You don’t want to waste people’s time, and you certainly don’t want to waste yours. With a cold calling script, sticking to the basics is a good idea, especially early on.

Here are seven effective and efficient scripts you can use to get you started. Plug in your company information, tweak the script so it sounds natural to your reps, and then pick up the phone.

1. Cold Calling Script for B2B Sales

This script is useful because it contains the basics that any cold call needs to get off the ground – a transparent greeting, 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 honors the decision and redirects to an email sign-up offer.

Notice that the script brings another benefit to the customer as it presents the email option – a 50% increase in first call resolution is eye-catching for someone running a call center. Increase customer satisfaction, reduce call queue timeand create wider profit margins without having to hire a single new agent.

Let’s say the person doesn’t believe the sales pitch of 50% off – perfect. They will be ready to engage with the email where your company case is presented in as many words as you want. Meanwhile, your representative is already making several calls. Feeding lead it is part of B2B sales and with this script some of the contacts will enter the top of your sales funnel.

2. Script for B2C sales

This scenario continues the intro-context-empathy model, but subtly shifts the conversation away from price and toward improved collaboration.

In this case, the caller already knows the service could be cheaper, so offering the idea of ​​accommodating employees could provide another reason to stick with the call. If the customer bites at that, there are already two strong reasons why they might want to close the sale.

And if not, representatives should note the outcome of the interaction in CRM softwareand move on to the next contact. Keep up the pace, there are many calls to make. Consider using an outgoing dialer to win the numbers game i.e. B2C cold outreach.

3. Cold intro script for qualified leads

This script might read like a sales script, but it’s actually designed to do just that qualify leads. For example, if the contact hears about CRM and isn’t at all interested, it’s a sign that they might be the wrong fit—especially if they respond by saying they have nothing to do with CRMs.

However, since the contact in this example indicated CRM knowledge, this tells the rep that they could be both a quality decision maker and leader for the future.

Redirection after objection is equally well done. Instead of being disappointed by a customer who says they’re not interested, the rep redirects the conversation to acknowledge the contact’s response in a positive way, while giving them the word back.

This makes the contact feel respected and also gives the rep a chance to glean important information about what other CRMs do well and how customers feel about them.

4. Cold calling script to present a product or service

This script is a good example of how to handle an uninterested customer. It sets the intention from the start so the customer knows what’s going on and also gives them a mini sales pitch in the first sentence.

When they indicate their lack of interest, the representative takes it in stride before asking permission to make another request. When the contact agrees, they ask a question that moves the conversation into the realm of feelings, which can 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 technical specifications, features, costs, etc.

At worst, they will walk away with valuable information about a competitor’s product and what matters most about it. Of course the data is anecdotal, but with CRM integrationstoring such call information is easy—analyzing this data at scale can provide rich insights into customer sentiment, shopper trends, product roadmap ideas, and so on.

5. Script to leave a voice message

This one is short and sweet, as voicemails should be. It includes the most relevant information right away and gives the person on the other end a compelling reason to call back.

There is also some subtle language at the end that is especially valuable. Instead of saying “Feel free to call me back,” it says “Please call me back.”

This small 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 can use an autodialer that allows you to leave voicemails automatically or won’t connect an agent without a live caller. Using the right dialer type is the best way to increase the volume and accuracy of cold calling over the phone.

6. Donation Cold Call Script

This call leads with empathy, which is especially important in a fundraising setting because you’re trying to make the contact feel like you’re both on the same team. It also follows the standard protocol of stating intent clearly and immediately and demonstrates respect for the contact by asking permission to go into more detail.

When the contact returns with a common response of “I’ve already donated,” the representative neither presses them for an additional donation nor drops the call. Instead, redirect the conversation with a secondary call to action that applauds the contact’s generosity.

This is more than just a nice way to say thank you, and it might get your contact to donate some of their time to your cause. You don’t have 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 CRM software.

7. Cool intro script for an angry contact

Many people feel annoyed when they answer spam calls, so it’s important to acknowledge their feelings instead of trying to overcome them. This representative immediately notices the rushed tone in the contact’s voice and asks if this is a bad time to talk.

When the contact tells them what’s going on, the rep empathizes and immediately talks about how they can make this experience different.

Additionally, they give the contact an opportunity to vent, which the customer is likely to take. After they’ve expressed their feelings, the rep may have another opportunity to sell them—assuming they don’t request to be put on the Do Not Call list.