Every few months, another article confidently announces that cold calling is dead, yet B2B sales teams continue to book qualified meetings by phone every single day. So which side of this long-running argument is actually right?
The latest evidence suggests that cold calling still works, although it now rewards preparation and persistence more than ever. Cognism’s latest State of Cold Calling report analysed more than 204,000 cold calls and over 27,000 conversations. It found an average success rate of 2.3%, which means roughly two or three meetings for every hundred conversations.
This guide explains why cold calling still matters today, what the most recent numbers realistically look like, and how to make your own calls more effective, using clear and practical language.
What is cold calling?
Cold calling means telephoning someone who hasn’t previously contacted your company, with the specific goal of starting a useful sales conversation. Salesforce’s guide describes it as a sales call to a prospect who “has never interacted with the company before.”
In B2B sales, an effective cold call isn’t an aggressive pitch. Instead, it’s a brief conversation designed to discover whether the person has a problem you can genuinely solve, and whether a longer discussion would be worthwhile for both of you.
What do the latest benchmarks say about cold calling?
Here are the current benchmarks from Cognism’s latest State of Cold Calling report, as summarised in Ilse Van Rensburg’s cold calling statistics guide for Cognism.
| What Was Measured | Current Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Size of the Study | More than 204,000 cold calls and over 27,000 recorded conversations |
| Average Success Rate | 2.3% of conversations resulted in a booked meeting |
| Average Attempts Needed to Connect | Approximately three calls for each lead |
| Conversations Reached by the Third Call | 93% of all conversations |
| Conversations Reached by the Fifth Call | More than 98% of all conversations |
| Chance of Reaching a Prospect on a Callback | 26.85% of callbacks reached the prospect |
| Average Length of a Cold Call | 93 seconds |
| Most Productive Times to Call | 10 to 11 am, followed by 2 to 3 pm |
| Times That Are Best Avoided | 7 to 9 am, the 12 pm lunch hour and the 5 pm commute |
| Most Productive Day for Booking Meetings | Tuesday, which had the highest meeting-booking success rate |
What this means in practice (illustration): at a 2.3% success rate, a representative who holds 200 real conversations would book about four or five meetings. Because 93% of conversations happen within three calls, most of those conversations will come from the first three attempts, not from endless chasing. Your own results will differ, but these averages give you a realistic starting point for planning.
Where is cold calling heading next?
No report can tell us exact future numbers, so the points below are an informed outlook based on today’s benchmarks and buyer behaviour, not a forecast with figures. Revisit these points when Cognism publishes its next annual report, because new data may confirm or change them.
- Quality will matter more than volume: with an average success rate of just 2.3% and calls lasting around 93 seconds, teams that call fewer, better-targeted prospects are likely to see stronger results than teams that simply dial more.
- Accurate data will become more important: wrong numbers and people who have left the company waste a large share of dials, so keeping contact data up to date is likely to separate strong teams from weak ones.
- Persistence will stay essential: because 93% of conversations happen by the third call, a structured sequence of three to five attempts is likely to remain the standard approach.
- Calling will work best with other channels: combining calls with short follow-up emails and LinkedIn messages is likely to keep growing, as buyers increasingly research online before speaking to anyone.
8 reasons cold calling still matters in B2B sales
1. You get a real answer in about a minute and a half
An email can sit unopened in a crowded inbox for days, whereas a phone call delivers a yes, a no or a “not right now” almost immediately. Cognism’s latest data shows that the average cold call lasts 93 seconds, so you quickly learn whether a prospect deserves more of your time.
How to use it: prepare a short list of qualifying questions, such as who manages this area, which solution they currently use and what isn’t working well for them, so every conversation produces useful information.
2. It reaches decision-makers who ignore email
Senior decision-makers receive an overwhelming number of emails every day, but many of them still answer a well-timed, relevant call. Calling also allows you to reach the right person directly, instead of waiting for an email to be forwarded through several departments.
How to use it: call senior contacts directly instead of relying entirely on automated email sequences. Before you begin, confirm that your C-Level Executives Email List or CRM contains their direct phone numbers, not just the company’s main switchboard. Cognism’s latest report also notes that calling mobile numbers increases pick-up rates compared with landlines.
3. Every result can be measured
Dials, conversations and booked meetings are simple to count and compare over time, which makes cold calling one of the easiest sales activities to analyse and improve, because you can identify exactly where calls tend to stall.
How to use it: monitor three figures every week: the percentage of dials that connect, the percentage of conversations that continue past your opening, and the percentage that result in a booked meeting. Compare your meeting rate with the current average of 2.3%.
4. It teaches you what buyers really think
Every conversation reveals the genuine objections and concerns that potential buyers have about your offer, your timing or your message. Common replies include “I’m busy”, “I’m not interested”, “I’m the wrong person” and “Send me an email”, and each one tells you something different about your timing, message or list.
How to use it: prepare a short, honest response to each common objection and test it over several weeks. If “wrong person” appears frequently, your contact list or job title targeting probably needs attention. Removing people who have left or changed roles, for example with data cleansing services, significantly reduces these wasted calls.
5. You can change your message in the moment
A phone call allows you to adjust your approach in real time, which a pre-written email simply cannot do. If the prospect sounds rushed, you can shorten your pitch immediately, and if they mention a specific problem, you can focus the entire conversation on solving it.
How to use it: introduce yourself by name, then explain clearly why you’re calling and why the conversation might matter to their business. Avoid opening with “Is this a bad time?”, because it invites an immediate refusal.
6. A little persistence goes a long way
Many prospects don’t answer the first time you call, which is completely normal and expected in B2B sales. Cognism’s latest data shows that it takes about three attempts to connect with a lead, that 93% of conversations happen by the third call, and that more than 98% happen by the fifth.
How to use it: plan a short, organised sequence of three to five calls spread across two weeks, with a brief email in between, rather than making one call and then giving up. After the fifth attempt, move on to other prospects and revisit the contact during the following quarter.
7. It makes your emails and LinkedIn outreach work better
Cold calling performs best when it’s combined with other channels, rather than used as a replacement for them. A quick phone call can transform an ignored email into a genuine conversation, and an email sent after a call gives the prospect something to read and share with colleagues.
How to use it: after every call, whether or not you reached the prospect, send a two-line email that references your conversation and includes one genuinely useful resource, such as a short case study or a relevant industry report.
8. For US B2B calls, the rules are simpler than many people think
Many sales teams avoid calling entirely because they worry that unsolicited business calls might be illegal. In the US, however, the FTC states that “most phone calls between a telemarketer and a business are exempt” from the Telemarketing Sales Rule. There are some exceptions, including calls selling nondurable office or cleaning supplies and calls to employees about personal purchases.
Other countries apply stricter rules, and in the UK, the ICO explains that you can make live marketing calls to businesses without consent only if the number isn’t registered on the TPS or CTPS and the business hasn’t previously objected. Always check the regulations wherever your prospects are located, and remember that this information isn’t legal advice.
When doesn't cold calling work?
It’s important to be honest about the limitations of cold calling as well as its considerable strengths. Gartner’s research on the B2B buying journey found that three in four B2B buyers prefer a buying experience without a sales representative, and many buyers complete most of their research online before speaking to anyone.
Cold calling usually struggles to deliver results in the following situations:
- You’re calling the wrong people: if “wrong person” is a frequent response, either the list or the job title targeting is inaccurate.
- Your opening sounds like every other sales call: prospects immediately recognise the familiar pattern and usually end the conversation within seconds.
- You stop after a single attempt: with 93% of conversations happening by the third call, giving up after the first call wastes most of your opportunities.
- You’re selling something that doesn’t require a conversation: simple, inexpensive products are usually easier to sell through a website or online store.
When is the best time to make cold calls?
The latest data points to clear calling windows, although you should still test these recommendations against your own results, because industries and time zones vary considerably
| Time of Day | What the Latest Data Shows |
|---|---|
| 10 to 11 am | The most productive window for reaching prospects, because most people have settled into their working day |
| 2 to 3 pm | The second most productive window, after lunch meetings have usually finished |
| 7 to 9 am | Best avoided, because people are typically commuting or starting their day |
| 12 pm | Best avoided, because many prospects are taking a lunch break |
| 5 pm | Best avoided, because people are usually finishing work or travelling home |
| Tuesday | The highest meeting-booking success rate of any weekday |
| Friday | Weaker for booking meetings, although it remains useful for relationship-building conversations |
How to make your next 100 calls count
1. Start with the right list: whether you use a B2B email list or your own CRM, confirm that names, job titles, and phone numbers match the people who actually make purchasing decisions.
2. Research each prospect for two minutes: review their role, recent company announcements, and any organisational changes that might create a need for your offer.
3. Call at the right time: concentrate your dials between 10 and 11 am and between 2 and 3 pm, and schedule additional calling time on Tuesdays.
4. Open clearly and confidently: state who you are and why you’re calling, and avoid asking “Is this a bad time?”
5. Ask, then listen carefully: use one or two focused questions to discover whether they genuinely have the problem your product or service solves.
Follow up three to five times: spread the calls across about two weeks, with brief emails in between.
6. Review your numbers weekly: compare your meeting rate with the 2.3% benchmark, then change one element at a time so you can see what works.
Frequently asked questions
1. Is cold calling dead?
No, because Cognism’s latest report, based on more than 204,000 calls, found an average success rate of 2.3%, and 93% of conversations happened within three calls. Cold calling works best when it’s combined with an accurate list, a clear opening and consistent follow-up.
2. Is cold calling illegal?
Not in general, although the rules vary from country to country. In the US, the FTC says most business-to-business calls are exempt from the Telemarketing Sales Rule, with a few exceptions. In the UK, you must screen business numbers against the TPS and CTPS registers. Always check local regulations before you start calling.
3. What is a good cold calling success rate?
Cognism’s latest data shows an average success rate of 2.3%. Use that figure as a realistic benchmark, and then track how your own rate changes over the following months.
4. How many times should you call a prospect?
Plan for three to five attempts, spread across roughly two weeks. Cognism found that it takes about three calls to connect, that 93% of conversations happen by the third call and that more than 98% happen by the fifth.
5. What is the best time to cold call?
According to Cognism’s latest data, the best window is 10 to 11 am, followed by 2 to 3 pm, and Tuesday is the strongest day for booking meetings. Avoid early mornings, the lunch hour, and the evening commute.
6. How long should a cold call be?
Cognism’s latest data shows that the average cold call lasts 93 seconds. Keep your opening brief and focused, then allow the call to continue naturally if the prospect is clearly interested and engaged.
7. Where is cold calling heading in the future?
Cold calling is likely to reward quality over volume, accurate contact data and structured follow-up of three to five attempts. It’s also likely to work best alongside email and LinkedIn, because buyers increasingly research online before they speak to anyone.