Report: Cold calling is six times more effective than AI-written emails

Cold calling isn’t on its way out, according to a new report.

ValueSelling Associates and Selling Power released a report this month showing a survey of 153 sales leaders and reps believe that cold calling is six times more effective than an AI-written email. The report also shows it’s the second most effective method for reaching new prospects at 47%, following client referrals at 74%.

“Cold calling isn’t dead,” said Julie Thomas, president and CEO of ValueSelling Associates, in a statement. “In the age of AI, a human voice on the phone remains one of the most effective ways to reach new prospects. In fact, our research found that salespeople rate every human-led tactic above every automated one.”

Hitting a wall: While cold calling proves to be effective, it’s not a preferred method for many sales reps. The report shows that 46% of leaders said their reps give up too easily on a cold call, 40% said handling objections is a barrier, and 39% said they are scared to pick up the phone.

The report compares these stats to data from 2018, showing that much hasn’t changed in regards to sales reps’ feelings toward cold calling. For comparison in 2018, 53% of sales leaders said their reps gave up too easily on cold calls and 48% were afraid of picking up the phone.

“Cold calling is under threat, although it remains one of the most effective ways to reach buyers,” Thomas continued. “Our research suggests the issue isn’t the method—it’s the skill. The solution is to instill seller confidence through sales training, rebuilding the capability to make cold calls and do it well.”

Bridging the gap: As cold calling proves to be effective, sales organizations should invest in the right kind of training to make sales reps better and more comfortable with picking up the phone.