Prospecting · Scripts

Cold calling scripts and best practices

Five scripts you can copy straight into your dialer, the objections you'll hear, and the habits that turn dials into conversations.

Jordan Tate
Head of Growth · Updated October 2026 · 11 min read
The 5 rules of a good cold call

A good cold call is short, specific and asks for one small next step. Everything else is detail.

  1. 1Say why you’re calling in the first 10 seconds. Name, company, one reason it’s relevant to them.
  2. 2Ask permission for 30 seconds. It lowers the guard and keeps the call moving.
  3. 3Lead with their problem, not your product.
  4. 4Ask one question, then listen. Talk less than half the time.
  5. 5End with a calendar slot, not “I’ll send info”.
01

Script library

Replace the highlighted parts. Keep the rest short; scripts are a starting line, not something to read word for word.

Call

The permission opener

Hi {first name}, it’s {your name} from {company}. I know I’m calling out of the blue. Can I take 30 seconds to tell you why, and you can tell me if it’s worth a longer chat? We work with {type of business} that {common problem, e.g. lose leads because nobody calls back fast enough}. Is that something you deal with, or are you on top of it?
Why it works: asking for 30 seconds gives control back to them. The question at the end invites a real answer instead of a yes/no.
Call

Getting past the gatekeeper

Hi, this is {your name} with {company}. I’m hoping you can point me in the right direction. Who looks after {area, e.g. how new customer enquiries get handled} there? … Great. Is {name} the best person, or is there someone else I should speak to first?
Why it works: you’re asking for help, not access. Gatekeepers route helpful callers and block pushy ones.
Voicemail

The 20-second voicemail

Hi {first name}, {your name} from {company}. I’m calling because {one specific reason}. I’ll send you a quick text so you have my number. If it’s useful, reply with a good time. If not, no problem. Thanks.
Tip: record this once and use voicemail drop so it goes out with one click while you move to the next call.
Text

Follow-up text after a missed call

Hi {first name}, {your name} from {company}. Just tried you. I help {type of business} with {problem}. Worth a 10-min call this week? Here’s my calendar: {link}
Keep it to one text: 160 characters or fewer (an emoji drops the limit to 70). One reason, one link, no attachments.
Call

Phone script for incoming calls

Thanks for calling {company}, this is {your name}. How can I help? [Listen] Got it. So I can point you to the right thing, can I ask a couple of quick questions? What’s prompting you to look into this now? … And what are you using today? Based on that, the best next step is {demo / quote / visit}. I have {two times}. Which works better?
Why it works: inbound callers are ready. Qualify in two questions, then offer two specific times rather than “when are you free?”
02

Best practices

When to call

Many teams find mid-morning and late afternoon midweek connect best, and lunch and Monday mornings worst. Treat the grid below as an illustrative starting point, then check your own connect-rate report.

Fewer connects More connects · illustrative pattern

How many attempts

Many conversations only happen after several attempts, not the first. Plan for 6 to 8 touches over 2 to 3 weeks, mixing channels.

Respect the rules

Honor do-not-call requests right away and call at reasonable hours in the prospect’s time zone. For calls to consumers in the US, federal rules allow telemarketing calls only between 8 AM and 9 PM in the recipient’s local time, and some states are stricter. Conduyt blocks numbers on your do-not-call and litigator lists from being dialed.

Call + text combos

Day 1Call + voicemailDrop the 20-second voicemail.
→
Day 1TextMissed-call text with calendar link.
→
Day 3Call againDifferent time of day.
→
Day 6EmailOne useful idea, no pitch.
→
Day 10Final call“Should I close your file?”
03

Handling the 5 common objections

Acknowledge, ask one question, then offer a smaller next step. For the full list of 15 objections with a response for each, see our sales objections guide.

They say
You say
“Not interested.”
“Fair enough. Is that because you’ve already solved {problem}, or it’s just not a priority right now?”
“Send me some info.”
“Happy to. So I send the right thing, what’s the one thing you’d want it to answer?”
“We already use someone.”
“Makes sense. What would you change about it if you could?”
“No budget.”
“Understood. If it paid for itself in the first month, would it be worth 10 minutes to check?”
“Call me later.”
“Sure. Thursday at 10 or Friday at 2?” Then book it while you’re on the line.
04

Tracking calls: dispositions and connect rate

A disposition is the outcome you log after each call. Keep the list short so reps actually use it.

Connected

Spoke to the right person. Note the next step.

Voicemail

Left a voicemail. Triggers the follow-up text.

No answer

Queued for another attempt at a different time.

Gatekeeper

Got a name or a better number. Update the contact.

Meeting booked

Deal moves forward a stage automatically.

Not a fit

Close the lead with a reason so reports stay honest.

The number to watch

Connect rate = connected calls ÷ total dials. If it’s falling, change when you call or the caller ID you show before you change the script.

05

How a power dialer helps

A power dialer calls through your list one number after another, so reps spend their time talking instead of typing numbers. Conduyt’s built-in power dialer includes:

→

Auto-dial the next lead

Finish a call, log the outcome, the next one starts.

VM

Voicemail drop

Leave a pre-recorded message in one click and move on.

ID

Local caller ID

Show a number local to the person you’re calling when local numbers are set up.

It also records calls with AI summaries, logs each disposition on the contact, and shows a leaderboard with connect rates. When a call doesn’t connect, follow up by text from the same record. The power dialer is part of Conduyt Professional at $499 a month, flat, with unlimited users. Comparing options? See the best dialers for cold calling.

06

Frequently asked questions

What is the best cold calling script?

One that states why you’re calling in 10 seconds, asks permission for 30 more, and ends with a specific meeting time. The permission opener above is a good default.

What is a good phone script for incoming calls?

Greet, listen, ask two qualifying questions, then offer two specific times for the next step. Inbound callers are ready, so don’t over-qualify.

How many times should you call a prospect?

Plan for 6 to 8 touches over 2 to 3 weeks, mixing calls, texts and email. Many conversations only happen after several attempts.

What is the best time to make cold calls?

Many teams see mid-morning and late afternoon midweek connect best. Track your own connect rate by hour, because it varies by industry.

What hours can you make cold calls?

For calls to consumers in the US, federal telemarketing rules allow calls between 8 AM and 9 PM in the recipient’s local time, and some states are stricter. Always honor do-not-call requests.

Should you leave a voicemail on a cold call?

Yes, if it’s short and followed by a text. A 20-second voicemail plus a text gives people two easy ways to reply.

What is a good connect rate?

It depends on list quality and industry. Measure your own baseline, then improve it with call timing and local caller ID before rewriting scripts.

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