Top 10 Cold Call Opening Lines

Don’t know how to start a sales conversation over the phone?

Well, no need to worry, we’ve got your back!

In this article, we will take a look at some of the best ways to open a sales call and the top 10, best cold call opening lines.

But first, what is cold calling?

In cold calling, salespeople reach out to leads who haven’t previously expressed interest in your products or services. As there is no prior established communication, your prospect won’t be expecting the call.

Cold calling normally refers to telemarketing, but it can also involve in-person visits, like with door-to-door salespeople.

Contact information for cold calls is typically collected by searching and piecing together information from public records. Additionally, you can also purchase contact lists from list brokers, if need be.

Read about the difference between B2B and B2C Cold Calling.

Why are cold calls important?

Cold calling allows you to continuously add new prospects to your pipeline of selling opportunities. 

Cold-call-generated prospects tend to be quite different from ones you would find via inbound methods. As a result, they complement different lead generation strategies. Thus, this gives your pipeline both buyer-generated as well as seller-generated leads.

It must be noted that the effectiveness of cold calling is often called into question. This is due to how time-consuming the practice is and the number of negative responses outweighing positive ones.

However, there are also many benefits. For example, personal connection, immediate feedback response, lower chances of you being ignored, and accessibility. 

Moreover, for newer companies, it provides an affordable way of generating contacts and informing potential customers.

10 Best Cold Call Opening Lines

Sales professionals may consider cold calls to be quite challenging. But, with adequate prep and strong opening lines, they can be a highly effective technique.

So without further ado, let us take a look at some of the best cold call opening lines…

#1 – “Hello! This is [your name] from [company]. I didn’t happen to catch you at a bad time, did I?”

Here, the sales rep immediately introduces themselves and the company. The second sentence also demonstrates that you appear considerate of the prospective customer’s time. 

They may appreciate this and as such, you have set the tone for an open and friendly conversation.

#2 – “Hi Jay! This is [your name] from [company]. I was wondering if you would be able to help me out for a moment?”

Here, you are asking for your prospect’s help. This is effective as instead of asking for their time, you’re asking for their assistance. In this way, you’re more likely to get a positive response.

It is part of human nature to offer help when asked, and so you can use it for good in your opening line. Despite your prospect not knowing you personally, they are highly likely to respond positively. 

#3 – “Hi! This is [your name] with [company name]. Do you have 30 seconds to hear why [company product] could work for you?”

In this opening line, you, the sales rep quickly introduce yourself, your company and your product. This may help you catch the prospect’s attention early on in the phone call.

The salesperson then gives a potential time limit of 30 seconds for the phone call. As you’ve defined how long the expected duration of the call will be, this may appeal to busy people.

#4 – “Hello Jay! This is [your name] with [company name]. [Referral name] from [referral’s company]  mentioned that I should get in touch with you regarding how our company helped him in [relieving pain point]. I’d like to discuss how our solution could be helpful to your business. Is this a good time?”

In this scenario, you are mentioning a mutual contact. As a result, you’re more likely to get your prospect’s attention since you’re using a referral.

Overall, they will be more attentive and willing to listen to you. That is the kind of impact achieved from having a person they know in between.

#5 – “Hi Jay. How are you?”

In this case, you are asking about the welfare of your prospect. Using this line will make them feel that the call is from a colleague or friend.

They may reply with an ‘I am fine’ or even ask who you are. Either way, their response helps you take the conversation ahead and is an effective way in helping open a dialogue.

#6 – “Hello! I’m [your name] from [company]. I’m calling since we’ve recently helped [other business’ name] with [pain point], and we can help you too.”

You might not be able to find a referral for every prospect. But, it is likely that you will be dealing with your prospect’s competitor and you should take advantage of that.

Tell your prospects that their main competitor has solved a common problem of theirs with the help of your tool. If you tell them this, they’ll continue to listen to make sure they don’t miss out.

#7 – “Hi Jay! The reason that I’ve called you is…”

People who receive cold calls share the same thought, ‘Get to the point.’. In many cases, people won’t even actually listen to what you have to say until you disclose why you’re calling.

As such, telling them the reason directly can be highly productive in most cases. But, you must remember to be careful about how you phrase your reason.

You should keep it specific and target pain points. For example, “We help companies do X and Y to improve Z.” See, in this way, you’re talking about an issue that your prospect cares deeply about.

#8 – “Good evening, this is [your name] with [company name]. I’m calling because we at [company name] are committed to saving people like you time and money.”

Here, the sales representative introduces themself and their company and gives the reason why they are calling.

These details alone are enough to peak your prospect’s interest and extend the phone call. The sales rep also states the company’s mission. This may especially interest the prospective customer.

#9 – “Hi Jay, it’s our first time speaking. I was wondering if we could schedule a phone call next week.”

This is a rather straightforward and obvious approach but works because it is honest and direct. 

It makes you appear more trustworthy as you are laying all your cards on the table. You’re saying that this is a cold call, but that you don’t want to interrupt the prospect’s busy schedule.

After delivering this line, briefly pause to spark their curiosity. The prospect is highly likely to ask you, “About what?”. Subsequently, you will go on to explain what you plan to talk about in the future meeting. This is where you mention your products and services.

#10 – “Hello Jay, how have you been?”

At first glance, this opening line may appear controversial. However, it is said to perform the best statistically and is considered the best cold call intro by many.

A line like this is likely to confuse the prospect due to the fact that it implies they have met before. Especially after the truthfully honest “We’ve never spoken before” line, this may seem contradictory. But technically you aren’t lying either.

Moreover, if they’re in a good mood, they’re likely to even answer your question. But more importantly, they’ll ask about why you’ve called or how you know them. This then acts as the best way to open a sales call by setting the perfect ground for your pitch.

Also Read: Top 5 Cold Calling Script Examples of All Time

Conclusion

As you have seen, there are multiple different opening lines you can use when cold calling. However, as the opening line of a cold call is highly important, it is worth investing time into perfecting it. 

You have already seen the best cold call opening lines. Furthermore, you have also seen how some lines might draw more of your prospect’s attention than others. As such, you should try and use those lines more often.

Do remember to keep in mind and try to follow all the tips mentioned above and make cold calls the right way.