Top Cold Calling Tips for Salespeople: Getting More Responses in Less Time

Cold calling isn’t for the faint of heart. I’ve made over 1,000 calls in a single quarter – and every time I pick up the phone, it’s a fresh game. You get hung up on. Doors slammed, voicemails ignored. But let’s get REAL: the people who win in sales are the ones who KEEP DIALING and LEARN from the bruises.

Here’s what actually works (and what most people get dead wrong):

1. Time Your Calls For Maximum Impact

I don’t waste time calling Mondays before noon or Fridays after lunch. Data doesn’t lie – average connect rate on Mondays at 10 AM is 4%. On Tuesdays at 9:15 AM? Jumps to 12%.
Aim for 8:45-10:15 AM and 4:15-5:00 PM. Use a single-line dialer like TitanX or Koncert Priority Queue. Don’t batch dial and pray – be STRATEGIC.

2. Keep It Short, Purposeful, and Friendly

My best opener: “Hey, this is Jennifer Frost. Can I borrow 27 seconds?”
If you ramble, you lose. Jobs get busy. Say WHO you are, WHY you’re calling, and WHAT’S IN IT for them – all before they think about an excuse to hang up.
My average first call is 1:52 minutes. DON’T pitch – get curiosity. Book the meeting, then get into details.

3. Use Specific Days & Times to Boost Your Odds

Wednesdays = GOLD. Last month, 41% of live connects came on Wednesdays.
If you get voicemail on the first try, CALL BACK same day at 4:30 PM. People’s energy changes throughout the day.
ALWAYS use P1 Best number if you have it. Don’t waste time with main lines or hunting through the directory.

4. Know When To Move On

You’re not a telemarketer from 1997. If you call three times, different times/days, and get crickets? Stop.
My rule: Three touches in 48 hours, then cross them off. Spend your energy where you can actually win.

How To Work The 3-Touch Rule

Here’s the move: Call at 9:15 AM. If no answer, call again same day at 4:30 PM. Still no answer? Third call next morning 8:45 AM.
Out of 200 prospects I hit last quarter with this cadence, I got 39 connections (that’s 19.5%).

Don’t hammer a prospect twelve times over three weeks. You look desperate. You look like you don’t value your own time.

Developing a Resilient Mindset

You’ll get more voicemails than live calls. It’s not YOU – it’s the law of big numbers.
Rejection is normal. Prospects are busy, not angry. Don’t take it personally; just log it, adjust, and keep moving.

Track EVERYTHING

I break it down daily: Calls made, connects, voicemails, meetings booked. If your tool doesn’t show you this, get a new one.
Every 100 dials, stop and review. What script gets better pick-up? Are certain job titles answering more? Adapt.
Example: Last year, switching my opener netted 6 more meetings per week. TRACKING matters.

Key Takeaways

Be strategic with your timing and cadence. The right call at the right moment beats brute force.
Keep calls short and focused – you’re interrupting their day, so make it count.
Three well-timed touches are better than a dozen random ones.
Develop callus, not resentment. The winners keep dialing (and keep smiling).

Cold calling is TOUGH, but it’s still the FASTEST way to fill your calendar with real prospects. Block your time, use your tools, and attack the list. Don’t overthink it. You got this! Keep dialing!