cold calls
Sales without introduction
Cold calls are unsolicited phone calls to potential customers who haven't expressed prior interest—sales pitches made to strangers.
The term extends to any uninvited outreach: I got the job by cold calling law firms until someone agreed to meet.
Cold emphasizes the lack of prior contact or warm introduction.
The practice is widely disliked by recipients but remains a staple of sales training.
Phone-based sales outreach
- prospectingSearching for mineral wealth
- leadsGoes in front
- outboundHeaded away from origin
- pitchFrequency of sound
script · pipeline · conversion · quota · targeting · prospects · B2B · B2C
Not asked for
- nuisanceCause of aggravation
- intrusiveInvading others' privacy
- unwelcomeNot wanted here
- interruptionBreak in continuity
bothersome · pestering · uninvited · disruptive · spam · dinnertime · robocall
Frequency of sound
- scriptWritten words for performance
- rapportHarmonious mutual connection
- hookCurved catching device
- closingFinal stage of something
assertive · persistence · engagement · credibility · dialogue · rebuttal
telemarketing
Phone-based sales outreach
- prospectingSearching for mineral wealth
- leadsGoes in front
- outboundHeaded away from origin
pitch · script · pipeline · conversion · quota · targeting · prospects · B2B · B2C · CRM
unsolicited
Not asked for
interruption · bothersome · pestering · uninvited · disruptive · spam · dinnertime · robocall
pitch
Frequency of sound
closing · assertive · persistence · engagement · credibility · dialogue · rebuttal
hang-up
Persistent emotional obstacle
gatekeeping · objection · rebuff · dismissal · screening · blocked · ignored · voicemail · unresponsive · resistance
- salessale, sales, selling, salesperson, salesman
- sales termsclosing, goods, pitches, stock, inventory
- unwanted callsrobocalls, telemarketers, telemarketing, recorded messages, number spoofing
- canvassingcanvassers, knock, door knocking, door-to-door, canvass
- insurance salesagents, brokers, policies, premiums, coverage
- phone surveysrespondent, interviewers, interviewer, questionnaire, questionnaires