I Tested This Cold Call Script 3.9 Million Times (script)

Full Cold Call Script Template

Lets start by giving you the template for the cold call script. After you read through the script, I will explain why its structured the way it's structured.

THE PERMISSION-BASED INTRODUCTION

Hi, this is {name} from {company}. How's it going?

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That's great to hear. The purpose of my call is we work with {type of company} and help them {What you help with}. I'm not sure if we can help each other, but I thought it was worth a quick call. Do you mind if I ask a few questions and let you decide if we should chat?

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THE GOLDEN QUESTION

Thanks for the time. 

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[OPTION 1] Typically, we help {type of company} who are focused on {improving problem they typically have}. Or, they are focused on {A different problem they typically have}.

I'm curious, which one of those is a focus for you?

[OPTION 2]I speak with a lot of {title}, and they tend to struggle with one of two things: {struggle 1} or {Struggle 2}. I'm curious, which one of these resonates with you the most?

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THE CONVERSATION

Why does that one resonate the most with you?

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Understand the current state (QUANTIFY)

- What is the current process for x?

- How are you currently managing x?

- How is your team {doing with their KPIs}?

Identify the ideal state (QUANTIFY)

- What would the ideal process look like?

- How would you like things to work?

- Where do you need the team's performance?

How are they trying to solve their problem?

- What have you tried to improve this?

- What are you currently doing to solve this?

- How do you think you could solve this?

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THE RECAP

Thanks for filling me in {name}. From what I heard, you are trying {what they are trying} to get {whichever topic resonated with them}. Why don't we do this? Let's set up some time to have a conversation about {The topic of the next step} that will help you get from {Gap from earlier in the script}. How does tomorrow at {time} work for you?

The 3 Reasons Cold Calling Matters

#1) Cold calling moves the needle (immediately).

Cold calling is probably the fastest way to catch up to your sales quota over any other form of communication.

#2) Cold calling is the quickest way to get a response.

People ignore emails, but it’s hard to put the phone down to another human being. Cold calling allows you to quickly move through a list of prospects and get responses.

#3) Cold calling helps you build a rock solid pitch, quickly.

Reaching a prospect by phone is not only fast, but allows you to quickly learn about their wants and needs. Understand what kind of language doesn’t work and quickly refine a winning sales pitch.

The Cold Call Script Structure

Of course, every cold call is different, but here’s a structure which should cover most scenarios:

1. Introduction
2. The Path 
3. Finding a Gap
4. The Ask

Let’s break down those 4 parts with the script we use, potential responses and explain what we like about each part.

Part 1: Introduction

This section is all about starting the conversation on the right foot, with the right tone. Many people who are new to sales will default to a timid, apologetic greeting - don't do that. Right from the get go, you want to sound confident and positive.

Here's the simple way I like to start:

‍“Hi my name is <NAME> from <COMPANY>

How’s it going?”

There’s a lot about what to say once you introduce yourself (market research actually leans towards “How are you doing?”)

But, what really matters is energy and confidence!‍

If we come across as positive and upbeat, we are much more likely to get a response.

Part 2: The Golden Question

Next up, you'll give them a quick introduction of what you do and see if you can buy more time with the prospect and start to warm them up.

They say: “I’m doing well”

You say: “That’s great to hear. The purpose of my call is <1 SENTENCE OF HOW YOU CAN HELP THEM> 

For Vouris it would be: “We help to improve the performance of inside sales teams with a proven strategy and process.”

I think we can help you, but I’m not 100% sure. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions and let you decide if we should chat?”

Cold calling is all about buying time with the prospect.

If they agree to continue the conversation with you then you buy more time to move towards an appointment or a sale.

At this point if they say no, you can try to see if there is a better time to call them, or get their email and send through some information or a link to book an appointment.

Let’s see what happens if the prospect agrees to chat

They say: “Sure.”

You say: “Thanks for the time. Typically we <2 DIFFERENT SINGLE SENTENCE VALUE PROPOSITIONS OF HOW YOU CAN HELP THEM>

For Vouris it would be: “we help start up companies whose inside sales teams are struggling with creating a predictable flow of opportunities. Or. they are producing a predictable flow of opportunities but the number of opportunities needs to be higher.”

I’m curious, which one of those resonate with you?

By giving the prospect two options, we can guide the direction of the call.

This part is called The Path because we are leading our prospects on a journey to find the best product/service for them.

Calling and just trying to book a meeting straight away will get a much lower number of people saying yes.

Once we identify the prospect’s problem, it becomes much easier to get them to agree to a meeting as we match our solution to their problem.

Part 3: Finding a Gap

These two value propositions now get a response:

They say: “Yes. We don’t have a predictable flow of opportunities”

You say: “Let me ask. Why do you think that is?”

Now you let your prospect talk.

We want to find a gap where we can get them interested in our solution and book an appointment.

After you let them talk about the reasons why they think that is, you can begin to drill down to what they really want and aren’t getting.

At Vouris, we help sales teams increase sales, so we would drill down into those numbers.

We say: “How many sales appointments are you getting a week?”

They say: “10”

We say: “What does that number need to be for you?”

They say: “20”

That’s the gap! Since they're at 10 appointments and they need to get to 20, you've just uncovered a specific gap between where they are and where they want to be.

This gap is where we explain our solution can be used, to help them get to where they want to be.

We can dig further as we prepare to make the ask with questions like:

• What have you tried? How did that work?
• What’s stopping you getting to where you need to be?
• Have you had any outside help to overcome this issue?

Part 4: The Ask

The answers to these questions will help you position your solution and tailor your ask to exactly what the prospect has said.

Now we can make the ask and set up a meeting.

You say: “Thanks for filling me in <NAME>. From what I heard, you are tring <WHAT THEY ARE TRYING> to get <WHATEVER VALUE PROPOSITION RESONATED WITH THEM>. Why don’t we do this. Let’s set up some time to have a conversation about our <YOUR PRODUCT/ SOLUTION> that will help you get <THEIR DESIRED RESULT>”

Does that sound fair?

They say: “Yes”

You say: “What’s your availability look like tomorrow?”

We love same day/next day appointments.

Not every company can do it, but the sooner the meeting the more likely you are still fresh in their mind, and they will actually show up.

Whatever your setup is, just make sure that you never give up on a cold call!

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That's it! That's the simple, 4-step script that I've used to book thousands of meetings and train hundreds B2B sales teams.

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Questions and Answers

What is a warm call vs cold call?

A cold call is a call where you are reaching out to a potential customer who has had no prior interaction with your business. They've never heard of you, aren't expecting your call, and you have no existing relationship. It’s a classic outbound sales strategy focused on generating new leads and building a pipeline from scratch.A warm call, on the other hand, is when you’re connecting with people who have already shown some interest in your business or solving the problem you solve. They might have downloaded a whitepaper from your website, engaged with a social media post, or been referred to you. Because there's a level of awareness of your brand, these calls are generally more welcome and have a higher success rate.

What are cold call questions?

Cold call questions are designed to uncover a gap between where the prospect is and where they want to be. Instead of pitching, you should be diagnosing. The conversation should be guided by questions that help you understand their world.

• Questions to understand the current state (Quantify):
  • "What is the current process for x?"
  • "How are you currently managing x?"
  • "How is your team doing with their KPIs?"
• Questions to identify the ideal state (Quantify):
  • "What would the ideal process look like?"
  • "How would you like things to work?"
  • "Where do you need the team's performance to be?"
• Questions to learn how they are trying to solve their problem:
  • "What have you tried to improve this?"
  • "What are you currently doing to solve this?"
  • "How do you think you could solve this?"

What is the best mindset for cold calling?

The best mindset for cold calling is one of confident energy. Right from the get-go, you want to sound positive and upbeat. Many people new to sales default to a timid, apologetic tone. Your energy is contagious. If you come across as positive and confident, you are much more likely to get a positive response. Remember, you are not an interruption; you are a potential solution. You are there to connect, be curious, and serve, not just to book a meeting.

How to make cold calling more enjoyable?

Here are a few ways to make cold calling more fun.

• Gamify the process: Turn your call list into a game. What used to do when I was an SDR is count my "no"s. I knew my math and if I got 10 "no"s I knew I was due to get a "yes." So count the knows and try to get them as fast as possible.
• Chunk it out: Instead of staring at a list of 50 names, break it down into smaller, manageable chunks. Aim to make 20 calls every hour. Accomplishing these mini-goals provides a small hit of dopamine, which motivates you to keep going.
• Celebrate the small wins: Don't just focus on booked meetings. Did you handle a tough objection well? Did you learn something new about a prospect's industry? Acknowledge and celebrate these small victories throughout the day.

What is your basic approach to a cold call as a setter?

The basic approach is a simple, 4-step structure designed to guide the conversation from introduction to a booked meeting.

1. Introduction: Start the conversation on the right foot with a confident and positive tone. Introduce yourself and your company.
2. The Path (The Golden Question): Give a quick, one-sentence pitch about how you help companies and then ask for permission to continue. This buys you time and warms up the prospect. You then guide them down a path by presenting two common problems you solve and asking which one resonates more.
3. Finding a Gap: Once the prospect identifies a problem, you dig deeper. Ask open-ended questions to understand their current situation, their ideal situation, and what’s stopping them from getting there. This is where you uncover the gap your solution can fill.
4. The Ask: Recap what you've learned, connect it to their desired result, and then ask for a meeting to discuss how your solution can help them bridge the gap.

What is the main goal of a cold call?

The main goal of a cold call is not to sell your product, but to sell the next step. In most cases, that next step is a meeting. Your immediate objective is to not get hung up on, build enough rapport and curiosity to identify a problem, and then secure a longer, more in depth conversation. You are selling time, and the "product" is a future meeting where the real selling can begin.

What is the framework for cold calling?

The framework for a successful cold call is built on four key parts that create a natural flow and guide the prospect on a journey:

1. Introduction: A confident and energetic opening.
2. The Path: A permission-based question to earn more time, followed by two value propositions to guide the conversation.
3. Finding a Gap: A series of diagnostic questions to uncover the space between the prospect's current state and their desired future state.
4. The Ask: A tailored request for a meeting that directly connects your solution to closing their identified gap.

How to survive cold calling?

Surviving cold calling is a mindset game. It requires resilience and a set of rituals to keep you going.

• Prime your state: Before you start dialing, change your physical state. Stand up, stretch, or listen to high-energy music. Your physiology shapes your psychology.
• Detach from the outcome: Set an intention to connect and be curious, not just to book meetings. When you stop chasing the result and focus on the person, you actually get better results and feel less pressure.
• Revisit your wins: Keep a "win folder" with screenshots of positive feedback or notes from happy clients. Before a call session, review it to remind yourself that you create value. This is a game-changer for confidence.
• Don't take it personally: Rejection is part of the process. It's not about you; it's about timing, budget, or a hundred other factors. Every "no" gets you closer to a "yes."

What shouldn't you say on a cold call?

• Don't be apologetic: Avoid phrases like "I'm sorry to bother you" or "Is now a bad time?" It immediately puts you in a subservient position.
• Don't use weak language: Phrases like "I was just wondering if..." or "Maybe we could..." sound timid. Be direct and confident.
• Don't pitch immediately: Calling and trying to book a meeting or sell your product straight away will get a very low success rate. Your first job is to earn the right to have a conversation.

Is 60 cold calls a day a lot?

No, typically we look for 100 calls a day per SDR.

Can you legally cold call?

Yes, in most cases, you can legally cold call businesses. However, there are regulations to be aware of, such as the "Do Not Call" registries, which primarily apply to B2C (business-to-consumer) calls. For B2B (business-to-business) calling, the rules are generally more relaxed, but it's crucial to be aware of industry-specific and regional regulations (like GDPR in Europe) regarding data privacy and consent.

How long should a cold call typically last?

The ideal length of a successful cold call that results in a booked meeting is typically between 3 and 5 minutes. The first 30 seconds are critical to capture interest, and the subsequent minutes are used for discovery and finding a gap. If a call goes much longer, it is most likely because the rep is talking too much about the product or service.