Just Pick up the Damn Phone!

The age-old debate never seems to fade: How much should salespeople rely on cold calling?

On one side, you have those who believe every deal is found with a call. On the other side, you have those who believe that relentless cold calling is a waste of time, money, and energy preferring instead to nurture leads through other channels like email, content, and social selling.

Certainly there’s a balance to be struck as timing is everything. Relying too heavily on one or the other could leave big opportunities on the table..

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'Just pick up the damn phone!'

For some salespeople, the solution is simple: Pick up the phone, make the call, and close the deal. These are the salespeople who thrive on the hustle. They believe that each cold call is a chance to connect, build rapport, and make the sale happen.

Cold calling can be extremely effective if done right. But it’s more than dialing random numbers and hoping for the best, it’s about reaching out to leads who have shown some level of interest or are a good fit for your offering. In fact, according to SPOTIO, 69% of buyers say they’ve accepted cold calls from new providers in the past year. Cold calling can lead to solid conversations and opportunities, especially when your target audience is receptive.

Yet it comes with risk. An over-reliance on cold calling can quickly turn into a numbers game. Salespeople start treating every prospect as a "call to be made" rather than an individual who needs specific solutions. That can burn out salespeople and frustrate potential customers, who may feel bombarded by an impersonal approach.

As a typical IT Director in the UK will get between 10 and 20 sales calls a day and they will pick up a fraction of them.  You have to be sure you’re using the opportunity once they pick up to optimal effect so the potential buyer (most likely a long way in the future) has a great experience.

And what of the buyer experience? The greatest will have done a good job and have secured another meeting, but very many will be looking for another number to dial from because they've been blocked.

'Stop picking up the damn phone!'

On the flip side, some salespeople see cold calling as the enemy. They prefer to engage prospects through other methods, be it social selling, content marketing, or automated emails. Sometimes it's a handy excuse not to pick up the phone: they want to avoid the dreaded "rejection" that often accompanies cold calling, and they see social platforms or nurturing campaigns as more sustainable, scalable ways to generate leads.

Social selling, is proven to be an effective way to engage with prospects before ever picking up the phone. It’s less intrusive and allows for relationship-building over time. In fact, LinkedIn’s stats show that 78% of salespeople who engage in social selling outperform their peers who don't.

This approach in the right circumstances, builds trust and credibility so when a salesperson does eventually pick up the phone, it ought to be a much warmer conversation.

Bear in mind though, value and relevance is key here.  A typical IT Director in the UK might receive (conservatively) 5 to 20 connection requests weekly. It is less intrusive than a call, but then hitting them up with a pitch slap defeats the object. The nurture process needs to now kick in offering value and 'what’s in it' for them, not you.

Of course, you know that, so why is social selling not the holy grail?  Sales people get too comfortable in the nurturing phase. There’s a false sense of security in thinking that leads are ready to buy just because they’ve been sharing great messages on LinkedIn, or clicked on a few emails. Prospects may still be hesitant and need a personal touch which means a timely call is going to be needed at some point.

Salespeople who avoid cold calling often miss the window of opportunity to turn a warm lead into a customer. Without picking up the phone and asking the tough questions, they risk losing the chance to close the deal.  Those who do call, misread the signals and get way ahead of themselves. 

Finding the balance

Both approaches have merit, but the key lies in striking the right balance between them. A sales strategy that blends the human touch of cold calling with the relationship-building power of nurturing and social selling is ideal.

Here’s how you can make the most of both:

1. Warm up your leads before you call.  Instead of cold calling blindly, use marketing and social selling to warm up leads. Share insightful content (that helps them first, not selling to them), engage on social platforms, and get prospects familiar with your value. When you do pick up the phone, it’ll be a warm conversation, not a cold pitch.
2. Call with purpose, not just volume. If you’re going to pick up the phone, don’t do it just for the sake of activity. Have a reason for the call. Understand your lead’s pain points, and be ready to offer a solution. Make sure your call is part of an ongoing conversation, not an isolated attempt to 'sell'.
3. Know when to call and when to nurture. Some leads need to be nurtured with more information and relationship-building before they’re ready to talk. But others are ready to engage immediately. A combination of listening, observing, and knowing the right moment to call will save you from wasting time and effort.
4. Don’t over-rely on technology. While automated tools and email campaigns have their place, nothing beats a real conversation. If you’ve spent weeks nurturing a lead and you know interest is high, don’t let them slip away because you’re afraid to pick up the phone. Personal outreach is often what gets a deal over the finish line.

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Embrace both approaches

The real takeaway here is that there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. Salespeople need both strategies in tangent - and a whole lot more besides not least good brand awareness, great content and a ton of tech to help make sense of the engagement.  And definitely not forgetting the drive to make those calls and the wisdom to know when a more nurturing approach is needed.

So, the next time your boss is badgering you to  “just pick up the damn phone”, remember: It’s about balance. Use the right tool at the right time, and you’ll start seeing results that go beyond vanity metrics, all the way to real conversions.