of interest]?” → “How are you currently solving [specific problem]?” My mistake: I talked about my services before understanding their needs. My fix: I flipped the script and made it about them. 4️⃣ Have an Objection-Handling Plan 90% of first objections are smokescreens. When you hear “I’m not interested,” ask: “Totally understand. Before I go, let me ask: are you seeing [specific industry trend]? That’s something we help companies navigate.” My mistake: I took objections at face value. My fix: I used objections as opportunities to educate. 5️⃣ Book, Don’t Sell Your goal isn’t to close the deal—it’s to schedule the next meeting. “Why don’t we hop on a quick call next week to dive into this further? How’s Tuesday at 10?” My mistake: I tried to close on the first call. My fix: I focused on booking the next step. 🎯 The Cold Calling Rules for 2025 → Be prepared. → Focus on adding value, not pitching. → Always aim to move the conversation forward. Cold calling is still a skill, and those who master it are thriving.

I've noticed something: 9 out of 10 cold calling advice on LinkedIn is complete bullsh*t. It's either too scripted or too "bro-y." Cold calling isn't about energy or charisma. It's about structure, respect, and actually listening. I used to get it wrong (and cringe at my old recordings): - Opening with "How are you today?" like a robot - Talking AT people instead of WITH them - Treating every call like a pitch competition 𝗠𝘆 𝗢𝗡𝗟𝗬 𝘁𝗶𝗽 - 𝗯𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗮 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗬𝗢𝗨. OWN IT, and it shows - I book 90% of meetings from cold calls. Here's what actually works for me: 𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟬 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 → Skip the fake small talk. → Be direct: "Hey [name], Jan here from Pleo - (start with concrete trigger)" Do your homework. It builds trust. 𝟮. 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 (𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲) → "I'm calling because [specific trigger/reason]." → Example: "Noticed you just expanded to 3 new markets." Show you did homework. Generic = instant hang-up. 𝟯. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗼𝗱 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 → Not "Are you interested?"  → Try: "How are you handling expense approvals across those new teams?" Make it about their world, not your product. 𝟰. 𝗦𝗵𝘂𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 → This is where most people fail. → Let them talk for 60-70% of the call. Take notes. A cup of water at your table works magic. Repeat back what you heard. Show you're tracking. 𝟱. 𝗘𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 → Don't ask "Does this sound interesting?" → Say: "Let's book 20 mins next week - to show you how [specific outcome]. Does Tuesday or Thursday work?" Assume the meeting. Make it easy to say yes. 𝟲. 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝘂𝘀𝗵-𝗼𝗳𝗳 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵𝘆 → If they say "not interested" - ask why. → "Fair enough - can I ask what you're using now?" Sometimes the best calls are the ones that don't book meetings. You learn what NOT to say. 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀: You need accurate contact data, period. Without that, we are lost. That's why I love how FullEnrich keeps its data clean, verified, and ready to call. The result? - Calls that feel like conversations, not pitches - Higher connect-to-meeting rate - Less rejection stress Happy calling - now build your own framework. 𝗣𝗦. 𝗜 𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗺𝘆 𝟰 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗼𝘄.

I’ve been cold calling for 10 + years. This is the playbook I wish I had on day one. Everything else is noise. 𝟭. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝟭𝟬 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴: People don’t hang up because it’s a cold call. They hang up because you sound unsure, scripted, or boring. - Be calm. - Be confident. - Be clear. 𝟮. 𝗦𝗸𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸: Don’t ask “𝘏𝘰𝘸’𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨?” Don’t ask “𝘐𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘢 𝘣𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦?” Just try: “𝘏𝘦𝘺 (𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦), 𝘐 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴, 𝘐’𝘭𝘭 𝘬𝘦𝘦𝘱 𝘪𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘧.” That opener alone will double your talk time. 𝟯. 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁: No one cares that you’re the “𝘯𝘰.1 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘟.” Tell them what pain you solve, fast. 𝟰. 𝗢𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻’𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: “I’m not interested” just means they don’t understand you yet. Use the FFF method: Feel - Felt - Found. “𝘐 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵. 𝘖𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘮𝘦… 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴 (𝘣𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘧𝘪𝘵).” 𝟱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗹, 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: If they’re talking, you’re winning. If they’re curious, you’re in. If you book the meeting, that’s the win. 𝟲. 𝗩𝗼𝗹𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁: You could have the best pitch in the world… But if you don’t make the dials, you won’t get the meetings. Consistency > perfection. 𝟳. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻'𝘁 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲: Don’t waste time trying to convince people who don’t have the problem you solve. Laser focus on your ICP, the ones who feel the pain. 𝟴. 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆: Your tone > your script. People say yes to people who sound like they believe in what they’re saying. 𝟵. 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄-𝘂𝗽 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗱𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘁: Most meetings I book happen after the call. Send a short LinkedIn DM or a value-driven email right after. 𝟭𝟬. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗶𝘁: They have a framework. They prep. They reflect after each call. And they improve daily. Cold calling isn’t dead. Bad cold calling is. Over 10 years in, these rules still work.

Sometimes on a cold call your timing is off. It happens. What do you do? The fortune is only in the follow-up if you don’t f it up. Let’s say a prospect says, “Not right now.” Some sellers panic. Or pitch harder. Or ask for a better time. Or try to book a meeting 3 months out. All terrible. Try this instead: “That’s okay. Occasionally I send short tips on X. Do you mind if I add you to the list?” Ninety-nine percent of the time people say yes, because you’re not asking for time. You’re providing useful information that helps them do their job better. Then send simple messages like: “Ben, since you mentioned having plantar fasciitis, thought this foot ice bath video might help.” or “Saw this piece on mindset and thought of you. Check out point 4.” No pitch. No pressure. Then, after you’ve made four or five deposits and a few months have gone by, reach back out with something like: “Hey Ben, is ‘not interested’ still shutting down most of your cold calls?” Soft. Relevant. Centered on their problem, not your solution. When your timing is off, be useful, not pushy. People buy on their timeline not yours. Make deposits now so you can make a withdrawal later.

If you’re in sales and especially doing cold calls...you already know this pattern. The first few attempts feel like you’re talking to a wall. You start questioning your tone, your script, your offer, even yourself. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: most prospects don’t decide on the first conversation. They decide after repeated exposure. Silence does not mean rejection. It usually means you are not a priority yet. Your job is to stay present without being desperate. “I’ll think about it” does not mean no. It often means they don’t have enough certainty. That certainty comes from repetition, clarity, and confidence over time. And yes, you will mess up. You will say something awkward. You will lose control of a call. That doesn’t end the deal unless you disappear after it happens. Consistency builds familiarity. Familiarity builds trust. Trust creates deals. If you want to apply this properly in your outreach, do this: Plan your follow-ups in advance. Don’t “wing it.” Decide that every qualified prospect gets at least 8–10 structured touchpoints. Change the angle as you move forward. Don’t repeat the same pitch. Share a short insight, a result, a case example, or a sharp question that makes them think. After “I’ll think about it,” ask directly what they need to feel confident. Timing? Budget? Risk? Bring the real objection to the surface. Track progress by engagement shifts. Did they go from ignoring you to replying? From short replies to asking questions? That’s movement. Big deals rarely come from one perfect moment. They come from controlled persistence. The difference between average salespeople and high earners is not talent. It’s tolerance for discomfort. The ninth call only happens if you survive the first eight.

Most sellers: • Dread cold calling. • Avoid the phone. • Fear rejection. But too many never confront these fears. They'll dodge calls, staying in their comfort zone. They end up feeling stuck. → My advice to you: Don't fear cold calling - embrace it. The only way to overcome this fear is through action. Face your fears before they define you: • Make that first call of the day, no matter how you feel. • Share your journey with others to inspire and learn. • Use rejections as stepping stones, not setbacks. • Celebrate every small win to build confidence. • Set a daily goal for cold calls and stick to it. Don't let fear hold you back. Here's a checklist you can use for cold calling: 𝟭. 𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ☐ Are your prospect details verified and up-to-date? - thoroughly research your prospects - focus on mobile numbers + mark verified numbers - Use tools like FullEnrich to enrich and verify your lead data. 𝟮. 𝗚𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘆 ☐ Are you mentally prepared and focused, ready to handle rejections positively? Adopt this mindset: "I approach each call as a new opportunity to learn and connect, keeping my objectives clear and staying adaptable throughout the conversation." → Each call is a win. 𝟯. 𝗗𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 ☐ Have you set up your workspace to maximize efficiency during your call sessions? - Use dialers to organize your calls efficiently. - Your CRM should give you the option to dial with one click. - Open 30 tabs in your browser (=next calls) - Time block 30-90minutes with regular 5min breaks - Use times when you have the highest energy. Is your focus on quantity or quality? The truth is: you need both. 𝟰. 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿 ☐ Is it clear, concise, and does it feel natural to you? It’s about finding what works for you. Try it out at least 100 times before you move on. Without giving your opener enough time to work, you’ll be lost. 𝟱. 𝗧𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 & 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲 ☐ Are you experimenting with trying different paces, volumes, and tones? ☐ Standing up or sitting upright to project confidence? ☐ Smiling while you speak? Don’t forget: tonality and tempo are key. Work on this daily. That doesn’t always mean being very upbeat. A relaxed, friendly tone works well. 𝟲. 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 ☐ Are you responding to cues during the conversation? ☐ Are you using their information to ask deeper questions? Make sure your solution can help - qualify them. Don’t waste your time with interested non-buyers Save the pitch for later meetings. Your only job: book the meeting. 𝟳. 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 ☐ Have you accepted rejection as part of the game? Each "No" you receive isn't personal - it's simply business. Stay positive. 𝟴. 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀 ☐ Are you taking a moment to jot down everything? Do it right after the call. No matter how minor it may seem. P.S. What's your best cold calling tip?

There’s a group of sales professionals who enjoy making cold calls. Not because they “love rejection.” Not because they like hearing “no.” But because they understand something most people miss: Cold calling isn’t interruption. It’s leadership. Especially when you’re selling software and services to C-Suite executives. When you’re calling a CFO, CIO, COO, or CEO, you’re not just pitching a product. You’re opening a strategic conversation. And the reps who like cold calls approach them differently. Here’s what they do that drives positive outcomes: 1. They lead with perspective, not a pitch. C-Suite doesn’t care about features. They care about risk, growth, efficiency, and competitive advantage. Great callers open with insight about industry shifts, cost pressures, regulatory changes, or technology gaps — not a demo request. 2. They respect time like a peer. They get to the point in 20–30 seconds. Clear reason for calling. Clear relevance. Clear value. No fluff. No scripts that sound like scripts. 3. They detach from the outcome. Executives can smell commission breath instantly. Reps who enjoy cold calling focus on curiosity over closing. They’re comfortable saying: “Not sure if this is relevant — but here’s why I thought of you.” That confidence changes the energy of the conversation. 4. They prepare like strategists. Before dialing, they understand: The company’s growth trajectory Recent earnings calls Technology stack signals Competitive positioning They sound less like vendors and more like advisors. 5. They treat objections as data. “Already have a solution.” “Not a priority.” “Call me next quarter.” Instead of pushing back emotionally, they get curious: What’s driving that priority shift? How are you measuring success today? What would need to change to revisit this? Cold calls become discovery moments — even if no meeting is booked. 6. They optimize their own mindset. They don’t chase motivation. They build systems: Call blocks with focus time Post-call reflection notes Micro-wins tracked daily Peer call reviews They treat it like a craft, not a numbers game. The truth? In a world of automated emails and crowded LinkedIn inboxes, a thoughtful, well-researched cold call stands out more than ever. For the sales professionals who actually enjoy it — keep going. You’re not outdated. You’re differentiated. The main reason a lot of people are scared of cold calling is because it's live. But truthfully, if you understand what was mentioned above, you know the ball is in your court. Curious — are cold calls part of your strategy in 2026, or have you moved fully to digital outreach? #Sales #LeadGen #ColdCalling #Prospecting #AppointmentSetting #BusinessDevelopment #BuildingRelationships #ProblemSolving #TrueValue #KnowYourProduct #KnowYourAudience #AskBetterQuestions #PainPoints

Kevin "KD" Dorsey is the world's expert on cold calling. He's scaled three companies from $0 to $100M. 10 lessons I learned from his pclub.io course: 1. Don't pitch benefits. Cold buyers can't relate to benefits. They are problem-aware. Not benefit-aware. Sell the problem first. Get to the solution later. 2. Interview your customers. - Why did you buy? - What was your problem? - What were you afraid of before buying? - What's changed the most since using it? If you build a script without knowing these? Fail. If you build a script and you DO know these? You have a flame-thrower in a stick fight. 3. Use the "3 C's" of cold call tonality. Avoid being too formal. Avoid being too professional. Talk to your buyer like you'd talk to a friend. Shoot for the three C's of great tonality - calm - confident - curious 4. Use a script. Scripts get a bad rap. Most people read them like a robot. But guess what? If you repeat the same talk track from call to call? You're using a script whether you admit it or not. So get intentional about it. Master it. Cold calls are predicable. Take advantage of that. 5. "Hey [Name], this is [your name] from [your company]." Start your cold calls with that sentence. If you don't? Buyers will ask: - who are you - what company are you with You've lost control. 6. Give a reason for the call. If you don't state the reason at the beginning? You'll hear "why are you calling me?" Humans crave reasons. So give them one. 7. State the problem in three buckets. Fill in the blanks: "I talk to [CMOs] all day. They all seam to be struggling with [content creation], [lead generation], or [conversion rates]. Does that sound like your world at all, or are you drowning in pipeline?" Here's the point: Pick the top three problems you solve. Fill in the blanks. Then ask your prospect about them. Get them to bucket their pain. 8. Follow up with an impact question "How are you [optimizing your landing pages] so that you aren't [losing leads]?" Fill in the blanks for your product and problem. "How are you [accomplishing a task your product does] so that you aren't [negative impact of the problem]?" 9. Book the meeting with "it might make sense" Try this talk track: "I think this might make sense. You're dealing with [bucket problem] which is causing [negative impact] and you don't have a way to [product task]. It might make sense to have a conversation. How do Thur or Fri look?" Melts sales resistance. 10. Confirm the invite. Get them to accept the invite. If you don't? They're less likely to show up. "Great. I’m going to send you a calendar invite. Can you accept that for me so we don’t get double booked?" The 2026 State of SDR Skills Report goes LIVE in 2 weeks. • 9 world-renowned SDR industry experts weigh in • 10 modern SDR skills defined and analyzed • benchmark guidance to see how you stack Get on the launch list here: https://lnkd.in/efnFjnN2

Tens of thousands of cold calls taught me this… Most reps are doing it completely wrong. They make 2-3 calls between Slack messages. Check email. Do some research. Make a few more calls. Wonder why their calendar stays empty. Meanwhile, top performers follow specific systems that consistently fill their pipelines. After years of testing what works (and what doesn't), here are the fundamentals that separate successful cold callers from everyone else: 1️⃣Time blocking beats scattered calling every time. Shut down Slack, close email, put your phone on do not disturb. One hour of focused calling outperforms eight hours of distracted attempts. 2️⃣Setup determines success. Clean desk the night before. Browser tabs closed except your CRM. Contact list ready to go. Remove every possible friction point so you can start calling immediately. 3️⃣Energy management isn't optional. Proper sleep and clean eating directly impact call performance. Hard to believe until you try calling after a night of poor sleep versus eight hours of quality rest. 4️⃣Warm up like an athlete. Run through your first 5-10 calls out loud before dialing. Practice handling objections. Get your brain and voice ready before real prospects answer. 5️⃣Frameworks beat winging it. You don't need to sound robotic, but you need structure. Permission, problem, cost of inaction. Simple formula that works consistently. 6️⃣Write it down and make it visible. Brain fog hits everyone mid-call. Having your framework printed in large font saves you from fumbling when prospects ask unexpected questions. 7️⃣Prepare for predictable objections. Same 4-8 objections come up 95% of the time. Uncover, overcome, ask. Have responses ready instead of stammering through them. 8️⃣Record everything and listen back. Elite athletes watch game film. Sales reps should listen to call recordings. Your tonality, word choice, and objection handling become obvious when you hear yourself. 9️⃣Call when others don't. Friday afternoons worked best for me. Fewer competing calls, backup receptionists, tired decision makers with weekend plans. Blue ocean strategy applied to cold calling. 🔟Consistency trumps intensity. One focused hour daily beats sporadic marathon sessions. Pipeline problems show up weeks later when prospecting stops today. The difference between struggling reps and quota crushers isn't talent. It's system execution. Most reps treat cold calling like a necessary evil. Top performers treat it like a craft worth mastering. — Sales reps! Check out more secrets to master cold calls: https://lnkd.in/g7MBsEcR Sales Leaders! Want to install winning systems into your teams? Go here: https://lnkd.in/ghh8VCaf