Why you get no results cold calling
The more frequently a prospect is cold-called, the harder it becomes to book a meeting with them. However, with the right cold calling skills, you can still achieve strong results in most markets.
11/12/20264 min read
Cold Calling: Why It's Harder Than You Think (And How to Get Better Results)
Cold calling is a marketing channel like any other: the more people use it, the more saturated it becomes, and the harder it gets to book meetings.
However, by mastering the fundamentals of cold calling, you can still book meetings every day, even when targeting some of the hardest-to-reach prospects in your market.
Here are the key things you need to understand about cold calling, and why learning how to do it properly can be extremely valuable.
1. Cold Calling Isn't Equally Difficult in Every Market
I see a lot of cold calling coaches on LinkedIn and Instagram generating huge numbers of views, followers, and revenue by livestreaming their spectacular cold calling results: one meeting booked for every two or three calls.
In my opinion, that's dishonest, because results like these are generally only achievable when targeting prospects who are rarely approached through cold calling.
I know this firsthand because I sometimes achieve those kinds of conversion rates myself. But I can guarantee you one thing: you simply cannot maintain those results consistently.
These coaches make it seem as though their results are entirely due to their exceptional skills, and then use that perception to sell their coaching programs. In reality, a large part of their success comes from calling prospects that very few companies actively target, which means these people are naturally much more receptive to cold calls.
In other words, they're either targeting highly specialized, niche personas that fall within the target market of very few companies, or business owners and executives at small companies that nobody really prospects because, in theory, these companies don't have much budget.
I'vebeen working in cold calling full-time for several years, across a wide range of industries: IT companies, marketing agencies, IT services firms, SaaS startups, recruitment agencies, industrial businesses, and more.
And I can tell you this: every market is different, and every persona reacts differently to cold calling.
The level of difficulty varies enormously depending on how frequently the people you're calling are already being approached by salespeople like you.
For example, when targeting generalist C-level executives at companies with 30 or more employees, you'll typically encounter the following challenges:
Much lower pickup rates: only 10–30% of prospects actually answer their phones.
Frequent objections: sometimes prospects push back almost immediately after you introduce yourself.
Immediate hang-ups: some people will hang up within the first three seconds of the call.
This is particularly common when targeting:
Procurement Directors
Marketing, Communications and Media Directors
Technical Directors, CTOs and CIOs
HR Directors
CFOs and Finance Directors
And many others.
The reason is simple: because these executives have broad responsibilities and hold senior positions within relatively large companies (which theoretically means they have real budgets), they're constantly being cold-called by salespeople from all over the country.
That doesn't mean cold calling is dead when it comes to these personas. It simply means you need to be particularly good at it if you want to consistently book meetings with them every day.
2. The Most Common Cold Calling Mistakes Beginners Make
Here are some of the most common mistakes I see people making when cold calling, and why they often end up getting absolutely no results.
Your tone sounds too generic: You sound like you're reading from a telemarketing script rather than having an actual conversation with the person on the other end of the phone. Stop overthinking your script and focus on having a genuine conversation with the person you're speaking to.
You have no idea what kind of call structure actually works: There are different opening lines and pitches you need to test, refine, and replicate depending on the offer you're selling and the personas you're targeting.
You're not bringing enough energy: Cold calling is 70% energy and 30% market fit. Make your calls standing up, have some caffeine, and bring enthusiasm to every conversation.
You don't know how to handle objections: The moment someone says "Just send me an email", "I'm not interested", or "This is my personal number", you don't know how to push back without being too aggressive. This alone can cost you at least 50% of your potential meetings.
You're targeting the wrong people: Sometimes you need to pay attention to the objections you're hearing, especially those related to the actual substance of your offer, and use that feedback to refine your targeting. For example, you might need to target larger companies, explore different industries, or reach out to different job titles. These adjustments can make all the difference.
You have no structure or routine: You make three calls, take a break, make another three calls, and then stop for the day. Instead, organize your work into focused 30–45-minute calling sessions. Without structure and discipline, it's very difficult to get consistent results.
These mistakes leave you with very little chance of succeeding at cold calling.
The symptoms are usually pretty clear: you either never manage to deliver your pitch, or you do manage to pitch your offer but never turn those conversations into booked meetings.
Conclusion
Sometimes, improving your cold calling skills requires working directly with someone who can listen to your calls in real time, identify what's going wrong, and help you correct your approach on the spot.
Personally, I typically book around 20 meetings per week for my clients, across a wide range of industries, including IT, marketing, and manufacturing.
Alongside my done-for-you cold calling services, I also coach founders and freelancers, teaching them how to build targeted prospect lists and consistently book meetings in their markets.
I'm one of the few coaches who actually practices cold calling full-time, rather than simply teaching theory.
If you'd like to learn how to book 1–4 qualified meetings every day in your market, send me an email at louis@outbound-machine.com, along with a few suggested time slots so we can discuss your situation.