Cold Call Scripts: 14 Examples, Templates, and Tips (2023)

Myth: Nobody likes to be called cold.

Contrary to popular belief, potential customers are often receptive to cold calling.A Rain Group studyfound that 82 percent of buyers schedule meetings with sales reps after contacting them via a cold call. Despite the great chances of success, cold calling anddiscovery callsit can still be daunting for sellers.

Cold calling is a delicate dance with the prospect. You want to sell a potential new customer a product they know little or nothing about, while still trying to respect their time and privacy. Sometimes they hang up before you've even had a chance to explain why you're calling, and sometimes they get pissed - but more often than you might think, they listen to what you have to say.

Hone your skills with our cold calling scripts, tips, and templates, and gain the confidence to take the lead when you're on the sales stage. Find your rhythm with the right moves and take your cold calling skills to legendary status.

What is a cold call?

A cold call is a way to introduce your product or service to potential new customers in a friendly and informative way. It's a straightforward way to find out what's important to prospects, what challenges they face, and what they need to convert.

Use cases for cold calls

Every business has its own unique reasons for reaching potential customers. Some of the most common destinations are:

• Scheduling an Appointment with a Prospect
• sign new business
• Find out what consumers think about your product

Elements of a successful call

Cold calling can be a wild west if you're not prepared for it. Getting caught without a plan of action can ruin a sale and leave the customer with a bad impression of your company. Here are some elements that make a successful cold call:

• Searched:Before you start making any calls, it's best to know who you are calling. Try to find similarities between the prospect and other clients you've had success with.
• Script (to some extent):Every scenario is different, but having a script ready can help you know what to say to get a sale.
• Custom:The downside to the previous tip is that you don't want your call to feel too scripted. Add personal elements to your scripts that will impress potential customers and allow you to orient yourself based on their response.
• Prepared (for objections): Objections are common, then practice using them until your responses are perfect and natural.
• Positive:A great attitude goes a long way. No matter what happens, always stay positive.
• Practiced:There is something in the saying “practice makes perfect”. The more swings you take with the golf ball, the more likely you are to hit a hole-in-one.

It's also important to make sure there's a way and reason for the prospect to reach out. Sometimes people don't pick up the phone if they don't know the phone number. If you:

• Do not answer:Leave a persuasive message to convince them to call you back.
• Responder:Make sure the next steps are clear at the end of your call.

How to create a cold calling script in 8 steps

What do you say when you make a cold call? Anyone can write a cold calling script, but writing one that makes you sound human takes a lot of work, preparation, and planning. Use these tips as a guide when writing your cold calling script.

1. Determine your goal:Figure out what you want the outcome of your call to be. Would you like to secure a time? Will the appointment be a face-to-face meeting or a video call? Will it be a more detailed phone call?
2. Create a list of potential customers:Research who will give you the best results. Identify industries that have a problem your product can solve. Also keep the location in mind, as local businesses tend to be more receptive to other locations.
3. Start by asking the prospect after 60 seconds of their time:Start by asking permission to speak with a prospect to build rapport and show respect.
4. Introduce yourself:Introduce yourself briefly and explain why you are calling. They only have a few seconds to get her attention before they hang up.
5. Establish connection:Customize the call with details about the company collected during your research. The most important thing is that you pronounce her name correctly.
6. Identify your pain points:Address the challenges your business is facing. Let them know you understand these issues and have a solution.
7. Reject objections and denials:If you haven't connected them yet, they might start to disconnect from the call. Tell them you're not selling anything right now to take the pressure off.
8. Sell ​​your value:Give examples of how your product has helped other businesses with similar issues. Speak like a human, but give them tight metrics that might raise their eyebrows.
9. Request an appointment:Conclude the conversation by requesting a meeting to discuss your product in detail.

14 best cold calling script templates that actually work

To help you figure out what to say to prospects, we've created 14 cold call scripts so you're prepared no matter who answers the phone. These scripts cover a variety of scenarios so that you have a cold calling template for all types of situations.

1. Itinerary recommended by a colleague or friend

A great way to get your foot in the door during a cold call is to quote a mutual colleague who referred the prospect to you. The familiar name should help them feel more comfortable and open to listening to your presentation.

2. The Roadmap for Prospects

When you're talking to a prospect, the sun shines a little brighter, the air smells a little sweeter, and your call becomes a little easier. You can simply showcase your product or service to see how you can help them.

3. The Roadmap for Uninterested Prospects

If your prospect isn't interested, it's hard to transfer the call without them hanging up. This script cuts out most of the lint and asks for a specific time so you can try to spool it.

4. Script for the prospect who is a little overwhelmed

Sometimes a prospect may not exactly fit your target audience and you need to feel the situation with additional sales questions. Depending on how the customer reacts, it may be necessary to get creative and deviate from the script.

5. Script for the “perfect match” prospect

you've seen a unicorn The “perfect match” prospect comes closer to you. You can simply introduce your product or service and explain how it can help them. After all, they fit together perfectly.

6. As concise a script as possible: The elevator pitch

This script can help you get to the point and engage the prospect quickly.

7. Give your prospect options: The 'Choose Your Own Adventure' script.

With this script, you can offer the prospect options that take the call down different paths, with the ultimate goal of scheduling a product demo or in-depth sales presentation.

8. Script for talking to doormen

Occasionally, you will need to speak with a gatekeeper who acts as a filter between you and the decision maker. Use this script to convince them to forward you to the prospect.

9. Leave a voicemail script

You can use this script a lot because many people don't answer calls from numbers they don't know.

10. Written follow-up voicemail

After leaving a first voice message, you must be followed up with another one 24 hours later. Not onlyLeave a follow-up voice messageShow the prospect that you're interested in them, but it also doubles the chances of a callback.

11. Script for the “I don't have time to talk” response.

This response shows that they want to end the call, so you have a very small window of opportunity to get their attention. Expect to buy some extra time early on.

12. Speak their language/Customization script

Personalization can go a long way in a cold call. It allows you to break the ice and connect with the prospect before getting down to business.

The following cold call script example demonstrates how to customize a script. This text example can be adapted for your own scripts.

13. The follow-up call from an email script

If your first presentation was via email, the transition from text to speech can be seamless. It might even work in your favor as they already saw your name before you called them.

14. Manage Objections Script

Get ready for rejection because you will experience it. Try to stay positive and direct and see if you can find a way to schedule a meeting or demo. This cold calling sales script can help you in this situation:

20 cold calling tips and examples for a successful date

Here are some additional tips and scripts to help you maximize your on-call success.

1. Be an active listener

Active listening is the key to building a prospect's trust. Repeat important details to show you are listening and interested in what they are saying. Here are some ways to flag this:

See Also
19 Best Cold Calling Scripts (Free Templates) for Sales Teams15 Cold Calling Scripts With Examples To Make An Appointment With Potential Clients

Cold calling script example:

"To make sure I understand correctly, you want to improve employee productivity and need a simple system that integrates with yours, right? Great. So, for confirmation, you also need to watch a demo showing how it works before proceeding, right ?”

2. Assess interest before diving in

Before jumping into your script, make sure it's okay to proceed with your potential buyer. Giving them the opportunity to say no shows you respect their time.

Cold calling script example:

"Hi Teresa. This is Carl from Zendesk. How are you today?

We have some new solutions that have helped others recruit and train new members of their marketing team. Does that sound like something you'd like to learn more about?”

3. Set time expectations

Let the prospect know the expected duration of the interview early on. Potential customers are more likely to engage with the call if they know how long it will take. Make sure you stick to the mentioned time limit to avoid losing the prospect's trust.

Cold calling script example:

"Hi Teresa. Thanks for taking my call. Can you give me two minutes to explain why I called and answer any questions you have about our product?"

4. Identify prospect pain points

Start your presentation by asking questions about the prospect's challenges. You will be able to identify specific ways your product can help the potential customer and customize your productsales pitchto solve your unique problem.

Cold calling script example:

"Hi Teresa. This is Carl from Zendesk. We create software designed to improve the customer experience and help companies build customer relationships. What would you say are your biggest customer experience challenges?"

5. Highlight product benefits

Provide examples of how your product or service solves a problem. You can reference recent customer data to find common pain points that many potential customers face. You can also review buyer personas and their corresponding pain points. Match prospects with each persona to determine which product features to talk about.

Cold calling script example:

"My name is Carl and I work at Zendesk. We build software that helps companies improve the overall customer experience.

I wanted to reach out to you to introduce myself and share some best practices. I want to explain how companies like yours capture customers where they are in terms of their preferred communication channels.

Do you have 30 minutes this week to discuss these benefits in more detail?”

6. Show what sets you apart from others

Explain what sets you apart from the competition. Research your competitors so you can offer counterarguments and come up with your unique selling proposition. Remember to always respect your competitors - potential customers may have used them in the past (or are currently using them) - and take advantage of themconsultative selling.

If the prospect is asking about your competitor, use the example below.

Cold calling script example:

"Great! You know King Systems. Their product is similar to ours, but we're really innovators in the relationship management industry. Compared to our competitors, we offer a wide range of customer service tools for companies of all sizes. sizes and at all stages.

May I offer a quick 20-minute demo of our product early next week so you can see the real difference?”

7. Use prova social

Social proof — like testimonials and reviews — is a persuasive sales tool.77 percentof people trust consumer reviews posted online. To usesales psychologyhow it can help you reach the next level of conversion.

The following cold calling script highlights current customers who are similar to the prospect and are already using the product being sold.

Cold calling script example:

"Hi! I'm Carl from Zendesk.

I'm writing to you today because your business values ​​great customer service. At Zendesk, we take the customer experience seriously.

We've helped companies like Grubhub increase their CSAT scores by 90%, and Tile has reduced their customer wait times by 40% by automating processes."

8. Mention if it's a recommendation

ninety two percentof people trust peer recommendations. Get potential customers interested in what you have to say by sharing experiences from people they know.

The following example not only shows the advantages, but also names the referrer. An approach like this makes the benefits more significant - the prospect knows the recommender and hopefully trusts his judgment.

Cold calling script example:

"Our mutual colleague Sandy Jones at CallTech referred you to us after seeing the great results she's had with our Conversational CRM."

9. Show you've done your research

If you cold call a prospect, chances are they don't know you well. You can gain their trust by showing how much you know about them or their business. Use LinkedIn and the company's website to learn more about the company, its company and current events to show your interest.

Cold calling script example:

"Hello Teresa. I see you graduated from the University of Alabama. Roll the tide!"

10. Share powerful stats

Share data related to your prospects' pain points. For example, if a potential customer wants to improve their productivity, tell them how your product will help them do that.

Cold calling script example:

"Hi Teresa. This is Carl from Zendesk. I wanted to call you to see if you'd be interested in our customer service software, which can increase your company's ticket resolution speed by nearly 42 percent.

What are the biggest problems you've ever had with customer service?”

11. ask

Questionskey questionto better understand the needs of your potential customers and show that you are genuinely interested in helping them. By asking questions, you can tailor your pitch to the prospect you're talking to.

In the following sales cold calling script, the sales rep asks the prospect a question to gauge their hiring needs.

Cold calling script example:

"Hi Teresa. My name is Carl and I work at Zendesk. I wanted to get in touch because we help companies like yours implement omnichannel communication options. Are you familiar with omnichannel communication?"

12. Highlight product efficiencies

Show potential customers that they are losing efficiency by not using your product. Explain which product features address these inefficiencies and provide examples of recent customer wins.

Cold calling script example:

„Hello Theresa!

My name is Carl and I'm calling from Zendesk. How are you?

Do you have two minutes to talk about our customizable software that you can instantly integrate into your existing systems? Similar software is not as fast and easy to use and may not work well with your current systems. But after investing in our software, our customers experience rapid time to value.

Do you have 15 minutes on Thursday for a quick Zoom call with our Sales Manager, Brandy, to discuss what our software can do for your company?”

13. Tell a compelling story

Grab a potential customer's attention by sharing the outcome of a customer success story. Talk about the problem they encountered - choose a problem similar to the prospect's - and explain how you worked with the customer to resolve it. Use this approach only when the prospect says he has time to discuss. They will not be receptive when pressed for time.

The following cold call script tells the story of an industry problem and how the product solved it. The language is descriptive and paints a vivid picture for those interested.

Example script for unsolicited call

"Hello Theresa!

My name is Carl and I'm calling from Zendesk. How are you? Excellent!

First of all, do you know Two Crows Coffee? I know! Your coffee is incredible. But they get a lot of orders, and as you know, customer service is their weakness. They have incredibly long wait times and the only way to reach them is by phone or email. Your orders will be saved for days or weeks - and good luck talking to someone if you have an issue.

They recently merged with Organic Scene Coffee Beans, one of our customers. They were able to use our software to integrate Two Crows Coffee's existing systems in just a few days. Now if you want to talk to someone from Two Crows, you can go to Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp or any other communication channel you prefer and start talking to someone right away.”

14. Use your industry experience

Potential customers want to work with a salesperson who knows their stuff and offers relevant solutions. Showcase your expertise by referencing recent customer successes, case studies, and industry awards.

Cold calling script example:

"What if I told you that 68% of customers will switch to a company's competitor after just one poor customer service experience? At Zendesk, we're focused on helping organizations deliver great customer and employee experiences. Our software makes life easier for customers and employees, and empowers your team to build relationships with buyers.”

15. Explain the next steps

Even if a cold call is going well and the prospect is engaged and asking a lot of questions, you could still lose the connection. Don't close the sale – instead, explain the next steps so potential customers know what to expect from them.

Cold calling script example:

“Our automation capabilities and chatbots can do wonders for your team. I would love to schedule a step-by-step demo for your team so you can see the impact our software can have on your ticket times, ticket count and agent productivity.

Are you available for a 20-minute demo on Wednesday or Thursday of next week? I promise you it will be worth your time.

16. Be polite but persistent

If the prospect says he's not interested, don't give up hope right away. Review the benefits of your product or service and its value. Interested parties can commentgeneral sales objections, but feel free to explain what you can do for them. Never be pushy or pushy.

Cold calling script example:

“Teresa, once you integrate Zendesk into your current systems and take advantage of its unique features, you will see a significant improvement in your customer experience — and your customers as well. You are not going to jump in the sea and swim towards your competitor.

If you have 15 minutes next week, we can walk you through our demo so you can see how easy it is to set up and use our product and how it can benefit your business.”

17. Prepare for strategic follow-up

Try scheduling the next meeting during your call. Sometimes prospects are distracting and ask to connect via email when they can view the calendar. If you follow up via email and they don't respond, persist.

Repeated accompaniment is normal - the "rule 7says brands that engage with a prospect seven times are more likely to earn their trust and close a sale.

The following sample call center script shows how to collect email addresses and schedule on-call sales follow-up meetings.

Cold calling script example:

If the prospect declines the offer to set up a meeting:
"Do you only have 20 minutes next week to keep talking?"

When the prospect asks you to send him an email so he can check the calendar:
"Absolutely. What's the best email address?"

Once you get the email address you can add:
"Perfect, I'll email you a few times to choose from. Is there a day (or time of day) that suits you best?"

18. leave voice messages

Leaving a voicemail might seem like something your parents' generation did, but in a world full of overcrowded email inboxes and unread messages, leaving a voicemail can really set you apart.

Cold calling script example:

"Hi Teresa. This is Carl from Zendesk. I'm calling to learn more about your company's customer experience and how we can help you improve it.

Please feel free to call me or email me at (555)-867-5309. I will also email you if that works better for you. I await contact."

19. focus on the view

It's human nature to want to talk about yourself. Always try to position your scripts to put the spotlight on the prospect and your business.

Cold calling script example:

“What are some pain pointsOfCustomer service experience?”
"How much do you thinkOfwould benefit from such a solution?”

20. Just do it

Turn your first cold call into a casual conversation to ease prospect acceptance into a meeting or demo. Potential customers don't want to feel addicted to something they don't know all the details about.

Cold calling script example:

"With no risk or obligation, can we schedule a Zoom call with your team next week so we can give you a demo and show you how our product can improve your ticket times, ticket count and agent productivity?"

Does Wednesday or Thursday work for you? We only need about 20 minutes of your time.”

Achieve script success



The best cold calling scripts will help you introduce your product or service to potential customers in a friendly and informative way. Now that you've learned from our sales script templates and cold call examples, you can start creating some of your own. As your sales journey progresses, you'll discover which sales pitch scripts work best and feel most comfortable. with enough practiceyour scriptmaybe it even becomes second nature.