A Playbook for SDR Managers & Startup Founders
Cold calling is alive and kicking in 2025 – and it's winning deals for those who do it right. Despite rumors of its demise, phones remain a primary channel for reaching B2B decision-makers.
So who should care about cold calling in 2025? Sales Development Managers (who need to ramp their SDRs quickly and fill pipeline) and B2B Startup Founders (often acting as their own sales team in early days) are prime beneficiaries.
A phone call enables real-time dialog – you can hear tone, build rapport, and handle objections on the spot, which emails or LinkedIn messages can't match. Many C-level execs prefer phone calls for first contact because it's more personal and efficient than endless email threads.
When done consistently, cold calling reliably produces meetings and revenue. It still accounts for about 8% of all B2B sales – nearly a tenth of revenue you'd miss by avoiding the phone. Many teams report ~2-5% conversion from dial to meeting; that may sound low, but at 50+ dials a day it adds up to a steady flow of leads. Top teams even achieve 6-7% conversion by refining their approach.
Cold calls make your multi-channel outreach far more effective. Salespeople using a "triple touch" of phone, email, and LinkedIn see 28% higher lead conversion than those using only two channels. The phone is an integral part of a modern outbound cadence, not a standalone relic.
The playbook for cold calling has evolved beyond boiler-room tactics. It's now about smart targeting, personalization, and quality conversations. Reps today spend longer on successful cold calls (average call length has grown from ~83 seconds to 93 seconds as of 2025) – indicating prospects will engage when the conversation is relevant.
Successful cold calling starts between the ears. The mindset and daily habits of your team set the foundation for success long before they hear the first "hello." So what makes a great cold caller in 2025? In a word: grit.
Cold calling can be emotionally tough – even veterans feel a twinge of fear of rejection before dialing. It's normal. That fight-or-flight adrenaline response (racing heart, sweaty palms, nerves) is actually your body's way of saying this is important to you. Great cold callers acknowledge the butterflies but don't let them cripple them.
Reframe rejection as progress: If it takes ~6 call attempts on average to reach a live prospect, each voicemail or hang-up is progress. Use rejection as fuel!
On a cold call, your tone and energy often matter more than your exact words. Train your reps to exude confidence from the first second. Confidence doesn't mean being pushy or aggressive; it means sounding like you believe in the value you're offering and that you deserve the prospect's time.
Rejection rolls off them like rain off a raincoat. They don't take it personally when a prospect is curt or uninterested. Instead of getting discouraged, they literally write it down and move on.
The best callers are genuinely curious about their prospects' world. They ask questions and listen more than they pitch. This curiosity turns calls into conversations rather than monologues.
Cold calling success is a numbers game to an extent, which requires consistent activity. Star SDRs have a disciplined daily routine – they make a certain number of calls no matter what. They time-block their call sessions and don't stop until they hit their target dials.
Great cold callers are coachable – they crave feedback and actively seek to get better. They're willing to role-play, try new tactics, and aren't defensive about constructive criticism.
"Winging it" is not a strategy. Successful callers do a bit of homework on who they're calling and why. They define their plan for each call block and know exactly why they're calling each prospect and what outcome they want, before the call starts.
With the right mindset in place, let's talk infrastructure. Successful cold calling in 2025 requires more than a phone and a list of names scribbled on a notepad. You need a solid tech stack, high-quality data to call, and a firm handle on compliance.
First, you'll want a proper dialing system. Most teams use a power dialer or auto-dialer integrated with their CRM. Modern parallel dialers use AI to call multiple numbers at once and connect reps only when a human picks up – allowing up to 150 dials per hour, connecting to 7–10 live prospects every hour.
Use a CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.) or sales engagement platform to track calls, outcomes, and follow-ups. Every call should be logged with a disposition (e.g. "Connected – not interested," "Left voicemail," "Meeting booked for 10/12").
Your results will only be as good as the list you dial. In fact, the list is your strategy. A tight Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) definition is crucial so you focus on prospects who genuinely likely need your solution.
Tools like ZoomInfo, Cognism, Apollo, Lusha, or Clearbit can provide direct dials and cell numbers for prospects in your target. These can be pricey, but they save tons of research time and often yield direct mobile numbers which have much higher pickup rates.
A fantastic manual approach is using Sales Navigator to search for people who meet your ICP and then using tools to find their phone numbers. This route yields very tailored lists, though you'll want to validate the phone numbers.
Don't forget any leads you already have – perhaps from sign-ups, events, downloads. Even if they went cold, a phone call can re-engage interest. These are "warm" cold calls since they've interacted with your company before.
Using a VoIP phone system or dialer that records calls is invaluable for coaching. Even better, leverage AI conversation intelligence tools that transcribe and analyze calls. For example, Audiotrack.ai is a powerful coaching tool that ingests every call recording and scores reps on script adherence and objection handling, giving managers AI-driven feedback.
Have a system for reps to easily access call scripts, value props, common objection responses, etc. Whether it's a Google Doc, a page in your sales enablement tool, or built into the dialer software, reps should never be scrambling to remember "what's our pricing again?" in the middle of a call.
Don't skip compliance! Cold calling is legal for B2B, but heavily regulated. As an SDR manager/founder, you must ensure your team follows telemarketing laws to avoid nasty fines.
In the U.S., the National Do Not Call Registry applies primarily to consumer phone numbers, but many of your B2B contacts will be on it if they used a personal cell or home number. Use a tool or service to scrub your call lists against the DNC registry at least every 30 days.
U.S. law (TCPA/TSR) prohibits telemarketing calls before 8:00 AM or after 9:00 PM local time of the person being called. Stick to normal business hours for the prospect and you're fine.
Always ensure your caller ID information is accurate. When someone answers, your rep should immediately identify themselves and the company. e.g. "Hi, this is John with Acme Corp."
New FCC rules in 2024 classify AI-generated or prerecorded cold calls as illegal without prior express written consent. The safest route in B2B: have a human dial and talk each time.
The cold caller's toolbox in 2025 is packed with tech and resources that can supercharge performance. While the telephone and your voice are the core instruments, leveraging modern sales tools can provide a serious edge.
One of the most exciting developments is AI-driven coaching tools that analyze calls and give instant feedback to reps and managers. For example, AudioTrack.ai is a cutting-edge resource that automatically ingests all your call recordings, analyzes them for how well reps follow the script and handle objections, and then delivers managers an "instant coaching dashboard."
Provide your team with a repository of resources to sharpen their skills and knowledge. This includes call scripts, objection handling cheat sheets, product one-pagers, case studies, etc. Some teams even create an internal "Call of Fame" library of exemplary call recordings by their own reps.
A good contact data tool (ZoomInfo, Apollo, Seamless.AI etc.) is a huge resource. Additionally, tools that help research the prospect quickly before calling can boost call quality. Even a 30-second glance at a prospect's LinkedIn or recent press release can provide a personalized hook for your call.
Ensure whatever dialer you use maximizes live conversations and minimizes downtime. Features like auto-voicemail drop (leaving a standardized voicemail while immediately moving to the next call) can save hours. Local presence dialing (calling from a number with the prospect's area code) can increase pickup rates.
Having the right tools will get you to the starting line – but what really counts is what your reps say and how they navigate the conversation once a prospect picks up.
The first 10 seconds of a cold call make or break your success. The prospect is deciding whether to engage or brush you off almost immediately. A great opener accomplishes two things: 1) disarms the prospect's guard and 2) piques their interest to keep listening.
"Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] with Acme Corp. Do you have a minute for a quick call or is now a bad time?"
This classic opener shows respect for their time and often diffuses knee-jerk rejections. Giving someone an easy out can make them more willing to hear you out.
"Hi [Name], how are you doing today?"
A Gong study found that asking "How are you?" at the start of a cold call increased success rates by 10%. It humanizes the interaction.
"Hi [Name], this is [Rep] at Acme – we help CFOs at manufacturing companies reduce operational costs by 15% on average. Quick question: are you open to new ways to cut costs or should I hang up now?"
This opener immediately tells them what's in it for them and uses a bit of pattern interrupt/humor.
You've already captured Attention with your opener. Next, build Interest by probing their situation: ask questions to uncover if they have the problem you solve. Then stoke Desire by mapping your solution to their needs. Finally, drive Action by clearly suggesting the next step.
Ask one quick Situation question to understand context. Then a Problem question to surface a pain. If they acknowledge a problem, follow with an Implication question that magnifies the pain. Then deliver a Need-Payoff statement linking to your solution.
"Totally understand – you aren't interested right now. Most of my customers felt the same initially. Would it be okay if I took 20 seconds to share why others have found this valuable, and then you can decide if it's relevant to you?"
"Makes sense – a lot of our clients were already using something when I called. I'm not asking you to rip anything out, but we've developed a different approach that [differentiator]. Out of curiosity, how happy are you with the current solution?"
"I know you're busy – I'd hate to interrupt your day. Can I take 25 seconds to tell you why I called, and if it's not relevant, I'll happily call back another time?"
"This has been great – I think the best next step is to schedule a 20-minute demo so we can show you X in detail and see if it fits. How does next Tuesday at 10:00 AM look on your calendar?"
Suggesting a specific time is powerful – it helps them check calendar immediately and avoids endless back-and-forth. The key is to be confident and clear that a meeting is the logical next step.
Even the best scripts and tools won't yield results if your team isn't trained and coached effectively. Cold calling is a skill – one that can be coached, practiced, and improved continuously.
When bringing on a new SDR, start with the fundamentals: product knowledge, ICP/pain points, and the call framework. Have newbies listen to lots of example calls – both recordings of your best callers and even live if possible.
Many phone systems allow managers to silently listen to live calls and even "whisper" feedback to the rep without the prospect hearing. This can be great for real-time rescue but use sparingly to avoid distracting the rep.
Try to debrief as soon as possible after a call or call block. Quick feedback while it's fresh is golden. This immediate loop helps them incorporate the feedback on their very next calls.
Sometimes call together. As a manager, making calls yourself in front of your team is powerful training by example. It shows you're in the trenches with them and speeds up learning.
A cold call scorecard is a fantastic coaching tool to standardize what "good" looks like. It breaks the call into key components you can score, like:
Each can be scored 1-5. By scoring calls, you turn what can be fuzzy feedback into objective metrics.
It's tempting to fixate only on the outcome (meetings booked). But especially in cold calling, results lag behind behaviors. A newbie might not book anything their first week, but if their call execution is improving, that's progress.
Make call coaching a frequent, consistent activity, not a once-a-quarter check-the-box. Many top orgs do weekly call reviews – either 1:1 or as a team meeting. Consider implementing a brief daily stand-up where reps share a quick win or challenge from yesterday's calls.
Even for experienced reps, role-playing tough scenarios is like an athlete's practice drills. It keeps them sharp. Do team role-play drills: pair reps to practice the opener over and over until it's second nature, or have a session just on objection handling.
Once your cold calling engine is up and running, the work isn't done. The best SDR teams treat outbound like a science: they measure everything, analyze patterns, and run experiments to continuously improve results.
How many calls are reps making? (Activity volume)
% of calls that reach a human (e.g. 5 connects out of 50 dials = 10% connect rate). Track this by time of day and day of week too, as patterns will emerge. Industry connect rates for cold calls might range ~5-15% depending on numbers dialed.
% of calls that turn into a meaningful conversation (beyond a quick brushoff). The length of call is a good proxy: calls that last beyond the first minute likely mean some engagement.
Out of live conversations, how many result in a scheduled meeting or agreed follow-up? This is the money metric. Industry-wise, cold call to meeting conversion might hover ~2-10% depending on lead quality and skill.
Use data to find your own "sweet spots" for calling. While studies suggest Tuesday is the best day for booking meetings and 10-11am and 2-3pm are best times to call, your mileage may vary by industry.
Try two different opening strategies and see which yields longer calls or more meetings. Over a few hundred calls, compare conversion rates. If one clearly wins, roll it out to everyone.
Test the effect of combining email and calls in different sequences. E.g., does sending an intro email first, then calling, yield better results than calling first then emailing?
If your product has multiple benefits, try leading with different ones on separate call sets. For instance, half the calls you lead with "save money," the other half lead with "increase productivity," and see which resonates more.
Performance optimization isn't a one-time project – bake it into your team culture. Perhaps set a monthly theme based on metrics (e.g., "April: Increase average call length" or "June: Focus on follow-up persistence").
Also analyze successful call patterns: do they tend to occur after a certain number of call attempts? Data often shows it takes multiple attempts to reach a prospect – making 6+ attempts can increase contact rates significantly (up to 70% higher than if you stopped at 1-2 attempts).
Cold calling works even better when it's not done in a silo. In modern B2B sales, a multi-channel approach is essential to maximize your chances of reaching and engaging prospects.
Buyers are busy and have varying preferences. Some people never answer calls but will reply to an email; others ignore email but will pick up a phone or respond on LinkedIn. Hitting multiple channels ensures you "show up where they are" during their day.
Integration doesn't mean copy-pasting the same message everywhere, but your themes should complement each other. For example, you might send a cold email introducing yourself on Day 1, then call on Day 2 referencing that email: "Hi, this is Sam from XYZ – I emailed yesterday about helping [company] reduce shipping costs. Wanted to follow up with a quick call."
Send a personalized cold email in the morning. Introduce yourself, highlight one key value point, and mention you will follow up by phone.
Call in the afternoon. If no answer, leave a brief voicemail referencing the email, then send a follow-up email referencing the call.
Send a connection request with a note: "Hi [Name], tried reaching you this week – totally understand you're busy. I share updates on [industry] on LinkedIn, thought it might be valuable to connect here."
Call again (attempt #2). Follow with a LinkedIn message instead of email: "Hi [Name], tried giving you a ring today. I know your time is valuable – if there's a better way or time to connect, let me know."
Multi-channel doesn't mean triple the spam. Be mindful not to overwhelm someone on all fronts in a single day. Spread touches out and if someone engages on one channel, respect that. Use the others to support, not to badger.
Key Takeaway: The phone is a powerful outreach method on its own, but it's exponentially more powerful when it's part of a harmonized outreach strategy. It's the classic 1+1+1 = 5 scenario – the channels reinforce each other for a compounding effect.
Cold calling in 2025 is alive, evolving, and extremely potent when done right. It's not the boiler-room game of yesteryear – it's a data-informed, highly personalized, multi-channel craft.
Cultivate a resilient, confident team culture. Great cold callers are made through practice, persistence, and coaching – not magic. Embrace the grind and celebrate the small wins. Every dial is progress.
Set your team up for success with the right tools (dialers, CRM, call recording) and high-quality targeted lists. Always play by the rules (DNC, call times, etc.) – a compliant operation builds trust and longevity.
Leverage technology like AI call analysis (e.g. Audiotrack.ai) to multiply your coaching impact, but never at the expense of genuine human connection. Use each tool with purpose – to free your reps up to sell smarter and have better conversations.
Provide reps with battle-tested frameworks (AIDA, SPIN, etc.) and tailored scripts for openers, pitches, objections, and closes. But encourage them to internalize and adapt – authenticity wins over rigid scripts.
Invest heavily in continuous coaching. Implement scorecards, listen to calls, role-play often, and create a feedback-rich environment. Turn every call (win or loss) into a learning moment. Coach behaviors, not just outcomes.
Track everything, analyze relentlessly, and iterate. Treat outbound like a scientific experiment – try new approaches, measure results, and double down on what works. Small tweaks can yield major gains when scaled.
Don't rely on cold calls alone – combine calls with emails and LinkedIn for a one-two-three punch. Prospects are more likely to respond when they've seen you across different mediums.
Above all, focus on the human element: cold calling is just a conversation between two people. Keep it casual, empathetic, and value-driven. Train your reps to really care about solving prospects' problems. That authentic helpfulness, paired with skillful execution, is unbeatable.
Cold calling still works in 2025 because human-to-human connection and proactive outreach will always have power in business. While others shy away thinking "cold calling is dead," you'll have a team confidently dialing, backed by data, strategy, and skill – turning cold calls into warm opportunities every day.
Now go forth and make some calls – the phone is waiting, and so are your future customers!