Cold Calling Scripts: 25 Script Examples and Calling Tips (2023)

With the help of top sales experts with years of sales calling experience, we've put together 25 cold calling templates (with tips) to implement into your cold calling processes right now.

Sales development reps looking to up their game will learn from these effective cold calling scripts and tips to increase their cold calling conversion rates.

Seasoned sales managers will find plenty of actionable information to refine and optimize their processes and lead their salespeople to greater success.

No matter what industry you are in, you can adapt these cold calling guide scripts to increase your success rate and increase your quotas.

These scripts are particularly well-suited for account-based marketing efforts. You can apply them to all industries, from SaaS to enterprise solutions.

1. Offer your prospect options

Rather than assume which profile fits her prospects, Jessica Magoch, CEO ofJPM Partners, uses achoose your own approach to adventure”.

This is smart as it elicits a "micro-yes" from the prospect at the beginning of the call. By giving potential customers a choice, they will invest in you and the message you have to share.

2. Work with guardians

Getting past goalkeepers can be an art in itself.

But don't just think you deserve to be connected to the decision maker. Instead of,play to the better nature of the guardian with this carefully crafted example script:

Here, you are working with the guardian instead of treating it as an obstacle. Build a relationship like you would with your potential customers.

3. “A friend sent me”

What is the best way to turn a cold call into a warm one?

The answer:Tell them that a mutual connection suggested that you talk to them..

From here, go ahead and make the appointment as you normally would.

Of course, you are likely to get some questions here. Follow your normal process. If in doubt, suggest that they talk to “Mike”, your mutual contact, for more information.

4. Leave a voicemail

You won't always get to your prospect right away.

They may be on the go, in a meeting, or just focused on their work.

Written by Bob Bentz, President of ATS Mobilepurplegator, is a voice message to leave when this happens.

This looks like a cold email. It is short, to the point andtells the prospect exactly what to do next.

This is not the only way to register.cold emailPrinciples for unsolicited calls. Try experimenting with different approaches to see which gets the best response rate.

5. Use a hyper-personalized opener

In most cases, there is a wealth of information available about your potential customers through social media.

LinkedIn is a marketer's best friend for a reason. Use this information to open the call and build familiarity from the start.

• I noticed you worked at [PAST COMPANY], how did you find the culture there?
• A friend of mine also went to [UNIVERSIDAD], what did you study there?
  
• I see you rose through the ranks from SDR to account manager at [CURRENT COMPANY], how did senior management notice?

If they open up, continue the conversation some more. Otherwise,get back on track and keep your goal in mind.

6. “I don't have time”

This is usually a polite way of saying "you're not important enough right now."

So how do you handle it?

Show them that you have something valuable that is worth their time..

Here is an effective response to deal with this objection:

Here, you're acknowledging that your time is valuable, while explaining that the next step requires only a small investment. The two minutes it takes to make an informed decision is often worth it.

7. Ask important questions.

Other than the LinkedIn profile information, it's unlikely you'll know much about your prospect from the initial call.

After introducing yourself and establishing rapport,ask questions that elicit specific information from your prospects. These may include:

• What are the biggest challenges in your role right now?
• What tools and solutions are you using to help you with X?
• What was the determining factor for hiring new DEGs at [COMPANY]?

These questions prompt your prospects to fill in knowledge gaps.

This will not only allow you to tailor the rest of the conversation, but alsoprovide qualitative information to enrich your buyers.

8. Become a household name

In today's days,a multi-channel approach can help you get familiarand turn a cold call into a warm call that will eventually turn into a prospect moving into yoursales funnel.

For this example, let's assume you've already communicated via email. Use a cold calling script like the one below to speed up the relationship-building process:

From here, move on to your value proposition, resolve any objections, and secure the nomination.

9. Voicemail Tracking

If you've ever left a voicemail, chances are they now know who you are. Use this script for follow up after the fact:

Here,you are simply referring to the voicemail you left and repeating your offer. The next step is to run your usual cold calling script.

10. Detailed tracking

Let's say a prospect is really busy and asks you to call them back.

You've already told them why you're calling, and you could have even sent them an email to give them context for the next time they call.

If that's the case, use this script to follow:

From here, you can ask your important questions or follow your normal qualifying process to see if there's a good fit for you.

This is not a full discovery call.You are simply resuming the sales process from the beginning.. You adapt to your prospect's schedule, adding the most value possible.

When it comes to SaaS or any B2B subscription service, your goals will likely include testing, demos, and user generation.

This cold calling guide is designed to help you increase those results. You will find several effective cold calling scripts for various situations.

11. Generation of user references

Use cold calling as a referral generating tool.Start by identifying your best users. These include:

• Advocates for your brand and content (look for the ones with the most social shares)
• Users of your software on a daily basis (talk to product teams)
• Customers who have had great results (talk to customer success teams)
• Clients who have been with you for six months to a year (or more)

Once identified, pick up the phone and hit it with this sample cold calling script:

Customize this with the incentive you offer in your referral systems.Make sure you have a way to reward your current customer and the friend you referred.

12. Link new hires to product needs

There are several signs that can show that a potential or target customer needs what you offer, such as anuevohire for a specific role.

Here, Eric Quantstrom, CMO daKiteDeskNumber, provides the perfect script to use when contacted:

13. PersistIQ Process for Building Relationships

Brandon Redlinger, Head of Growth atPersistIQ, provided this framework to follow when calling new leads:

1. Get their attention using your name. Begin by saying, "Hello, [NAME]," in a warm and welcoming tone, then proceed directly to Step 2. Notice that I didn't say, "Hello, [NAME], how are you today?" because it gives your prospect a chance to come in and stop your flow. Cold calling is all about taking control early on.
2. Identify yourself. "My name is Brandon with PersistIQ." This is pretty simple, you need to tell them who you are.
3. Tell them why you are calling. "The reason I'm calling is to have some time on your calendar." Diving shows that you are a professional. Save the small talk for your follow-up calls after you've already established the relationship.
4. Build a bridge. This statement connects why you are calling with why they should care. “I just noticed on your website that you are hiring 10 new sales reps this quarter. Several [INDUSTRY] companies are already using PersistIQ to help their current sales development team start more conversations and schedule meetings. They can also cut the ramp time of new repeats in half.”
5. Ask for what you want and shut up. “I thought the best place to start is by scheduling asales reunionto learn more about your outbound sales goals and challenges. Do you have time on Wednesday or Thursday afternoon around 10am? Ultimately, our goal is to schedule meetings with potential clients because we call a more targeted list. However, if you are calling a less qualified list, your request may be information that would qualify the lead.

This is a simple approach that respects the prospect's intelligence and time and is likely to be appreciated and worked to their advantage.

It offers something many decision makers want in a cold call: no gimmicks, just a chance to say "yes" or "no."

14. The value proposition of a sentence

SaaS products are often attractive due to their self-service nature – taking action is often easy.

Take this philosophy and apply it to your cold calling scripts.

As? Instead of bombarding your prospect with information, give them a one sentence value proposition.

This is how we would do it for Pipedrive:

From here, it would move on to the qualification process.

15. Qualifying your SaaS prospects

Cold calling has a problem.

The prospect really has no way of knowing if what you have to offer would be interesting or not..

Even if you fit right in, they don't know or trust you...yet.

To avoid this, ask the same questions you would after a "yes" when you hear "no." In other words,qualifying questions can also be used as objection handling questions.

These questions include:

• What are your biggest challenges in [ROLE]?
• Are you looking for a solution to this challenge? Why? Why not?
• How is your current X process?
• What software and solutions are you currently using for X?
• Why did you decide to invest in these tools and solutions?
• What results do you hope to achieve in the next 6 months?

When it comes to objections, avoid the usual qualifying questions (who is the decision maker, what is your budget, etc.).

The goal is to get enough information to show them the value that you and your solution can provide..

With that information, you can lead the conversation and demonstrate how you can help them based on their specific needs and challenges.

So you're looking to build your reputation, generate appointments, and ultimately sell houses. Like the example scripts shared in parts 1 and 2, these cold calling guide scripts are meant to help you add value to your community. More important,will help you get morereal estatecustomers.

16. Force a quick reply

When it comes to cold calling,rreal estate agents often need to get straight to the point quickly.

Here's a script that does just that:

It's fast, and most importantly, it's clear. The owner on the other end of the line knows exactly what the call is about.

It also forces a quick "yes" or "no" answer.

If the answer is "yes", you can follow your normal process. If it's a “no,” you can take steps to follow up in the future and move on.

17. The Champion of the Community

Instead of positioning yourself as a vendor, become an advocate for your community, putting your community first. This sales script example demonstrates this perfectly:

This sample script will get the usual "yes" or "no" answers.but is also likely to start a conversation about your local area.

You are likely to hear questions like "where did you go to school?"

Even if they aren't ready to sell, it will build a relationship by the time they are and there is real potential for collecting referrals.

18. On a mission

Similar to the one above, this script moves you away from the "seller" and closer to the "trusted authority".

In this example script, you are telling a story:

Show that you are on a journey and people will want to know more about the story so far..

Not to mention, you've already helped other sellers, which can quickly build trust.

We have covered several example scripts that you can take and adapt to your ownsales processes.

But blindly following the scripts won't help you become a top-notch salesperson. You also need to generate insights and follow best practices.

Let's break down seven of our most effective cold calling tips to help you make sales calls.

1. Deep Search for Hyper-Personalization

It's much easier to build relationships by knowing what your prospect is doing and what segments they are in.

But you need the right insights to drive that personalization.

This task can take some time, so start early in the day when planning your outreach activities to keep your information up to date and top of mind.

Start by looking at the LinkedIn profile for:

• Groups in which you actively participate
• Influencers they follow
• Recent job changes (new role or promotion)
• Content they created or interacted with
• Education, volunteering and place of residence

For example, a potential customer is a fan of Gary Vaynerchuk:

Using this information, you can customize cold calls around macro trading strategies or even reference recent content Gary has posted.

If you're approaching key decision makers, chances are they're creating their own content.

A quick Google search will show you what they are doing to build their own personal brand:

Check the Twitter profile. If they're creating their own content, they're probably sharing it here:

Now that you have this idea, you can open the call with praise by focusing on the issues that matter most to them.

But you can also use it to turn a cold call into an active call. Just follow this process:

1. Take time to identify your biggest opportunities
2. Explore the content they create and interact with it.
3. Share, add comments and join your conversations on social networks

If you are in the EU or contacting someone within the EU, this approach has the added benefit of ensuring that yourcold calling efforts are GDPR compliant, since you will know that you are using this data to pursue legitimate interests.

2. Create a structured outline

What if you want to create your own email templates? You should follow best practices and create a proven schema.

These are the basic components of a good cold calling script:

1. Introduction: Keep this short and simple. Begin by saying who you are and where you are calling from. If necessary, ask if you're talking to the right person before proceeding.
2. opener: If you're going the custom route, tie your introduction and the reason for the call together by mentioning something you have in common. See "Using a hyper-custom opener" in "Part 1" for more on this.
3. reason for the call: Why are you calling? What do you have to offer? In many of the scripts shared in this article, you will find them to the point. Use this approach to show how you can help your prospect.
4. value proposal: Go on to talk about your value proposition and offer. Mention which companies you work with, the results you have generated and what differentiates you from the competition.
5. Questions: Ask if they are interested or use leading questions to qualify your prospects.
6. Close: What is the next step? Is it to schedule a demo? An in-person consultation? Be clear about what action you want to take next, and guide the prospect toward that action.

Alternatively, you can mix and match the scripts shared in this guide.

3. Create an environment to focus on

You've made five calls and now you want to get up for coffee, check Facebook or chat with your sales colleagues.

How do you combat these distractions?

Create a better environment that helps you be in the zone.

First, set some personal goals. For example:

1. Make calls between 9 am and 11 am every day
2. Make 30 calls each session before getting up
3. Reward yourself with a coffee or a quick look at your social networks once you reach your number

Of course, you'll need to hit your target multiple times to ensure you hit your quota. But bundling these cold calling sessions together will help you stay focused.

If necessary, completely leave your usual environment. If your workplace has private rooms, use them whenever you can.

4. Cold calling to learn

Like any sales skill, you won't become a master of cold calling overnight. Instead of focusing on results, prioritize your goals around learning.

Reflect on your call and find out what you can do better next time..

Everyone has their trouble spots. Find yours by looking at his scripts and seeing where most people oppose or shut down.

Speaking of scripts,be sure to keep your– especially in the early days. The proven cold calling sample scripts are based on proven results. Follow a proven roadmap until you feel more comfortable and start to flow.

Once you know your critical points,rewrite that specific part of the script. Try a whole new approach:

• Try new value propositions
• Test new customization methods
• Use a closing that requires a lower investment (30-minute call vs. face-to-face meeting)

follow this processuntil i can go through the whole scriptfor more than half of your cold call.

Also,review the quality of your open questions. The better the question, the more your lead or prospect will talk.

Finally,use the power of call recording. Listen to your calls and see where you can do better. This includes how you say things as well as what you say.

5. Prepare for objections

Handling objections is an accepted part of the sales game. However, cold calling can be difficult.

That's why you need to prepare for as many objections as possible,and don't view unsuccessful cold calling as a failure on your part.

Get experience: The more calls you make, the more patterns you'll notice in each objection.

Here are some common objections and how to handle them:

• "I don't have time to talk:"The prospect wants you to get off the phone ASAP. Ask them the best time for a three-minute call. By offering a short time frame, you set expectations and provide a low level of investment.
• “Let's talk in a month:”This will happen when a prospect can't make a decision, usually because they have to manage things for other high-level decision makers. When that happens, ask who will be participating, if they can attend, and what they should bring with them.
• "Send an e-mail:"Another classic to get you off your phone. Just ask them what information to include when you email them. Then ask a series of qualifying questions. This will slowly draw the prospect into the conversation.
  

Many potential customers will ask for more information (such as asking for asales follow up email). He points out that you're not a priority to them, which means you need to prove yourself worth their time.

You can do this by slowly inverting them.Start with a simple order(such as your email address).

After providing minor information,ask a relevant question. For example, you can ask them what their current marketing technology stack looks like (if you're selling a MarTech solution).

From here you can try your luck with somefollow-up questions based on your answer. This requires you to really listen and ask questions to start the conversation. People often like to talk about their jobs and challenges, which can be much more effective than making a hard sell.

Finally,get to the end. Acknowledge the fact that they said they don't have time, but try to put a time on your calendar. Tie their pain points to your value proposition and show them how you can help them solve them. If they still insist on the email, thank them for their time and send it.

6. Timing and triggering events

Time is an important factor for any sales channel, not just cold calling. But the timing of your cold calls is certainly a huge factor in your success.

The time of day you pick up the phone will determine your response rate (and therefore your success rate).

To help you optimize the time of day you make those calls, it's good to look at a few benchmarks. According to research conducted bysquare perspective, the best time to make cold calls is between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. m. and 4 p.m. m.:

• Response rates are optimal around 10 am
• There is a clear landing in the afternoon.
• Potential customers are "less alert" for sales calls after 5:00 p.m. m.

While surveys like this are helpful, every industry will be different.

That's why it's important to know whenyour prospects respond to sales calls.

You can track this manually with asales dashboardor use your sales technology stack to collect and analyze data.

Then there are the "triggering events". These are events that happen within a target organization or in a prospect's career that provide the best opportunity to call.

Triggering events include:

• new corporate clients: Many companies make the acquisition of large accounts a public relations act. Capitalize on this by congratulating your prospect on his big win.
• Acquisitions and mergers: Another reason to call and congratulate. Even better, if this happens to an existing client, it provides the opportunity for chain introductions.
• new hires: Someone who fits your buyer persona has just joined a Destination Account. They will want to prove themselves and try new products and solutions.
• Financing: Not only can it congratulate them on securing a new investment, but it is also an indication of an extended budget to play with, a budget that they can invest in your product or service.

You should also monitor the triggers for the behavior.

7. How to crush your cold calls

Finally, let's talk about how to be an effective salesperson on sales calls:

1. Lead with your purpose: Always keep an eye on the prize. If your goal is to secure appointments or demos, keep that in mind. This will help you stay motivated and focused during your calls.
2. use open questions: Have a sales call conversation, instead of a one-way dialogue. Think "What are you looking for in a CRM" instead of "Would you be willing to try a new CRM?"
3. It's all about them: Do not focus on you, your product or solution. Ask them to talk about their interests, roles, and challenges. This will not only make them feel good, but it will also give you all the information they need to give them the right experience.
4. Include social proof: To build trust, it is necessary to demonstrate the results. Dropping social proof points shows the prospect that you have already helped others. Do this with case studies, statistics, and the names of your biggest accounts.
5. Consider the tone: Your voice (or the nature of your speech) will remain constant. That is your personality at stake. But you can learn to change your tone according to the situation. If your prospect seems confused, try to keep your language simple and educate them. If your prospect seems to be in a rush, try to be quick and stick to shorter questions and explanations. Be the chameleon of the conversation when you call.
6. learn to listen: Remember, the call is about your prospect, not you. Stop talking to your potential customers and listen to what they have to say. Show you're interested by asking specific follow-up questions based on what they say.

Be positive. Objections, getting shot down and dealing with irate prospects, cold calling are enough to challenge anyone's character. But by keeping a positive outlook, you're more likely to succeed.