I don’t believe in cold calling. 

It doesn’t work and is a massive waste of time and energy. 

Instead, I believe in warm prospecting calls. 

This approach has led to a prospecting to meeting conversion of 10-20% over the course of my sales career, as opposed to 1-3% when cold calling. 

Here’s how it works. 

1. Spend time upfront researching the individual and company you want to prospect into. Identify where you can potentially help them. 

2. Send an e-mail outlining what you learned about them and where you think you can possibly help. Make sure the message is relevant and specific to them or their company. Ask if they’d be open to learning more. 

3. That same day, call their cell phone (get it from Zoominfo, your CRM, or another source) and ask if they received and read the e-mail you sent. This immediately makes it a WARM call rather than a COLD CALL. 

4. If they didn’t receive the e-mail, briefly and directly recap the e-mail and ask if they’d be open to meeting to learn more. Be direct, clear, and respectful as you are likely interrupting them. 

If there is any interest, close for the meeting rather than spending too long on the phone. 

Most people rely heavily on e-mail sequences but are reluctant to pick up the phone. The phone is where most of the magic happens, as it’s way too easy to ignore or delete an e-mail. 

The key is that the ratio is 1:1 – one phone call per e-mail sent. 

I find that calling between Wednesday-Friday from 3-5pm is the best time to call, as people are busier early in the week. 

I would much rather send 25 quality e-mails in a week (5/day) accompanied with 25 follow up phone calls (5/day) and book 5 meetings (10% touchpoint conversion), than waste valuable time cold calling or managing generic sequences that don’t convert. 

Going 5 for 50 (10%) feels way better than going 1 for 100 (1%) and is MUCH less of a grind. 

We are not in the business of managing sequences – we are in the business of selling. And selling starts with talking to people. 

Face your fears, pick up the phone, and make it a warm call!