cold calling
Uninvited sales contact
Cold calling is contacting potential customers or clients without prior arrangement—typically by phone, sometimes in person.
The practice is standard in sales and fundraising, though widely disliked by recipients: I spent the morning cold calling leads from the database.
The adjective cold emphasizes the absence of any existing relationship or warm introduction.
Phone-based sales outreach
- prospectingSearching for mineral wealth
- lead generationAcquiring potential customer contacts
- outboundHeaded away from origin
- pitchFrequency of sound
script · outreach · qualification · dialing · door-to-door · canvassing · follow-up · contact list
Not asked for
- interruptionBreak in continuity
- unwelcomeNot wanted here
- disturbanceDisruption of order
- nuisanceCause of aggravation
annoyance · uninvited · unexpected · privacy invasion · disruption · unscheduled
Capacity to recover quickly
- thick skinImmunity to criticism
- determinationFirmness of purpose
- tenacityPersistent grip or resolve
- gritDetermination or abrasive particles
follow-up · redial · perseverance · quota · numbers game · patience · commitment · bounce back
Persistent emotional obstacle
- no thank youPolite way to refuse
- not interestedWithout curiosity or engagement
- gatekeeperOne controlling entry
- voicemailRecorded caller messages
brush-off · objection · dial tone · screening · blocked · refusal · dismissal · rebuff
telemarketing
Phone-based sales outreach
- prospectingSearching for mineral wealth
- lead generationAcquiring potential customer contacts
- outboundHeaded away from origin
pitch · script · outreach · qualification · dialing · door-to-door · canvassing · follow-up · contact list · gatekeeper
unsolicited
Not asked for
- interruptionBreak in continuity
- unwelcomeNot wanted here
- disturbanceDisruption of order
nuisance · annoyance · uninvited · unexpected · privacy invasion · disruption · unscheduled
resilience
Capacity to recover quickly
- thick skinImmunity to criticism
- determinationFirmness of purpose
- tenacityPersistent grip or resolve
grit · follow-up · redial · perseverance · quota · numbers game · patience · commitment · bounce back · stamina
hang-up
Persistent emotional obstacle
- no thank youPolite way to refuse
- not interestedWithout curiosity or engagement
- gatekeeperOne controlling entry
voicemail · brush-off · objection · dial tone · screening · blocked · refusal · dismissal · rebuff · turndown
- Hiring & Saleshiring, recruiters, screening, resumes, interviews
- contactingphoning, texting, emailing, messaging, dialing
- door-to-door salescanvassing, soliciting, solicitation, door knocking, direct sales
- salessale, sales, selling, salesperson, salesman
- sales tacticsupselling, cross-selling, hard sell, soft sell, high pressure
- teaching methodspresentation, lecturing, discussion, modeling, hands-on learning
cold callingwarm lead
Sales contact showing interest
hot lead · referral · follow-up call · account management · client retention
call, cold, recall, calling, called, calls, caller, recalling, callers