10 Best Cold Calling Scripts for 10 Crucial Situations

When on calls, sales reps will fall into situations where they cannot answer the customer’s question or can simply go blank if they don’t know how to react.

Yes, selling is dynamic and we cannot have a fixed answer to all the situations and questions from your potential clients. Yet, you can still have a script to fall back on as needed. Especially, when you’re still learning the ropes or product.

Here are ten situations and possible cold calling templates to personalize for your outreach.

1. Standard Outreach Call

A standard outreach call serves as an opportunity for you to connect with a prospect one-on-one and start to guide them toward the next step in the buying process. Before making this call, be sure to research the prospect and their business as an initial qualification measure.

By taking the time to research the call, you are setting yourself up for a more contextual, warm conversation. You can avoid wasting a prospect’s time by looking into the following data ahead of time using a data intelligence platform:

• Identifying their job title and current role expectations
• Exploring the company website and social accounts
• Identifying your prospect’s acquisition history
• Knowing team members, news, and timeline

Template:

Hi [prospect’s name], this is [your name] from [your company name].

I’ve been doing some research on [prospect’s company name], and I’d love to learn more about [common buyer persona challenges].

At [your company name] we work with people like you to help with [value proposition 1, value proposition 2, and value proposition 3.]

Is this something you think I could help with [common buyer persona challenges]?

Option 1: Yes, tell me more.

Great! [This is where you’re going to ask them to attend a demo or continue the conversation with an Account Executive or take whatever next steps are part of your sales process.]

Option 2: Hard no objection.

I understand. Is it ok if I send you a follow-up email to review at your convenience? Then I can connect with you tomorrow to answer any questions you have about it. [If yes, send the email and set a reminder to follow up. If no, thank them for their time and ask if there’s another point of contact they can connect you with. Make sure to include resources in the email that clearly explain what your company does and ask to continue the conversation].

2. Gatekeeper

The Gatekeeper is someone that screens and directs calls for a business. This person’s job title may be something along the lines of Administrative Assistant or Office Manager. Gatekeepers are already busy with a million tasks, so they may direct your call immediately. It’s also possible that they’ve been instructed to screen and deny sales calls. Always remain professional, polite and don’t hesitate to share more information about why you’re calling. Sometimes Gatekeepers can be an amazing internal resource to help you identify a better prospect to connect with.

Template:

Hi, I’m calling for [prospect’s name]. This is [your name] with [your company name].

Option 1: Gatekeeper transfers you directly.

[Follow Standard Outreach Call Script.]

Option 2: The gatekeeper asks what the call is regarding.

I’m following up on an email I sent [prospect’s name] regarding [product or service value proposition].

If the gatekeeper still doesn’t transfer the call, ask to leave a voicemail instead.

3. Discovery sales call

Discovery calls are meant to learn more about your prospect and their company to better qualify them as a potential customer. The key to a great discovery call is asking the right questions. If you’ve done some research on your prospect, try to ask highly specific questions. You’ll also want to steer clear of simple yes or no questions because the goal is to get your prospect comfortable and talking. Then you’ll be able to create detailed notes and ideally qualify them.

Template:

Hi [prospect’s name], this is [your name] from [your company name].

I’ve been doing some research on [prospect’s company name] and I just wanted to ask you a few questions about [common buyer persona challenges].
Example Discovery Questions:

• Are you experiencing any specific challenges with [common buyer persona challenges], and if so what are they exactly?
• What have you been trying to work around these challenges?
• Are you the best point of contact to discuss this with, or do you think other team members would need to be involved?
• What roadblocks have kept you from finding a better solution to [common buyer persona challenges]?
• What would your ideal solution look like?

Option 1: You get a lot of information from the prospect.

Thanks so much for answering these questions. I’d love to continue the conversation because I think [your company name] would be able to help you figure out a solution. [This where you’re going to ask them to attend a demo or continue the conversation with an Account Executive or take whatever next steps are part of your sales process.]

Option 2: Hard no objection.

I understand. Is it ok if I send you a follow-up email to review at your convenience? Then I can connect with you tomorrow to answer any questions you have about it. [If yes, send the email and set a reminder to follow up. If no, thank them for their time and ask if there’s another point of contact they can connect you with.]

4. Recommended by a mutual colleague

Recommendations are a great way to make a sales call feel a little warmer. Make sure to mention the connection in your introduction to establish rapport with the prospect. Also, always follow up with a thank you and maintain a connection with your recommenders because they may have more prospects for you in the future.

Template:

Hi [Prospect’s name]!

I was recommended by [mutual colleague’s name] to connect with you. I’ve been learning about [prospect’s company name] and I’d like to talk to you about [product or service value proposition]. Do you have a few minutes right now?

Option 1: Yes, tell me more. [Follow Standard Outreach Call Script]

Option 2: Hard no objection.

I understand. Is it ok if I send you a follow-up email to review at your convenience? Then I can connect with you tomorrow to answer any questions you have about it. [If yes, send the email and set a reminder to follow up. If no, thank them for their time and ask if there’s another point of contact they can connect you with.]

5. Asking for a connection

Sometimes it can seem impossible to get in touch with a prospect. Try reaching out to another team member in their organization and asking them to connect you. It never hurts to ask, and you may end up getting valuable information about the company from someone else.

Template:

Hi [referrer’s name], this is [your name] from [your company name].

I’ve been trying to connect with [prospect’s name] but I haven’t been able to get in touch yet. Do you think you could introduce me via email?

I’m trying to learn more about [common buyer persona challenges]. [Your company name] works with businesses like [prospect’s company name] to help with [value proposition 1, value proposition 2, and value proposition 3.]

Option 1: Yes, I’ll connect you.

Great! Thanks, [referrer’s name]. I’m going to send you an email with some information to share with [prospect’s name] ahead of the intro. I’ll be looking for that email. Have a great day!

Option 2: No.

I understand. Is it ok if I send you a follow-up email to review at your convenience? Then I can connect with you tomorrow to answer any questions you have about it. [If yes, send the email and set a reminder to follow up. If no, thank them for their time and ask if there’s another point of contact they can connect you with.]

If you still get a no, SalesIntel helps you find the human-verified direct work mobile dial of decision-makers.

6. Following up

Sales cadences vary, and a sales call may not be a sales rep’s first attempt to contact a prospect. If you’ve tried reaching them through email or connecting via social media let them know that you’re following up on previous outreach. There’s a good chance that the prospect may have noticed your previous connection attempts already.

Template:

Hi [prospect’s name], this is [your name] from [your company name].

Did you get a chance to take a look at the email I sent?

Option 1: Yes, I’d like to learn more. [Follow Discovery Call Script].

Option 2: Yes, but I’m not interested.

Ok, thanks for letting me know that. Just out of curiosity, can you let me know why you aren’t interested? [Try to use their answer to overcome this objection. If they won’t give you an answer, ask if it’s ok to send another email with additional information to review.]

7. Special promotion/offer for current clients

Promotional offers give you a little more to advertise when you’re reaching out for the first time. If your company has a free trial of a product or service or a significant discount, let your prospect know.

People love to feel like they’re getting a deal on purchases. A survey from RetailMeNot found that “four out of five (80 percent) said they feel encouraged to make a first-time purchase with a brand that is new to them if they found an offer or discount.” The right promo could be what turns a prospect into a customer.

Template:

Hi [prospect’s name], this is [your name] from [your company name].

At [your company name] we work with people like you to help with [value proposition 1, value proposition 2, and value proposition 3.]

Currently, we’re offering [state promotional offer]. I would like to help you take advantage of this limited-time offer. [This where you’re going to ask them to attend a demo or continue the conversation with an Account Executive or take whatever next steps are part of your sales process.]

Option 1: Yes, tell me more.

Great! [This where you’re going to ask them to attend a demo or continue the conversation with an Account Executive or take whatever next steps are part of your sales process.]

Option 2: Objection

I understand. Is it ok if I send you a follow-up email to review at your convenience? Then I can connect with you tomorrow to answer any questions you have about it. [If yes, send the email and set a reminder to follow up. If no, thank them for their time and ask if there’s another point of contact they can connect you with.]

8. Previously spoke with another team member at the prospect’s company

Sometimes a prospect that you’ve previously connected with may no longer be with the company or just go dark. This is normal and allows you to connect with another team member.

Make it known that you’ve already spoken with someone else. If there are any notes from the previous conversation ask the new prospect to confirm if your notes are up to date or if there have been any significant changes. The goal in this scenario is to keep the conversation going.

Template:

Hi [prospect’s name], this is [your name] from [Your company name]. I’ve spoken with [previous prospect’s name] before and wanted to continue this conversation with you.

[Begin following Standard Outreach Call Script. If there are any notes from the previous prospect make sure to use this in the conversation and ask discovery questions to confirm the notes are still relevant.]

9. Establishing a 1:1 connection

A great way to establish a connection with prospects is to do your homework and see what they’re interested in. Check out what they’re sharing and posting on their social media, see if they’ve been recognized for any big wins, or maybe see if there’s something you can relate to.

Remember, prospects are human beings too, and finding a way to connect with them on your calls can make them feel more comfortable about speaking to you.

Template:

Hi [prospect’s name], this is [your name] from [your company name]. We recently [connected on LinkedIn, followed each other on Twitter, followed each other on Instagram, etc.] and I loved your post about [Mention what the post was about and find one or two key things to call out].

This is exactly why I wanted to reach out to learn more about [prospect’s company name].

[Begin following Standard Outreach Call Script.]

10. Calling out a company win

If your prospect’s company has recently announced a big win like acquiring funding or launching a new product or service this is a great opportunity to congratulate them. Big wins often mean big changes. You may catch your prospect at the perfect time to get them to consider evaluating what you’re selling.

Follow their company on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, or Crunchbase to stay informed on major announcements.

Template:

Hi [prospect’s name], this is [your name] from [your company name]. I just heard the great news about [prospect’s company name]!

I know times like this are usually a great time to start evaluating new solutions, and I think [your company name] would be a great fit to help with at [your company name] we work with people like you to help with [value proposition 1, value proposition 2, and value proposition 3.]

[Begin following Standard Outreach Call Script.]

Final Thoughts: Prepare Your Personalize Script

The more you understand your customers and accounts, the easier it gets to start a laser-focused and engaging conversation. SalesIntel helps you do exactly that by giving you access to millions of human-verified data across industries. With SalesIntel, you can access email addresses and direct work mobile numbers of your prospects, technographic data, firmographic data, and buyer intent data for identifying ‘ready-to-buy’ prospects and be able to reach them with direct contact info.

So, start preparing your personalized cold calling script based on your enhanced understanding of your prospects.