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How to leave a great first impression

Chris Ritson broke down a standout cold call he received from an SDR named Mike.

There was no meeting booked—but the call was smooth, respectful, and memorable.

Here’s how Mike nailed it, and how you can, too:

1. Get to the point (quickly)

Start with a quick intro, then go straight into the reason for calling.

⇢ Don’t waste time with long pleasantries.
⇢ A fast start keeps the energy up and shows confidence.
⇢ Example: “Founders tell me they spend £££ on events and get no leads. Is that true for you?”

↳ This gets them talking without pressure.

2. Use familiar pain points

Start with something they’ve likely heard—or felt—before.

⇢ Say what others in their role struggle with.
⇢ Don’t pitch. Just check if it’s relatable.
⇢ Example: “Most founders I talk to struggle to turn event spend into leads.”

↳ This makes the conversation feel natural.

3. Swap hard asks with soft prompts

Avoid phrases that sound formal or scripted.

⇢ Skip “what are your current priorities?”
⇢ Try “mind sharing what is a focus for lead gen?”
⇢ Use “mind telling me…” instead of “why…” or “what…”

↳ These make your questions easier to answer.

4. Ask about the future

If they’re not a fit now, ask if that could change.

⇢ “Are there plans for that to change in the next 6 months?”
⇢ It’s not a push—it’s a check-in.
⇢ Helps you qualify without being pushy.

↳ You’ll know if it’s a “not now” or “not ever.”

5. Respect the “no” answer

Don’t fight rejection—respect it.

⇢ Mike didn’t try to push for a meeting after the “no.”
⇢ He let the call end on a good note.
⇢ The prospect appreciated it and said so.

↳ A no today can still mean a yes next year.

6. Focus on how it feels

The best reps think about how the call feels to the prospect.

⇢ Don’t sound robotic. Don’t follow a rigid script.
⇢ Be human, listen, and speak clearly.
⇢ Ask soft, casual questions they can easily answer.

↳ That’s what makes people open up—and remember you.

Starting calls that immediately get responses

Pavlo’s cold calling method is a game-changer for booking meetings without sounding pushy.

By following a simple yet effective structure, he breaks down the process into actionable steps that any salesperson can implement.

Here’s how he does it:

1. Avoid robotic intros

Most reps sound like AI scripts—and get hung up on.

⇢ Stop saying “Hi, I’m from ABC Marketing…”
⇢ Don’t open with what your company does.
⇢ Avoid listing features or pitching upfront.

↳ These scream “sales call” and trigger instant rejection.

2. Interrupt with casual tone

Sound like a friend—not a rep.

⇢ Start with: “Hey, sorry you broke up there. Is this Roger?”
⇢ Then: “You guys are still open? Said closed for some reason.”
⇢ Use uncertainty to start natural convo.

↳ This gets them to say yes early, which builds micro-agreement.

3. Offer specific and risk-free

Don’t pitch. Spark curiosity.

⇢ “I built you an AI employee that can book 4–5 estimates for free.”
⇢ “Is that something you’d even want?”
⇢ Sounds personal, helpful—not pushy.

↳ You're not selling, you're offering value upfront.

4. Focus on what they want

Don’t sell a tool. Sell the outcome.

⇢ No one wakes up thinking “I need a chatbot.”
⇢ They think “I want more customers / bookings / revenue.”
⇢ Example: “We just booked 3–5 new appointments for a biz like yours.”

↳ Speak in results. Not tech jargon.

5. Keep it light and human

It’s not what you say. It’s how you say it.

⇢ Be likable. Joke around. Talk like a normal person.
⇢ “Thought I’d call Utah ‘cause I heard y’all are nice.”
⇢ Smile when you speak—it’s felt through the phone.

↳ Likability increases buy-in.

6. Use tools when scaling

You don’t need to build anything yet.
⇢ Use tools to pull business data fast.
⇢ Get phone numbers, websites, reviews—everything.
⇢ Preload “offers” and set up by niche.

↳ Work smart. Automate outreach and prep.

7. Deliver trial creatively

No actual free work. Just smart positioning.

⇢ Reactivate their old database and book 4+ calls.
⇢ If they don’t convert? Say: “That list’s done—now let’s scale.”
⇢ Upsell to paid services (ads, web builds, etc.)

↳ This builds trust and momentum toward closing.

8. Close by showing results

Once they’re curious, invite them to a screen share.

⇢ “I’ll show you what we built. Need to share my screen.”
⇢ “Cool if I walk you through it tomorrow?”
⇢ Use the first call to earn the pitch call.

↳ Keep the mystery alive until you demo.

Earn attention with soft confidence

Sheriff Shahen has analyzed over 10,000 cold calls. Most fall apart in the first few seconds.

Here’s what the best reps do differently — so you don’t lose your game before the conversation even starts:

1. Cut the weak intros

Avoid language that signals “I’m about to waste your time.”

⇢ Don’t say “Is now a bad time?”
⇢ Don’t ask “Do you have two minutes?”
⇢ Don’t introduce yourself and your company right away

↳ These sound like every generic cold call—and prospects check out fast.

2. Talk about their world

Prospects don’t care about your solution until they know it matters.

⇢ Show you’ve done some thinking about their pain or situation
⇢ Mention what you’ve seen from similar roles or companies
⇢ Make the convo about them from the very first line

↳ Self-serving openers kill curiosity—customer-focused ones build it.

3. Do your homework

Relevance is your secret weapon.

⇢ Look for signs of change: hiring, funding, expansion, tech shifts
⇢ Use tools like LinkedIn, job boards, and platforms like Common Room
⇢ Show you care enough to not sound like a robot

↳ Research makes cold calls feel warm.

4. Nail the pattern opener

Skip the permission and get to curiosity.

⇢ Say something unexpected that earns their attention
⇢ Ask about trends you’re seeing with others like them
⇢ Avoid overly polished intros—be real

↳ You only get a few seconds—stand out early.

5. Challenge the status quo

Most prospects think they’re doing fine—show them what better could look like.

⇢ Point out inefficiencies they might not see
⇢ Frame your insight as something others like them are noticing
⇢ Don't attack—just invite a new perspective

↳ You're not pitching—you're opening their mind.

6. Lead with value, not a pitch

Start with a problem they’ll care about.

⇢ Talk about common gaps or friction in their space
⇢ Use phrases like “What we’ve seen others in your industry run into is…”
⇢ Keep your offer in your back pocket

↳ Hook their brain, not just their calendar.

7. Make it easy to say yes

Don’t push too hard, too early.

⇢ Focus on getting them talking—not on booking right away
⇢ Use the call to qualify and warm them up
⇢ Offer a next step only if there’s a fit

↳ The right next step feels natural, not forced.

8. Sound human

You’re calling a person, not a persona.

⇢ Use a conversational tone—not a rehearsed pitch
⇢ Stay curious, not pushy
⇢ Mirror their pace and energy

↳ People remember how you made them feel, not what you said.

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