In an ideal world, every new client would come knocking on your door. They would find your website near the top of Google search results, or read a great article on your company blog and go looking for more. Unfortunately, the real world doesn’t always work that way. There are times when you will need to go out looking for prospects, even among people who have never previously engaged with your business. Cold calling is one method of reaching out that has been used for decades. Over the years, it has been a key part of the sales process for large corporations. But does it still work, and is it worth your time? We have answers. What Is Cold Calling? In simple terms, cold calling is when you phone someone who has never interacted with your business, product, or service. Most of the time, this form of telemarketing is not necessarily about making an instant sale. It’s more about seeing who might be interested in making a purchase down the line — qualifying your leads, to use some sales lingo. If someone shows interest in your product or service, you can guide them towards your inbound marketing efforts. For example, you can send them a slidedeck and add them to your mailing list. Alternatively, you can take a more direct approach with interested leads and schedule a follow-up call. What Are the Benefits of Cold Calling? Calling a long list of people just to qualify their interest seems like a time-consuming task. However, the numbers show that cold calling is actually one of the most effective and efficient ways to drive sales. That holds true even today, in a world of live chat and social media. Here are some key benefits: Calls are more personal than any other form of marketing Many decision-makers prefer to talk Prospects can get answers instantly You can adapt your pitch based on what the prospect wants The statistics back this up. In a comprehensive industry survey, Rain Group found that 69% of buyers accept cold calls and 57% of C-Level executives and VPs prefer calls over other forms of communic