4 Cold Call Openers That Crush

Why 57% of C-level and VP buyers actually prefer cold calling

A special thanks to today’s sponsor, Hubspot - Get 51 Tips for Social Selling on LinkedIn (for free).

Good Morning! OpenAI announced their new ‘12 Days of Shipmas’ event where they’ll be launching a new product or feature for 12 days straight. And it got us thinking… What if we did ‘12 Days of Sellingmas’? But then we remembered that we’re selling every day (and ‘Sellingmas’ doesn’t have the same ring to it). Anyways, back to business. Enjoy today’s Follow Up. 😅 

  • 4 proven cold call openers 📞 

  • 51 Tips for Social Selling on LinkedIn ✍️ 

  • Ask for feedback → answered email ⌛️ 

  • Over 50% of LinkedIn posts are now AI 👀 

  • Sales jobs & a meme 😂

4 Proven Cold Call Openers You Should Be Using

Look... we know that no one likes cold calling.

It's uncomfortable and comes with a lot of rejection.

But the truth is… it works.

Anyone can set up an email campaign and blast 1,000 messages.

Picking up the phone and getting someone to actually listen? Not so easy.

A study found that 57% of C-level and VP buyers actually prefer cold calling as a first touchpoint. And because it's not as easy as cold emailing, it's naturally less crowded.

So today, we’re looking at 4 cold call openers that are crushing right now. 👇️ 

1. State the Obvious

Prospects can smell a cold call from a mile away. So why try to hide it?

‘Hey, this is Bob from Bob's Mattress Factory, and yes, this is a cold call. If you want to hang up, I totally get it. But if you don’t, could I have 20 seconds to explain why I'm calling?

This approach works because it disarms people with complete transparency.

By acknowledging the cold call upfront and giving the prospect control, which in turn, makes them more likely to listen. The honesty cuts through the typical sales noise and creates an unexpected pattern interrupt.

2. The Trigger Approach

Find a specific, timely reason for your call that shows you've done homework.

Hi Charles - I noticed on LinkedIn that your team is hiring an engineer. I have an idea I wanted to run by you...

The trigger approach demonstrates that you're not just randomly dialing, but have a genuine reason for reaching out. And when you bring up something that is timely or top of mind to the prospect, you’re more likely to pique their interest.

3. Ask for Help

Humans are wired to be helpful. So use that to your advantage.

Hey Cindy - I'm hoping you can help me out. I'm trying to reach the person in charge of payroll, and I thought that might be you?

This opener works because it taps into people's natural desire to be helpful.

But make sure you don’t immediately pitch-slap your product after they respond. Ease into it and talk about what problem you help solve.

4. The Double Question Pattern Interrupt

Is this Bob?

(Prospect responds: "Yes, who is this?")

Hey Bob - this is Billy from The Mattress Factory. How's your day going?

The double question technique can start a casual conversation that breaks typical cold call patterns.

This approach increases engagement because it doesn't feel like a standard sales call, making people more likely to stay on the line and listen.

Remember: Cold calling isn't about tricking the prospect into saying ‘yes’ or agreeing to something they don’t want to. A good cold call is supposed to pique interest, provide value, and sell the next step.

Do you make cold calls?

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