The best book I've ever read about Cold Calling

(my 14 takeaways)

Read time: 4 min

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Read the bible of cold calling this summer…twice

Cold Calling Sucks (and that's why it works) by Armand & Nick (30MPC) ?? (Affiliate link)

Every SaaS outbound rep needs this on their list.

Zero fluff, all hard-hitting insights. Packed with data-backed tips, 100+ talk tracks, and examples you can steal today. They pulled data from 300M+ calls (thanks, Gong) to make every tip bulletproof.

I read this book twice, and here are my 14 takeaways:

#1: Stop sounding like a telemarketer

If your cold call sounds like a sales pitch, expect to get treated like one. Ditch weak openers like “How’s your day?” or “Did I catch you at a bad time?”—they barely work.

Use these instead (11%+ success rates):

1. Heard The Name Tossed Around: “Have you heard our name tossed around?” (add context!)
2. Tailored Permission Opener: “Mind if I tell you why I’m calling?” (add context)

Context ideas:

• Same investor: “We work with other Tiger Global portfolio companies.”
• Industry peers: “We work with the GTM teams at Gong and Rippling.”
• Relevant news: “I saw you just opened a new office.”

#2: Top 25% of cold callers book 13x more meetings with the same dials as average reps.

#3: Get a “Cold Calling Accountability Partner”

Cold calling solo? You’re setting yourself up to quit. Get a “cold-calling accountability partner”—someone who’s just as hungry. Push each other, try new tactics, swap talk tracks, and laugh off brutal rejections together.

#4 Stop practicing on prospects

Practicing on prospects? Rookie move. Nail your skills before dialing—use AI, solo practice, or role-play with teammates. Get ready before the real calls so you don’t waste good leads.

#5 Speak to their problem, not features

Ditch the buzzwords. Focus on their pain—a problem-driven approach has a 16% success rate, 3x more effective than pitching features. Trigger a specific pain point, and suddenly, you’re relevant.

#6 Build structure into your dialing routine

Cold calling isn’t just skill—it’s discipline. Start with calls first, then block your day: “Green” for prospecting, “Yellow” for meetings, “Red” for admin. Stick to it, and watch your productivity spike.

#7 What do when they say yes to a meeting:

Don’t drop the ball:

• Schedule it within 1–2 weeks.
• Confirm their email live to avoid typos.
• Send the invite on the spot—make sure they hit “accept” so it actually shows up on their calendar (Gmail won’t auto-add it if you haven’t emailed before).

#8 Reframing Cold Call Objections

Most objections? Just stall tactics. Here’s the 3-step play:

1. Agree & Disarm – Agree with the objection to lower defenses and get them to actually listen.
2. Dig for the Real Issue – Ask, “Is it timing, budget, or something else?” to get the truth and save yourself wasted time.
3. Sell the Test Drive – Even if they’re not ready, keep them engaged. Offer a trial, share similar customer stories—let them feel the value firsthand without the hard sell.

#9 Types of Objections

Armand & Nick’s Take:

1. Dismissive (49.5%) – Stuff like “Not interested” or “Call me in 6 months.” Agree, then steer the convo to find the real objection.
2. Situational (42.6%) – Budget or timing issues. Acknowledge it, then offer a quick test run to show value without a hard sell.

#10 Should you leave a voicemail?

Forget callbacks—voicemails are really about boosting email reply rates. A smartly timed voicemail can almost 2x your email responses. The play? Leave two voicemails: the first sets context, the second hits their pain point. Simple, effective, and way better than waiting for a callback.

#11 Max Your Dial Conversion: The 3 Metrics That Matter

The Golden 3 Conversion Metrics dictate the number of meetings you keep when you make 100 cold calls:

1. Connect rate: How many pick up? Boost it by calling mobile and direct lines, mapping phone trees, and knowing when to stop calling. Forget dialing the same lead 500 times—focus on prospects who actually answer. Register your number to avoid spam tags, rotate lines, and stick to prime hours.
2. Set rate: Turning convos into meetings? Top cold callers don’t dial blindly—they target smart. Go for leads showing real interest: multiple email opens, a pricing page visit, recent funding, or past replies. Prioritize like this:
3. Show Rate: getting them to show is just as critical as booking them. Here’s how to handle no-shows:

#12 How to make more cold calls in less time

1. Front Load: Knock out calls first thing in the morning to tackle the hardest, highest-impact task while you’re fresh.
2. Stay on Pace: Prep research the night before, remove distractions and make 40+ dials an hour to keep momentum.
3. Dial 1–2 hours daily—or risk a dead pipeline.

#13 Kill cold call reluctance with reps

Armand & Nick say the secret to beating cold call nerves is confidence, and that comes from practice. Nail down your talk tracks, role-play them until they’re second nature, and build the mental muscle to hit every call without freezing up.

Final Takeaway: Cold calling isn’t about luck; it’s about daily hustle.

Armand & Nick’s advice? Forget the rare winning streak—cold calling is a daily grind. Show up, hit your numbers, set goals, and hold yourself accountable. They even suggest signing a “contract” with yourself: commit to the calls, embrace that cold calling “sucks,” but it works.

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