You don’t want to waste peoples’ time, and you certainly don’t want to waste your own. With a cold call script, sticking to the fundamentals is a good idea, especially early on.
Here are seven efficient and effective scripts you can use to get started. Plug in your company’s information, tweak the script so that it sounds natural for your reps, and then pick up the phone.
1. Cold call script for B2B sales
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Rep: Hi, this is [NAME] with [COMPANY], is [CONTACT] available? Contact: What do you want? Rep: Do you have two minutes to talk about how to improve your customer service with an upgraded CRM? Contact: Not really… Rep: No problem, I totally understand. Can I send you a quick email with a rundown of how our CRM increases first call resolution rates by 50% within the first month? |
This script is useful because it contains the core elements that any cold call needs to get off the ground — a transparent welcome, a quick statement of intent, and empathy throughout. The customer knows almost instantly what’s going on in the call, so when they say they’re not interested, the rep respects the decision and redirects to an email signup offer.
Notice that the script sneaks in another benefit to the customer as they pitch the email option — a 50% increase in first call resolution is attention-grabbing for someone running a call center. It increases customer satisfaction, decreases call queue times, and creates wider profit margins without having to hire a single new agent.
Say the person doesn’t believe the sales claim of 50% reduction — perfect. They’ll be primed to engage with the email, where your company’s case is laid out in as many words as you like. In the mean-time, your rep is already making more calls. Lead nurturing is part of B2B sales, and with this script, some fraction of contacts will enter the top of your sales funnel.
2. Script for B2C sales
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Rep: Hi, is this [CONTACT]? Contact: Yes, who’s calling? Rep: Hi [CONTACT], this is [NAME] from [COMPANY]. How are you doing today? Contact: Fine. Why are you calling? Rep: I’m calling because we’ve just launched our new VoIP phone service that I believe could be of interest to you. It’s designed to provide the same quality of calls you get with any major cell service at a much cheaper rate. Contact: I don’t really need that. Rep: I understand. Would you be open to hearing a bit more about how our [PRODUCT NAME] works and enables teams to collaborate compared to your current setup? |
This script continues on with the pattern of intro-context-empathy, but subtly steers the conversation away from price and towards improved collaboration.
In this case, the caller already knows that the service could be cheaper, so offering the idea of employee enablement fit could provide another reason to stay on the call. If the customer bites on this, there are already two strong reasons why they might want to close the sale.
And if not, reps should note the outcome of the interaction in the CRM software, and move on to the next contact. Keep the rhythm going, there are many calls to make. Consider using an outbound dialer to win the numbers game that is B2C cold outreach.
3. Cold intro script for qualifying leads
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Rep: Hi [CONTACT], this is [NAME] from [COMPANY]. How are you today? Contact: I’m fine. How can I help you? Rep: I’m reaching out because we specialize in helping businesses increase their customer satisfaction rates by using our CRM. Can I ask you a few questions to see if our solution might be a good fit for you? Contact: Actually, I’m quite satisfied with our current system. Rep: Oh that’s great! Can you tell me a little bit about what you like about it? |
This script might read like a sales script, but it’s actually designed to qualify leads. For example, if the contact hears about the CRM and isn’t interested at all, it’s a sign that they could be the wrong fit — especially if they respond by saying that they don’t have anything to do with CRMs.
However, since the contact in this example indicated CRM knowledge, this tells the rep that they could be both a decision-maker and a quality lead for the future.
The redirect after the objection is similarly well done. Instead of being disappointed by a lead that says they’re not interested, the rep redirects the conversation to acknowledge the contact’s answer in a positive way while also giving the floor right back to them.
This makes the contact feel respected and also gives the rep a chance to gather important information about what other CRMs are doing well and how their customers feel about them.
4. Cold call script to pitch a product or service
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Rep: Hi, this is [NAME] from [COMPANY], I’m calling to talk to you about our new [PRODUCT] package that increases employee efficiency and customer satisfaction. Contact: No thanks. Rep: Right, nobody likes getting a cold call. May I ask you one question before we go? Contact: Sure… Rep: Do you absolutely love your current [PRODUCT], or does it work just good enough? |
This script is a good example of how to deal with an uninterested customer. It establishes intent right off the bat so the customer knows what’s going on, and it also gives them a mini sales pitch in the first sentence.
When they indicate their lack of interest, the rep takes it in stride before asking for permission to make one more request. When the contact grants it, they ask a question that moves the conversation into the realm of feelings, which may give the rep a chance to engage in emotional selling techniques. This is often a more fruitful strategy than trying to win people over with sterile data about tech specs, features, costs etc.
Worst case scenario, they’ll walk away with valuable information about a competitor’s product and what matters most about it. Sure the data is anecdotal, but with CRM integration, storing such call information is easy — analyzing this data at scale can yield rich insights into customer sentiment, buyer trends, product roadmap ideas, and so on.
5. Script for leaving a voicemail
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Rep: Hi [CONTACT], this is [NAME] from [COMPANY]. I wanted to touch base briefly about our CRM software because of how it could benefit your company. I’d love to see your organization get the same increases in customer satisfaction and ROI that our current customers experience since making the switch to our CRM. Please give me a call back at [NUMBER] when you get a chance. |
This one’s short and sweet, as voicemails should be. It includes the most relevant information right up front and gives the person on the other end a compelling reason to call back.
There’s also some subtle language in the end that’s particularly valuable. Instead of saying “Feel free to give me a call back,” it says, “Please give me a call back.”
This little difference makes the request more direct and explicit, potentially increasing the chances of getting a callback.
Note: voicemail is not always the best option. Ending the call and updating the status to “try again in X days” is fine, even preferable in some circumstances. Alternatively, you could use an auto dialer that allows you to leave voicemails automatically or won’t connect an agent without a live caller. Using the right type of dialer is the best way to increase the volume and precision of cold outreach over the phone.
6. Cold call script for donations
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Rep: Hi [CONTACT], this is [NAME] calling from [ORGANIZATION]. How are you today? Contact: I’m alright, thanks. What can I do for you? Rep: I’m reaching out in support of [CAUSE], as we’re currently raising funds on its behalf. I understand that you may receive many requests like this, so I don’t want to take up too much of your time. Would it be all right if I shared more about the cause? Contact: I’ve actually already donated. Rep: That’s wonderful, thank you so much! We really appreciate your generosity, and would love to show you first-hand. Would you be interested in volunteering at our next event? |
This call leads with empathy, which is especially important in a fundraising setting, as you’re attempting to make the contact feel like you both are on the same team. It also follows the standard protocol of stating the intent clearly and immediately, and it demonstrates respect for the contact by asking permission to go into more details.
When the contact comes back with a common “I already donated” response, the rep neither presses them for an additional donation nor gives up on the call. Instead, they reroute the conversation with a secondary call to action that applauds the contact’s generosity.
This is more than just a nice way of saying thanks, and could lead to the contact donating some of their time to your cause. You don’t need to have a specific event in mind to ask this question — whether someone is willing and able to volunteer is important information that should be recorded in a nonprofit organization’s CRM software.
7. Cold intro script for an angry contact
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Rep: Hi, this is [NAME] from [COMPANY], am I speaking with [CONTACT]? Contact: Yes. What do you want? Rep: It sounds like you might be busy, did I catch you at a bad time? Contact: No, this is just, like, the fifth phone call I’ve gotten about this and I’m tired of hearing about it. Rep: That sounds frustrating. If you’re open to it, I’d like to make this call worth your time. Would you be willing to share what specifically bothers you about these calls? |
Many people feel annoyed when answering unsolicited calls, so it’s important to acknowledge their feelings instead of trying to plow through. This rep observes the hasty tone in the contact’s voice right away and asks them if it’s a bad time to talk.
When the contact tells them what’s been going on, the rep empathizes and immediately talks about how they can make this experience different.
Furthermore, they also give the contact an opportunity to vent, which the customer will likely take. After they’ve expressed their feelings, the rep could have a new opportunity to sell to them — assuming they don’t ask to be put on the Do Not Call list.