What is Cold Calling? A Complete Guide to Beginners

You can have the best prospect list and the right sales tools. 

But if your cold calls do not grab attention and create interest? You will struggle to book meetings.

Well, the only good part is – Cold calling still works.

In fact, more than 55% of high-growth B2B teams still use cold calling to generate leads and start conversations.

When cold calling is done right, it helps you speak directly with decision-makers. The only important part is knowing your why and your intent for connecting with them.

If you are a beginner or an experienced cold calling professional, this blog post will help you. 

In this guide, I will show you exactly how cold calling works in 2025, including,

• What cold calling really means today.
• A step-by-step process to make effective cold calls.
• Key benefits and challenges you should know.
• Cold calling script examples you can use.

Let’s get into it.

What is Cold Calling? [A Simple Explanation]

Both you and the prospect are unfamiliar with each other at the time of the call.

The purpose of cold calling is to start a conversation with a potential prospect.

Instead of direct selling, a cold call helps you move the prospect to the next step, such as:

• Booking a meeting
• Scheduling a demo
• Agreeing on a follow-up call

Cold calling today works best when it is targeted and relevant.

For that, you need to research your prospect, and timing and context matter more than making more calls.

Does Cold Calling Still Work in 2026?

Yes, cold calling still works in 2026 when it is done properly.

Today, buyers prefer calls that respect their time and business situation.

Cold calls work better when they talk about problems that matter to them. Cold calling also works well when it is combined with email and LinkedIn outreach. 

So, as part of a simple multi-channel approach, cold calling still gives good results. 

Don’t just below on my words, let’s check some statistics on it.

Based on these numbers, the context, approach, and use of AI-assisted tools have changed. 

Cold calling has evolved over the years and now uses better technology to get results.

Cold Calling vs Cold Email

Let’s now understand the difference between cold calling and cold emailing based on different factors.

Now, let’s learn about the process of making a cold call. 

How to Make a Cold Call in a 6 Step Process

I have divided the cold-calling process into 6 simple steps. Let’s understand each one in detail.

1. Build a Targeted Prospect List
2. Research the Prospect Before Calling
3. Create a Strong Cold Calling Opener
4. Use a Structured but Flexible Cold Call Script
5. Prepare to Handle Objections Confidently
6. Close the Call With a Proper Next Step

1. Build a Targeted Prospect List

The first step in cold calling is building a list of people to call.

To do this properly, I start by defining my Ideal Customer Profile (ICP). This helps me avoid calling people who are not a good fit.

My ICP usually includes:

The better idea you have of your ICP, the better your calls become.

Once the ICP is ready, the next step is researching the prospects who match it.

To keep this structured, I break prospect research into three parts.

These signals help you time your call better and make it more relevant.

For finding prospects that match my ICP and research criteria, I use Saleshandy’s B2B Lead Finder.

It allows me to search prospects using advanced filters and find accurate direct dials.

I can then export these contacts to my CRM and start outreach.

2. Research the Prospect Before Calling

Next, it is time to research the prospects you have found via your ICP.

For that, I usually spend 10-15 minutes researching every prospect by asking the following questions:

You must follow this approach by thinking about the questions, which gives you a better understanding of your prospect.

3. Create a Strong Cold Calling Opener

In this step, you can start thinking about the actual cold call.

You should start your cold call with a creative introduction of yourself and your company.

Once you confirm you are speaking with the right person, explain why you are calling.

At this stage, your goal should be to show that your call is relevant to them.

For example, you can refer to one of the following to get the prospect’s attention through your opening line: 

• A pain point directly shared by the company/prospect.
• The prospect’s recent promotion.
• An announcement made by the company itself.

A clear and relevant opener helps the prospect understand why the call matters and keeps the conversation going.

4. Use a Structured but Flexible Cold Call Script

A good script helps you stay on track during the call. It guides what to say next and keeps the conversation consistent.

It also helps you talk about the prospect’s problems and explain how your product can help.

Here is what your script should have:

One question I often get is, “Should I create a different script for different prospects or stick to the same one?”

My suggestion: Keep general principles (opening line, pain points, buying objections) the same. 

But be flexible: you have made the script, and you can alter it based on your instinct of where the conversation is going.

5. Prepare to Handle Objections Confidently

One of the biggest problems cold callers face is when prospects raise objections.

A few examples of objections could be as follows: 

• I am busy
• I am not interested in your product/service
• Please call me later. I am in the middle of something
• I am already using another tool/service
• This is not a priority for us right now

To deal with these, I anticipate them and prepare a list of appropriate responses for each objection.

Again, these responses do not guarantee a meeting or a sale.

That is fine, as long as you try to continue the conversation and keep the lead warm, 

even if the follow-up happens in the next fiscal year.

6. Close the Call With a Proper Next Step

A successful cold call usually ends in a meeting to discuss your product/service. 

So, always end the call only after you have discussed the next step.

If the prospect has agreed to a meeting, I go with something like this: 

Thank you so much for speaking with me! I will send you an email with the details of our meeting ASAP. I look forward to our next meeting!

However, there is a chance that your prospect will not agree to meet with you after just one cold call. 

And that is okay!

The key is to keep a backup goal ready. 

These goals will help you get one step closer to your ultimate aim: a meeting. 

Here are examples of backup goals I use to end my cold calls: 

• Can I send you an email with a resource regarding this?
• Would it be okay if I called you back at a more convenient time?

Again, these will not land you a meeting. 

But they will ensure that your cold call ended on a positive note!

What are the Best Cold Calling Examples?

I’ve shared the best cold-calling scripts here.

1. The Uninterested Prospect Script
2. The Interested Prospect Script
3. The Referral-Based Script
4. The Personalized Script
5. The Strong Fit Script

1. The Uninterested Prospect Script

2. The Interested Prospect Script

3. The Referral-Based Script

4. The Personalized Script

5. The Strong Fit Script

When Cold Calling Works Best (Use Cases)

1. High-Value B2B Products and Complex Sales
2. Time-Sensitive Outreach Based on Buying Triggers
3. Multi-Channel Outreach and Sales Support
4. Market and Territory Expansion

1. High-Value B2B Products and Complex Sales

If you are selling expensive products or services, it is likely that the buying committee will include only C-level executives. 

And that is a demographic that really appreciates the value of a good cold call. 

A RAIN Group survey suggests that nearly 57% of all C-level executives prefer cold calls to other sales approaches. 

And if you are selling a high-value product, you will need to: 

• Closely understand the prospect’s needs.
• Build trust with the buyer or the decision-maker.
• Communicate the strengths of your product. 

Because of all these, cold calling is perfect for high-value products/services.

2. Time-Sensitive Outreach Based on Buying Triggers

If you know (via a referral or intent data) that a company or a prospect is looking for a solution you offer, cold calling should be your #1 preference. 

It will be the fastest way to reach your prospect. 

Plus, it will help you automatically eliminate all competitors who are using slower outreach methods.

3. Multi-Channel Outreach and Sales Support

Research has shown that using a combination of 3+ (cold calling + emails + LinkedIn) channels can help you boost outbound ROI by up to 250%.

And cold calling can be the perfect channel for this approach.

You can reserve to target high-level executives or prospects that you have not been able to reach via LinkedIn messages or cold emails.

So, I recommend including cold calling as a part of your overall outbound strategy.

4. Market and Territory Expansion

When you are expanding into a new market or territory, there is a big chance your prospects do not know you or your company. 

In this scenario, cold calling can be your perfect outbound sales tactic. since it helps you proactively reach prospects. 

Because you will get instant feedback and high pipeline velocity, it will also help you make quick breakthroughs in a new market!

What are the Benefits of Cold Calling for B2B Sales Teams?

Let’s now understand the benefits of cold calling.

1. Direct Conversation with Prospects
2. Builds Trust Faster Than Emails
3. Immediate Feedback from the Prospects
4. Faster Deal Qualification
5. Works Well for Complex Sales Cycles

1. Direct Conversation with Prospects

Neither text-based outbound nor inbound methods involve conversations with prospects. 

Cold calling solves this problem because you actively reach your prospects and speak with them personally. 

It saves time and ensures you are not waiting for them to activate their latent interest by visiting your website or opening an email. 

2. Builds Trust Faster Than Emails

You will need to send at least 4-6 cold emails to get a reply from a prospect. 

But you can directly reach them with a cold call in under 30 seconds. 

So, if you need to reach a prospect quickly or building a personal connection with the prospect is key, cold calling is your best bet. 

Plus, cold emails are static messages. Once sent, you cannot change them.

Not so with cold calls: you can easily adjust your pitch in real-time based on the prospect’s tone and response!

3. Immediate Feedback from the Prospects

When you call a prospect, you will receive instant feedback on both your product’s strengths and your sales pitch. 

This means you can either alter your pitch for a particular prospect or change your entire approach based on the feedback you have received on a batch of cold calls!

Compared to LinkedIn messages that might never be seen or analysing ad data, cold calling thus gives you much better feedback in real-time. 

4. Faster Deal Qualification

Since cold calls result in instant feedback, you can:

• Immediately move prospects that respond positively to the next deal stage. 
• Waste minimal time on those who do not express interest. 

5. Works Well for Complex Sales Cycles

When you are selling high-value products or the decision-maker is not the immediate user (most tech products), you will have to deal with changing needs, intricate customer requirements, and many stakeholders. 

In such cases, cold calling is very effective because it: 

• Helps you have direct, human contact with your prospects.
• Navigate dynamic sales situations. 
• Clarify complex details instantly. 

For example, if you are selling enterprise software, a 10-minute call can resolve questions that might take days over email.

What are the Challenges and Limitations of Cold Calling?

Let’s now understand the challenges and limitations of cold calling.

1. Finding Valid Phone Numbers
2. Hard to Scale
3. Unsolicited Calls Create Negative Perception

1. Finding Valid Phone Numbers

The first thing you will need for your cold calling campaign is a database with accurate phone numbers of your prospects.

That is, you will have to use a good B2B data provider that specializes in your industry or region.

My suggestion: use a dedicated phone number lookup tool. Such tools maintain dedicated databases of B2B professionals around the world. 

2. Hard to Scale

A big problem with cold calling is that you cannot scale it like cold emails or LinkedIn automation.

For example, the same rep who is currently sending 1,000 cold emails can send 10,000 emails tomorrow. All this without increasing their workload.

However, this is not the case with cold calling.

The more calls you want to make = the more reps you will have to hire.

So, scaling cold calling can become both time-consuming and expensive.

3. Unsolicited Calls Create Negative Perception

This is a big challenge: not all buyers are equally open to receiving phone calls they have not asked for. 

So, every time you pick up the phone, you risk creating a negative impression for your brand.

Here is how you can deal with this:

What are the Tips for Improving Cold Calling?

In this section, I have included some tips that go beyond the process of cold calling and tell you how to make the most of every single cold call you make: 

1. Always lead with a question, not a pitch. For example, ask: “How are you currently handling {a relevant pain point}?” This will shift the cold call into a two-way conversation.
2. Slow down when you want to emphasize key points and take pauses after asking questions. It will help you engage the prospect and give them space to think before responding.
3. Observe the prospect’s language: is it casual or do they refer to technical details? Then, match their approach to build rapport and trust with them.
4. If a prospect tells you they are not interested, ask if they would be open to receiving a useful resource via email. This will keep the door open while showing that you are happy to deliver value and wait till the time is right. 
5. Record and analyze your sales conversations so you can observe common industry patterns and alter your pitch + approach for future cold calls. 

What are the Common Cold Calling Mistakes?

If you are new to cold calling and want to know what NOT to do, I have got you covered.

1. Not Letting the Prospect Talk
2. Making Cold Calls Without a Goal
3. Asking Close-Ended Questions
4. Calling at the Wrong Time

1. Not Letting the Prospect Talk

The easiest way to lose a prospect is to do most of the talking yourself. 

Remember, all you need to do is: 

• Introduce yourself.
• Mention who you are representing.
• State why you are calling.

Once this is done, let the prospect steer the conversations. 

I usually ask questions that lead the prospect to confirm their pain point. 

This is the best way to really understand their problems and adjust your pitch accordingly. 

2. Making Cold Calls Without a Goal

Entering a cold call without having a clear objective will definitely make you sound unprepared. 

As a result, the prospect might even think you are wasting their time!

This will definitely damage your credibility and even stall the buying process. 

So, have a clear goal in mind before placing a cold call. And use it drive the conversation from the start.

3. Asking Close-Ended Questions

The quickest way to end a cold call? Asking closed-ended, yes/no questions. 

Here are some examples of such conversation-killers: 

• Do you need a new solution for {pain point}?
• Are you happy with {current solution}?

Do not get me wrong: some of these questions are good (even necessary!). 

But they are not questions you should LEAD with. 

Instead, you should always start your conversation with descriptive questions: 

• What would you say is your biggest challenge in {pain point you have researched}?
• What are you looking for in a solution to {said pain point}?

These questions automatically demand a more descriptive answer from your prospect and prolong the conversation.

4. Calling at the Wrong Time

Call at the wrong time, and you will either end up missing your prospect or always be asked to call back.

So, you should NEVER call: 

• On Mondays or Fridays.
• During the afternoons.

Instead, place your cold calls: 

• On Wednesdays or Thursdays. 
• Between 10-11 AM or 4-5 PM.

Top 3 Cold Calling Tools That I Trust

Let’s understand the top three tools for cold calling. In my list, there are Aircall, Dialpad, and Orum. For each, you will learn in detail.

1. Aircall
2. Dialpad
3. Orum

1. Aircall

Aircall is a B2B cold-calling application you can use to activate business phone numbers anywhere in the world and place calls directly from the tool.

Here is what it offers: 

• Instant in-app dialing using your CRM data or a contact list.
• A Power Dialer to help you quickly connect with your prospects.
• Automated call logging so you always have up-to-date information on accounts.
• You can add context or tags to your prospects after your call.
• Call recording and AI transcripts to help you analyse conversations. 

Aircall is also reasonably affordable.

For just $30/month (billed annually), you can make unlimited simultaneous outbound calls. 

2. Dialpad

Dialpad is an AI-first calling solution that is perfect for modern cold-calling. 

In addition to automating dialing, it actively coaches by showing talking points and FAQs

Plus, it will also detect keywords like “budget” or “price”, and show next steps based on them!

Let us quickly go through some of its most important features: 

• Places calls through local area codes to increase answer rates.
• Coaches sales reps in real-time to help them achieve their objectives.  
• Transcribes all calls in real-time and automatically generates summaries. 

The best part? 

Dialpad offers all these features starting at just $15/user/month, which makes it perfect if you are working with a small sales team. 

3. Orum

Orum is an AI-powered live conversation platform with one of the most advanced on the market.

It can detect bad numbers and connect you with a prospect in less than half a second. 

On top of that, Orum: 

• Detects buying objections and helps you respond to them in real-time.
• Analyzes every aspect of your cold calls and coaches sales reps.
• Drops pre-recorded voice messages if it detects that you have reached the voicemail. 

The best thing about Orum is that it even monitors the reputation of your business numbers and can help you avoid them being marked as spam.

However, Orum is a slightly expensive solution, with the basic plan reportedly starting at $250/user/month.

TL;DR of Cold Calling in 2026

As an outbound sales tactic, cold calling is still alive and well in 2026. 

In fact, if you are selling high-value products or want to break into new markets, it should be your #1 sales tactic.

To succeed at cold calling in the current market, you will need just three things: a good phone number database, well-researched scripts, and a reliable B2B dialer. 

With these by your side, cold calling can become one of the strongest parts of your outbound strategy!

FAQs About Cold Calling

1. Is cold calling still effective today?

Yes, cold calling still works when it is done with the right approach. Calls perform better when they are relevant, timed well, and part of a larger outreach plan.

2. What is the main goal of a cold call?

The goal is not to close a deal on the first call. A cold call is meant to start a conversation and move the prospect to the next step, like a meeting or demo.

3. How many cold calls should I make in a day?

There is no fixed number that works for everyone. It is better to make fewer calls with the right preparation than many calls without context.

4. What makes a cold call fail?

Cold calls usually fail when they feel random or rushed. Lack of research, poor timing, and unclear reasons for calling are common issues.

5. Should cold calling be used alone or with other channels?

Cold calling works best when combined with email and LinkedIn outreach. Using multiple channels helps warm up prospects and improves response rates.