Sales

4 scripts to ace your next cold call

Summary

Cold calling isn’t dead. But to avoid making a fool out of yourself and your company, it’s good to come prepared. And that’s where personalised cold calling scripts can help. So here are 4 to get you started.

It’s a myth that no one likes cold calls. In fact, potential clients are often receptive to cold calls. A study found that 82% of buyers book meetings with Sales Representatives after a series of contacts that started with a cold call.

However, cold calling is hard. And bad cold calls will hurt your company’s reputation. That’s why you should use cold-calling scripts. Because they guide your cold-calling efforts. From “hello” to “I’ll check back with you in two weeks, ” cold-calling scripts allow you to grab a lead’s attention, ensure high-quality conversation, and close more deals.

Level up your skills with our cold calling outline and 4 scripts. However, you should take a few steps before picking up the phone. Check out our cold-calling guide to know what those are.

What is cold calling?

Before we delve into scripts for different cold-calling scenarios, let’s review the basics.

Cold calling is when you reach out to an individual with who you’ve never spoken to before. You’ll have done your research, and this person fits your buyer persona. The aim is to initiate contact, introduce your company, and build a rapport to ultimately sell your product or services.

Cold calling is best paired with different touchpoints for the most profitable results. For example, pair calling with emailing and engaging with a lead on LinkedIn. This boosts your odds of not being ignored and can increase your response rate.

Curious about how to follow up with your B2B leads? Check out our B2B sales follow-up timeline, which breaks down an example sequence.

Elements of a cold calling script

At their core, most cold calls have a very similar format and follow a typical structure. So if you want to create your own, here are guidelines to follow to ensure you book more meetings.

  • Introduction – Start by stating your name, the company you work for and asking a lead how they are doing.

Did you know, cold calls that use ‘how have you been?’ perform 6.6 times higher than those that don’t. Why? Because it interrupts a lead’s initial reaction of potential hanging up.”

Lydia
Lydia Account Executive at Leadinfo
  • Reason for calling – Human beings crave reason. So don’t leave your prospect in the dark. Instead, provide leads with an answer up front as to why you are calling them. Sales Representatives who share their reason for calling are 2.1x more successful in booking meetings.
  • Permission – Check whether it’s a good time for a chat. However, avoid asking “if it’s a bad time to talk”, as this makes you 40% less likely to book a meeting. Instead, phrase it positively, “Is this a good time to chat?”. If the caller says they are free, you’re less likely to be cut off as they have assumed the obligation of hearing you out.
  • Connect with the caller – Personalise the call and identify pain points using your research about the company or lead.
  • Sell your value – Based on what the caller said, it’s time to offer them a solution to their problem. Focus on how the caller will benefit from your proposition rather than selling.
  • Next steps – Whether sending the caller a follow-up email or making an appointment to chat again in six weeks, ensure the caller knows what to do and expect once you hang up.

4 Cold calling scripts

While there’s no way to plan a response to every possible situation, a few scripted scenarios prepare you to handle objections and ensure your conversation stays on track.

Therefore, here are 4 cold-calling scripts to guide your efforts and help you book more meetings.

Typical cold call script

Here’s a cold calling script for any standard cold call you need to do. Feel free to copy and paste it to use as a reference next time you pick up the phone.

Typical cold call script

You: Hi [lead first name], this is [your first name] from [your company’s name]. How are you doing today? 

Listen to the lead’s answer.

You: I’m calling because [state the reason for your call]. Is this a good time to chat?

Fingers crossed the lead says yes. If not, ask when would be a good time to call back.

You: So this might feel out of the blue, but I was researching [lead company name] and noticed [insert fact you found via research]. Correct me if I’m wrong, but a big challenge for your right now appears to be [pain point]. Is this something you or your team are aiming to tackle currently? 

If the lead says yes, continue below. If not, try to understand their current priorities and if you can help. Alternatively, schedule a follow-up meeting in a few weeks or months when your help becomes necessary.

You: What roadblocks are keeping you from [achieving your goal/trying your product or service]?

Listen to the answer to tailor your next answer.

You: At [your company name], we’ve helped companies like [either mention similar companies or big brand names] solve [paint point] via [describe high-level value your solution offers]. Are you interested in hearing more details about how we do that?

If the lead says yes, keep going. If they say no, try to navigate their objections. See below how to hear and solve common objections.

You: So what we do is [one sentence short summary of how you help your clients]. I’d suggest we schedule a call so I can tell you more about how [your company name] can support your team and help you achieve [mention desired goal or solved pain point]. How does [date and time] work for you?

Wait for an answer.

You: Great. I’ve sent you an invitation via email. Did you get it?

Yes or no.

You: Thank you so much for your time, have a good rest of your day.

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How to handle cold-calling objections

When cold-calling, you will face objections from leads. Here are a few common objections and how to tackle them so you’re never caught off guard.

If a lead is busy and can’t talk right now.

You: I understand that you’re busy right now. When is a better time to chat?

If the pain point you mentioned is not something they’d like to tackle right now.

You: I understand. Can you tell me what your main priorities are currently?

If the lead says they already have a solution that helps them tackle their current challenge, aim to find out what it is. Then highlight how your product is different in a way that aligns with the focus of the lead’s business.

You: Oh, good to hear. Do you mind me asking what solution you are using? Is it meeting all of your needs? Because I know that [competitor name] gives you a lot of data. However, [your company name] refreshes its data more frequently and gives you results in real-time. Meaning you can achieve [describe results].

Cold call script to get past the gatekeeper

Some decision-makers have an assistant or secretaries who will screen their calls. Here’s a script to persuade them to let you talk to your lead.

Cold call script to get past the gatekeeper

You: Hi, this is [your name] with [your company name]. I’m trying to reach [lead’s first name]. Is he/she available?

If you get lucky, the gatekeeper will simply put you through. However, there’s a chance they say no or ask you what this is regarding. If they do, don’t lie and don’t pitch to the gatekeeper.

You: It’s regarding their [insert product category] tool. [first name of lead] the right person to talk to, right?

The above could get you an answer about whether this is the right decision-maker to talk to. And the name of a colleague if not. However, if you know this is the right person to reach out to. You can try the following line.

You: “I’ve got some information for them regarding [blend reason for calling and pain point a lead is facing]. I was going to send it via email, but I thought I better call and take a few minutes to explain before I do.”

Alternatively, if you haven’t been able to get through to the decision-maker and have already sent them an email.

You: I’m following up on an email I sent them earlier this week. 

Or, if you want to double-check check you have the right email address, you can try saying the following and hope that the gatekeeper corrects a mistake.

You: I’ll try sending them an email. Is [insert lead first name]@[company name].com the correct address to reach them at?

If the gatekeeper tells you that the decision-maker is busy, don’t leave a message with them. Instead, confidently say that you will call back later.

You: Will they be occupied for long? I will call back at another time, such as later today or tomorrow. Can you recommend an ideal call-back time, please?”

End the call in a respectful manner by thanking the gatekeeper for their time and wishing them a pleasant day.

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Cold call script when someone refers you

References are a powerful tool. They immediately establish and boost trust levels by 84%. So if you’ve been referred to by a mutual connection or someone else in the organisation, mention that early in your call. For example:

Cold call script when someone refers you

You: Hi [person’s name], it’s [your name] from [your company]. How are you doing today? 

Listen to the lead’s answer.

You: I’m calling you because [full name of reference] suggested that I give you a call. We’ve been working together for [insert time frame], and he/she has achieved [insert great results or compelling numbers]. And they mentioned that you could also benefit from such a solution. Is this a good time to chat?

Alternatively, if a colleague in the same organisation referred you:

You: I’m calling because [name of colleague] suggested I reach out to you as you are responsible for [name business aspect]. They thought you might be interested in a solution to solve [name challenge]. Is this a good time to chat?

If a lead says yes, then keep going. If not, ask when would be a good time to call back.

You: Can you tell me more about the challenges your company is experiencing when it comes to [name pain point you helped referral overcome]?

Listen to this person’s answer.

You: I understand. And what roadblocks are keeping you from achieving [repeat goal or desired outcome]?

Again, actively listen to a lead’s answer. Take notes if that will help you remember their specific challenges. 

You: I see. I believe I could help then. Because at [your company name], we do [one sentence short summary of how you help your clients]. I’d suggest we schedule a call so I can tell you more about how [your company name] can support your team and help you achieve [mention desired goal or solved pain point]. How does [date and time] work for you?

Wait for an answer.

You: Alright. I’ve sent you an invitation via email. Did you get it? 

Yes or no.

You: Thank you so much for your time, have a good rest of your day.

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Cold call voicemail script

If you’re unable to reach a lead, it’s okay to leave a voicemail. But don’t pitch in the voicemail, as that could lead to avoidance. Instead, manage expectations and communicate that you will reach out to this person again.

Cold call voicemail script

Hi [first name of the lead], this is [your name] with [your company name]. 

I’m calling because [state the reason for your call]. 

I won’t bother you with all the details now. Instead, I’ll email you, and we can discuss a time to connect there. Have a good rest of your day. 

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Turn talk into action using cold-calling scripts

Use these scripts as a starting point. Every business and lead is different, so feel free to edit these scripts according to your company offering, customer preferences and brand tone of voice.

Armed with your script, practice with a colleague to see if the script sounds natural or if you need to tweak a few elements. Keep learning and editing your script as you conduct more and more cold calls. And get ready to build stronger business relationships and have your cold call success rate increase.

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