If you were to ask me about what I’d include in a perfect recipe for how to open a cold call, I’d tell you that, unfortunately, there isn’t one. However, hope isn’t totally lost. There are actually a few frameworks that do the trick, especially if your ultimate goal is to nurture a prospect and, eventually, secure them as a lead.
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I asked a few experts about how they’d approach opening a cold call and what makes their formula successful. Whether you’re making B2B or B2C cold calls, below I’ll share their answers and strategies for making your own cold calls worth your (and your prospect’s) while.
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents:
Successful Cold Call Openings Used by Sales Experts
I had the pleasure of chatting with some leading sales professionals across industry, and I learned a lot about what makes a great cold call opening. Spoiler alert: It’s not one “special” thing, it’s actually a few easy-to-change things.
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When I asked these seasoned sales reps about their go-to cold call openers, I was pleasantly surprised by how simple and effective many of their techniques were. So, if you’re looking for ways to make your cold calling efforts more impactful, I advise glancing at what they had to share below:
1. The “Trigger Event” Approach
David F., CEO and Co-Founder, Maven Sales Group
How to Open a Cold Call
If you’ve been ruminating over what to say to a prospect, David raises this cold call opener: “I'm calling because I understand you just announced a new product line and, as you already know, a new product launch requires a strategic outbound effort to connect to the market and get feedback faster.”
What Makes It Effective
This opener is effective because it’s tied to a trigger event. This product launch is a real event, and the fact it’s being referenced lets the prospect know you’re not randomly calling to sell my service.
Plus, the fact that this trigger event is something the prospect is actually dealing with and your promise of a positive business result sets the table for a value-based conversation – not a commoditized pricing conversation.
2. The “Mini-Invitation” Approach
Eric Q., CMO, Cience
How to Open a Cold Call
Never start a cold call with asking how your prospect’s day is. Instead, always ask for a minute to talk. The goal is to create a mini-invitation that can be granted. Eric proposes that salespeople give this opener a try: "This is [your name] with [company name]. I know you weren’t expecting my call. Is now a bad time to talk? Because I’d like to take a minute to share why I’m calling.”
What Makes It Effective
As Eric’s approach has highlighted, creating a mini-invitation is an indication of respecting the prospect's time. The goal is to provoke curiosity in the prospect’s mind, and this statement situationally disarms the prospect with manners.
Plus, by recognizing the interruptive nature of the call the prospect is given an out, which the caller can also benefit from by saying, "Okay, I understand now doesn't work. Is there another time I might call back?"
The purpose of any cold call is to be invited into the conversation. Without this, you’re either pitting yourself against the other party, talking over them, or performing what can best be described as a monologue instead of a dialogue.
3. The “Do Your Research” Approach
Zenaida L., Lead Sales Trainer, Unstopped Sales
How to Open a Cold Call
There’s no one question or statement that will make a prospecting call effective. Instead, Zenaida suggests that “salespeople should focus on who they’re speaking with, and make a statement or ask a question that’s 100% relevant to them.”
What Makes It Effective
The first few words – the hook – must make potential prospects stop and listen. Key decision-makers get hundreds of cold calls a month. Most salespeople don't do any research. They use a canned cold calling script that adds no value.
It’s annoying, and when decision makers hear it, they tune out and rush to get off the phone. But, if you add value by mentioning something that’s important to them, you earn their attention for a minute or two.
4. The “Task” Approach
Mallory D., Owner, Durrick Designs
How to Open a Cold Call
Mallory recommends following this cold call script: “Hi, My name is [Your name]. I wanted to introduce myself, and I know you‘re very busy. I’m not trying to sell you anything. I was hoping that you might be able to help me ... [insert your goal for the call].”
Your goal could be to find out "Who handles the purchasing of print and copy machines at your company?” or “What is the name of your IT director, and, if possible, would you kindly put me in touch?”
What Makes It Effective
You’re not (overtly) trying to sell them anything. That’s what makes the line effective. Most company representatives are very responsive to being of assistance, because their job is to screen calls. Asking for help is a great way in.
Cold calling isn’t dead … but it has been revamped. Salespeople have more information than ever at their fingertips, and it’s up to them to use that information to craft a better experience for every prospect they call.
Kick your stale cold call scripts to the curb and show up to do the work, and a better job. Your cold call success rate will skyrocket and your coworkers will be wondering what your secret is – I recommend you share it.
5. The “Permission-Based” Approach
Patrice J., Business Development Representative, HubSpot
How to Open a Cold Call
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According to Patrice, one of the best cold-calling tips she’s ever gotten was to be “super nonchalant.”
“Prospects can smell desperation or when someone is overly eager and it can be off-putting.” she shared. “Removing yourself from the outcome also takes the pressure off and allows you to have a genuine conversation.”
Patrice mentioned that her go-to opener is pretty standard, but still consensual. “It goes like this: ‘I know I’m calling you out of the blue. Do you have 30 seconds so I can tell you why I’m calling?’”
What Makes it Effective
“This opener puts the ball in their court,” Patrice revealed.
“If they have time, it gives you the green light to ask questions about their company and then make your pitch. If they don’t have time, you can always pivot into rescheduling the call at a time that works for them or even sometimes booking a meeting right then and there. Of course, there’s the chance that they say no and tell you to get lost, but that’s just the name of the game.”
And speaking of rescheduling and/or booking time with prospects, you can rely on HubSpot’s Sales Hub to keep any and all interactions streamlined, in one place. With Sales Hub, you can prospect smarter, efficiently, and easily, leaving you more time to spend on building meaningful relationships with potential customers.
6. The “Personable” Approach
Brianna S., Business Development Representative, HubSpot
How to Open a Cold Call
Brianna successfully uses the template below to get beyond the wretched few minutes of a cold call:
“Hey [Prospect name], This is [Your name] from [Company] – I know I’m calling you completely out of the blue but I stumbled upon [Their Company] while doing some research and saw [company news, new leadership, new role, etc]. Wanted to see if you have a few moments to chat and see if I could be a resource to support.”
Brianna recommends opening your cold call “confidently, with a quick mentioning of the reason for calling.” She also adds that “being considerate, mindful of their time, and positioning yourself as a resource for the customer” is essential if you want to nail that first few seconds of your cold call conversation.
From there, Brianna suggests handling any objections by being “courteous, curious, and confident.”
What Makes it Effective
“Most decision-makers/receivers of cold calls are already aware of what is going on and have a common stereotype of how these calls go,” Brianna noted.
Additionally, she strongly advises that sales folks really hone in on trust and rapport building. “By setting the tone of the call by being friendly, kind, and not overly pushy, will allow the prospect to feel more comfortable and open up.”
7. The “Show Me You Know Me” Approach
Bri L., Business Development Representative, HubSpot
How to Open a Cold Call
Similarly to Zenaida, Bri shares that doing a little bit of stalking before ringing your prospect truly does go a long way. “I’ll state a piece of information from their company, LinkedIn bio, their area code … I’ll establish some familiarity with them so that they know they’re not just talking to another salesperson,” she shared. In short, you want your prospect to know that you’ve done some snooping.
For example, here’s how you could format your own cold call opener using this approach: “Hey [Prospect name], I saw that [insert familiar piece of information here] on your LinkedIn …”
What Makes it Effective
Ultimately, what makes this approach effective is its personable undertone. Bri clarified that it’s easy for prospects to identify when a salesperson has done preliminary research versus not, so starting out with questions about things that are familiar to the customer – like their old alma mater or a business local to their zip code – helps establish a rapport that’s natural and guided by genuine curiosity.
In its simplest form, quotas and deadlines aside, cold calling is about creating an unexpected moment of connectivity with a prospect; don’t overlook this, it could be what separates your interaction from an unsolicited cold calling incident.
8. The “Ask Questions First” Approach
Bri L., Business Development Representative, HubSpot
How to Open a Cold Call
Bri also continued to note that starting off with a check-in can reveal a lot to sales folks about if their prospect is even in the mood to chat. “My other favorite approach is being like, ‘Hey [Prospect Name], this is [Your name] from HubSpot. Things keeping you busy over there?’”
What Makes it Effective
“Asking this question first usually causes the prospect to stop and go, ‘Oh, yeah … I am busy right now’ or ‘Actually, I’ve got some time to talk to you,’” Bri further elaborated.
Additionally, she says that whether or not she uses this approach sincerely “depends on who she’s calling,” the reason for her call, and if the call she’s doing is a tried and true cold call or something that’s a follow-up. However, I think this approach is a great one to keep under your sleeve, especially if you’re nervous about catching your prospect at the wrong time.
Keep Calm and Cold Call On
Now that you’ve got a few cold call opening strategies up your sleeve, you’re well-equipped to tackle your next sales call with confidence.
And if you’re still feeling anxious about picking up the phone, even after reading this article, I suggest taking this piece of bite-sized advice with you: When all else fails, the most important elements of a successful cold call is your own ability to be genuine, value-driven, and conscious of your prospect’s time.
With the right approach and a little practice, you’ll be able to build strong relationships, close more deals, and achieve your sales goals. Happy calling, my dear reader.
Editor's note: This post was originally published in April 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
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