BY Jessica Helinski
Have you ever wondered how to make a sale with cold calls these days? While once a go-to method, it’s become common to make cold outreaches via email. But cold calls shouldn’t be counted out yet.
Hubspot reports that approximately 80% of sales organizations have used cold calling, and for nearly a quarter, it’s a primary strategy. Only 12% have moved away from it. And nearly 75% report making up to 50 cold calls a week.
How do sellers make a sale with cold calls?
Clearly, sellers are still leveraging these outreaches. But how?
The study revealed that tried-and-true tactics still work. Industry professionals recommend that when cold calling, sellers should first organize their thoughts. To avoid stumbling or wasting time, it’s important to at least loosely follow a plan.
The study found that many sales reps do work from sales scripts. Note that only 28% follow strict scripts while 52% adapt scripts for each call. So, for the majority, having a guide to follow is a best practice.
“While a full-blown, detail-by-detail script isn’t necessary, you should write out a brief outline of what you want to say,” SalesFuel adds.
“[This] can serve as a helpful reference during the call.”
For tips on drafting a basic cold-call outline, take a look at these pro tips. You’ll find that you too can benefit by organizing each call.
Personalize each call
When understanding how to make a sale via cold calls, it’s important to remember the power of personalization. Today, sellers are making sure each and every cold call connects with the lead. And they are doing this by engaging in pre-call research.
According to Hubspot, 59% check social media prior to making calls. Additionally, 57% review company websites, and 61% use CRM data. 34% leverage third-party intelligence tools.
And these pre-call activities pay off. Over half say that “a personalized, research-driven approach as one of the cold calling techniques that has given them the best results in the past year."
Additionally, 51% say, “research and personalization are key.”
To ensure you’re making the most of your research time, download the free e‑book “The 7 C's of Pre-Sales Intelligence.” This guide highlights the most critical aspects of researching before making sales calls.
“There‘s something to the human element of cold calling that can’t be replicated via cold email or social media outreach. That could be a driving factor behind cold calling's survival."
Tap into other resources
Today’s cold callers report that they also rely on additional resources to ensure their calls are successful. According to surveyed reps, 59% use a CRM, 45% leverage a sales engagement platform, and 49% tap into contact or lead databases.
Additional tools include call recording and analysis (33%), conversation intelligence software (23%), call scheduling tools (26%), and voicemail drop software (16%).
These findings reveal the value of implementing digital tools, which help streamline outreach and improve overall call performance.
As Televerde points out, “There’s no doubt that digital technology has radically changed the landscape of cold calling.”
“Cold calling evolves into a strategic, personalized outreach when integrated with digital intelligence and data analytics.”
For tips on how you can integrate digital tools into your cold-call strategy, check out these suggestions.
Embrace common best practices for continued success
Cold calling may feel old-school, but it’s far from outdated, and with the right preparation, it remains a powerful sales tool.
As HubSpot’s study revealed, today’s sellers actively engage in cold calling. But they don’t just pick up the phone and hope.
They research, plan and use tools to make every call count. A personalized, research-driven approach delivers stronger connections and better results. Pair that with smart use of digital tools.
“There‘s something to the human element of cold calling that can’t be replicated via cold email or social media outreach,” Fuchs writes.
“That could be a driving factor behind cold calling's survival.”
Cold calling is evolving, but its core remains the same: human connection is key.
Photo by Kaboompics.com on Pexels
