Consistency and confidence in cold calling

Jason Bay, Armand Farrokh, Nick Cegelski, and Sara Plowman break down what makes cold calling effective: authenticity, preparation, and addressing real problems.

Key takeaways:

1. Consistency and confidence are key

• Make 200 calls weekly: Persistence pays off—this volume can yield at least two meetings.

• Boost confidence: Standing while calling improves energy and delivery.

• Build habits: Use habit stacking to make cold calling part of your daily routine and reduce initial anxiety.

2. Use Authentic Openers

• Tailor your approach: Avoid generic lines; use permission-based openers that reflect your tone.

• Example: “Hey, it’s [Name] from [Company]. I was reading about [Topic]. Do you have a moment?”

• Scripts only work if they feel natural to you—focus on sounding genuine.

3. Address problems, not products

• Highlight pain points: Prospects care about how you can solve their problems, not product features.

• Be relevant: Use specific industry examples to show you understand their challenges.

• Frame your solution as the answer to frustrations like inefficiencies or missed opportunities.

4. Handle objections

• Disarm objections: Start by agreeing with the objection to lower resistance.

• Break down concerns: Split objections into smaller, manageable issues and address them with clarity.

• Use multiple-choice responses to guide the conversation and keep it productive.

5. Make scheduling easy

• Offer specific times: This simplifies decision-making for busy prospects.

• Confirm and follow up: Verify email details, send calendar invites during the call, and follow up afterward.

• Reinforce the importance of the meeting to ensure commitment.
  

Cold calls that feel real work better

Charlotte Johnson breaks down why cold calls often fail: using scripts that don’t reflect your personality.

Prospects can immediately sense when you’re forcing it, making even the most popular lines fall flat.

Scripts like:

• “Do you have 30 seconds or would you like to hang up?”

• “You might hate me, but this is a cold call. Do you have a minute?”

• “I know you weren’t expecting this. Got a sec?”

These aren’t bad, but if they don’t match your tone, they come across as inauthentic.

Her advice? Be yourself.

Charlotte’s personal opener is simple and true to her style:

“Hey, it’s CJ from Salesloft. I was reading about X. Do you have a second?”

It’s straightforward, reflects who she is, and works for her.

The lesson? Don’t just copy scripts that others swear by. Use language that feels natural. Authenticity is what makes your outreach resonate.

Cold outreach that actually works

Salman Mohiuddin highlights why most cold outreach fails: it doesn’t address real problems. Instead of relying on buzzwords and clever lines, salespeople need to focus on the daily struggles their prospects actually face.

Here’s how to make your outreach stand out:

Stop talking about fake problems

• Prospects don’t care about “manual processes,” “data silos,” or “lack of visibility.”

• Words like “centralized data” or “automated processes” are just noise.

These are buzzwords, not real pain points. They don’t address what’s actually affecting their business.

Focus on real problems they care about

To connect, you need to talk about issues that directly impact their work. For example:

• Scattered customer data: Lost revenue because poor data access hurts customer experience.

• Inefficient workflows: Agents jumping between multiple apps, causing long resolution times.

• Slow integrations: Dev teams spending weeks on manual coding for system connections.

Put yourself in their shoes

Think about their daily challenges:

• What obstacles are stopping them from meeting their targets?

• What inefficiencies or frustrations are eating up their time?

Tailor your message to these problems. Forget about features and focus on outcomes they need.

Speak their language

Your prospects aren’t waiting to hear about your product. They’re busy solving problems. To get their attention:

• Drop the buzzwords.

• Write in simple, clear terms they can relate to.

• Show that you understand what they’re dealing with.

Make it about them, not you.

The first 20 seconds are crucial

Aaron Margolis shares his advice on making cold calls successful in the crucial first 20 seconds:

• Focus on the prospect: Avoid talking about yourself or your company’s achievements. Instead, make the conversation about the prospect and their needs.

• Be conversational: Use a friendly and informal tone. For example, say "Hey Lisa, this is Aaron," instead of using your full name.

• Highlight their pain points: Quickly address the challenges the prospect might be facing to capture their interest and show empathy.

• Get to the point: Clearly state why you are calling and relate it to their specific situation. For example, mention how you’re helping others in their industry with similar issues.

• Invite engagement: Ask if you can take a short amount of their time to understand their views better. This invites them to participate in the conversation.

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