Stop Saying 'How Are You Today?' and 4 Other Cold Calling Phrases That Kill Your Success

The 3-Second Decision

Here's something most sales trainers won't tell you: Prospects decide whether to hang up on you in the first THREE SECONDS of a cold call. You blow it in that tiny window, it's game over. I recorded 150 calls last week—caught myself dropping these killer phrases more than I want to admit. It’s easy to fall back into robot mode if you aren’t paying attention.

The Robot Problem

Why do smart salespeople sound so generic? Humans are pattern-recognition machines. The second your opener matches a telemarketer script, they slam the mental door shut. What feels “professional” or safe to you sounds fake and desperate to them. Time to snap out of it.

The 5 Phrases That Kill Your Cold Calls

1. "How Are You Today?"

Why It Fails:

• THE #1 telemarketer tip-off in history
• Forces a fake conversation that nobody wants
• Wastes seconds—credibility killer
• Awkward pause city

Say THIS Instead:

• "Hi Alex, this is Jennifer Frost at Cold Calling Unlimited. I know I'm catching you out of the blue..."
• "Hi Taylor, I'm calling because..."
• Steer straight, honest, and RESPECT their time

2. "I'm Not Trying to Sell You Anything"

Why It Fails:

• You ARE trying to sell (quit kidding yourself)
• Kills trust dead on arrival
• Prospects think, "Then why is this stranger calling me?"

Say THIS Instead:

• "I’m calling to see if what we do might be useful to you."
• "I have something that’s helped companies like yours, and I wanted to run it by you."
• Own your reason—don’t apologize.

3. "Can I Have Just 30 Seconds of Your Time?"

Why It Fails:

• Everyone knows it’s never JUST 30 seconds
• Sets up a little lie right away
• "No" is the easiest answer in the world
• Now you’re fighting an uphill battle

Say THIS Instead:

• "Do you have a minute to hear why I’m calling?"
• "Is this a bad time or can I give you the quick version?"
• Be honest about the ask

4. "I Was Just Calling to Touch Base"

Why It Fails:

• Pure fluff—no meat, no message
• Screams “I have zero reason for this call”
• Time-waster alert

Say THIS Instead:

• "I see you’re hiring for three new roles—companies usually hit this challenge when they grow that fast."
• "I’m reaching out because I noticed your recent location expansion and wanted to share how others handled the scaling pain."
• Anchor your call to SOMETHING REAL

5. "Did I Catch You at a Bad Time?"

Why It Fails:

• Basically BEGS them to bail
• You’re teeing up your own rejection
• Paints you as an interruption, not a value-add

Say THIS Instead:

• "Is this a good time to talk for a minute?"
• If they sound rushed, try: "Happy to call back if this isn’t ideal—what works better?"
• Start with confidence, then give them an easy out if they need it

The Psychology Behind Better Openers

Pattern Interruption

Ditching these phrases is like dropping a grenade in the prospect’s mental script. You grab attention because you’re UNEXPECTED. Direct. Honest. That’s what gets conversations.

Respect and Authority

Be confident, but always real about their time. Authentic beats slick any day. Show you get their world, not just your pitch.

The New Cold Calling Framework

Step 1: Honest Intro (5-10 seconds)

• Name, company, and shred of credibility
• Example: "Hi Jordan, it’s Jennifer Frost with Cold Calling Unlimited. We help SaaS teams book 2X more demos."

Step 2: Relevance Bridge (10-15 seconds)

• Why them? Show you did your homework
• Example: "Saw your team just added five AEs in Chicago—most teams hit a wall booking those first meetings."

Step 3: Permission to Continue (5 seconds)

• "Does that sound familiar? Worth chatting a sec?"

Step 4: Value Prop (20-30 seconds)

• Outcome, not features
• "We use Koncert’s multi-line dialer + custom scripts to double connect rates for high-growth SaaS."

Industry-Specific Examples

Technology

• Bad: "How are you today? I'm not trying to sell you anything."
• Good: "Hi John, this is Lisa at CyberSecure. I’m calling because software companies your size lose $50K per security incident. I wanted to share how we slash that risk."

Manufacturing

• Bad: "Did I catch you at a bad time? I was just calling to touch base."
• Good: "Hi Maria, it’s Tom from EfficiencyPro. Saw your expansion—when companies grow this fast, production bottlenecks get brutal. We fix that."

Bottom Line

If you sound like a robot, you’ll get treated like spam—period. Challenge yourself: Record your calls for one full day. Count how many times you slip into auto-mode. Then rework your openers using this framework. Track your results. I guarantee you’ll see lifts in talk time and positive replies. The numbers never lie—last week I got a 28% increase in live conversations just by ditching these 5 phrases.

Cold calling is tough, but you’re tougher. Use these tactics and keep dialing. You got this!