Cold Call Scripts
Scripts for the first 30 seconds of a cold call, voicemails, and the pushback that comes right after the opener. Internalize the structure and say it in your own words. Prospects can hear reading.
For where calls fit in a multichannel cadence (timing, attempts, which tiers get calls) and the rules on Do Not Call lists and AI voice, see the cold-email skill's multichannel cadence reference and the prospecting skill's compliance reference.
The first 30 seconds
Four beats: who you are, why them, permission, a question.
- Name and company, plainly. No "How are you today?"
- The reason for this call, specific to them: the signal, the trigger, or the problem their segment has.
- Permission: acknowledge it's a cold call and ask for a short window.
- One question about their situation, so the call becomes a conversation.
Hi Priya, it's Sam from Acme. This is a cold call; can I take 30 seconds to tell you why I picked up the phone, and you tell me if it's worth continuing?
[yes]
You're hiring two SDRs this quarter. Teams scaling outbound like that usually find their bounce rate climbing before anyone notices, and it quietly hurts every inbox the new reps send from. How are you checking lists before they go into sequences today?
Openers to use and avoid
| Use | Avoid |
|---|---|
| A permission-based opener ("This is a cold call, can I have 30 seconds?") | "Did I catch you at a bad time?" (invites "yes"; call-analysis data ranks it among the worst openers) |
| A specific reason ("You just opened two growth roles") | "How are you today?" (signals a salesperson immediately) |
| Mentioning a peer company they'd recognize, if true | Pretending you've met, or "following up" on a conversation that didn't happen |
When they say yes to 30 seconds
Deliver the reason in two sentences and ask the question. Then listen. If there's a real problem, the goal of the call is a meeting, not a sale:
Sounds like it's worth a proper look. Would 20 minutes on Thursday work to go through how you're doing it now?
Pushback in the first minute
| They say | Respond |
|---|---|
| "I'm busy" | "Totally understand. Is there a better time this week, or should I send a two-line email instead?" |
| "Just send me an email" | "Will do. So I send something useful, is [the problem] on your plate this quarter or not really?" (The answer qualifies them either way) |
| "We already use [competitor]" | "Makes sense, most teams we talk to do. Out of curiosity, how's it handling [the one situation where you're stronger]?" |
| "Not interested" | "Fair enough. Is that because [the problem] isn't a priority, or you've got it covered?" Ask once, then let them go politely |
| "How did you get my number?" | Tell them the actual source, and offer to remove them. Then do it |
| "Who are you again?" | Restart with the name and the one-sentence reason, slower |
Never argue past a second no. Log the reason; it's useful for the weekly sequence review.
Voicemail
20–30 seconds. The goal is to make the follow-up email recognizable. A callback is a bonus.
Hi Priya, Sam from Acme. I'm calling because you're scaling the SDR team, and I had one idea on keeping new reps' lists clean before they start sending. I'll send a short email with it. Again, Sam from Acme.
Then send the email within minutes, with a subject line tying it to the call ("my voicemail").
Gatekeepers
Be direct and polite: name, company, who you're trying to reach, and a one-line reason. Ask the assistant for advice ("Is Priya the right person for outbound tooling, or is that someone else?"). They often know exactly who owns what.
Reviewing calls
Record calls where it's legal in both parties' locations (some US states and many countries require everyone's consent), and review a few each week:
- How long until the prospect spoke?
- Did the reason sound specific to them?
- Was there a clear next step?
Track dials, conversations, meetings, and the reasons people gave for saying no. The no-reasons tell you more about the offer than the meetings do.