Cold calling tips are all over the Internet. So what makes these ones the best you'll ever read? Simple. They're the only ones based on hard data.

2. Cold calls
are like
ocean storms

3. Your goal is to navigate to calmer waters:
a booked meeting

4. Gong.io |
Cold calling is a game of inequality
1.5%Average success rate
This number is highly misleading

5. Most cold callers are like
This guy.

6. You want to be like
This guy.

7. These insights are your
Compass

12. Your first tidal wave to overcome:
Your Cold Call
“Opener”

13. Gong.io |
Opening lines that don’t work
SuccessRate(BookedaMeeting)
3
2
1
0
Baseline Using the Phrase
Opening lines that don’t work
Did I catch you
at a bad time?
Despite once being the go-to
opener for sales development
reps, the data shows that using
this phrase reduces your chances
of setting a meeting by 40% right
off the bat.
-40%

14. Gong.io |
The Anatomy of Opening a Cold Call Successfully
“Hi John, this is Chris Orlob calling from Gong.io --
How have you been?
John the reason I’m calling is…

15. Gong.io |
Their Name, Your Name, Company Name.
- Saying their name doesn’t make you successful. But failing to do it makes
you unsuccessful.
- Important people give their full name upfront.
- Stating your company name ensures you maintain control of the
conversation

16. Gong.io |
The Anatomy of Opening a Cold Call Successfully
“Hi John, this is Chris Orlob calling from Gong.io --
How have you been?
John the reason I’m calling is…

17. Gong.io |
Opening lines that don’t work
SuccessRate(BookedaMeeting)
12
8
4
0
Baseline Using the Phrase
The Most Successful Opening Line
How have you
been?
This phrase is a pattern interrupt
that’s unexpected and
“scrambles” the prospect’s brain
in a good way. Sure, it may sound
like you’ve met before, but it’s not
an overly unusual question to ask
and will likely get a response that
moves the conversation forward.
6.6x

18. Gong.io |
The Anatomy of Opening a Cold Call Successfully
“Hi John, this is Chris Orlob calling from Gong.io --
How have you been?
John the reason I’m calling is…

19. Gong.io |
Opening lines that don’t work
SuccessRate(BookedaMeeting)
6
4
2
0
Baseline Using the Phrase
State the Reason-
Humans Crave Reason
The reason for
my call is...
Successful cold calls have a
longer average monologue
duration.
Humans crave reasons, even if
they’re not particularly strong
reasons. People just need
something to explain what’s
happening. Opening your cold
calls with this phrase fits a
familiar pattern that puts your
prospect’s mind at rest.
2.1x

20. Gong.io |
Opening lines that don’t work
Likelihood of
Completing
Favor
(%)
Compliance skyrockets when you give reasons
No Reason Real Reason Fake Reason
94
60
93
The Copy Machine Study
“A well-known principle of
human behavior says that
when we ask someone to do us
a favor we will be more
successful if we provide a
reason. People simply like to
have reasons for what they do.”
Robert B. Cialdini

21. Iceberg Ahead!
Avoid the Discovery
Trap

22. Gong.io |
Cold Calling Isn’t about Discovery - It’s about Selling
the Meeting

23. Gong.io |
Opening lines that don’t work
MonologueDuration(Seconds)
45
30
15
0
Baseline Using the Phrase
Secure Your Platform to
Sell the Meeting
Don’t be afraid
to monologue
Successful cold calls have a
longer average monologue
duration
Be careful with correlation and
causation here. Maybe
monologues like this cause
success. But maybe the reps were
given the opportunity to speak for
that long as a result of something
else. Either way, buying time is the
name of the game.
+50%
25 sec
37 sec

24. Gong.io |
Opening lines that don’t work
Successful Cold Calls
Using the Phrase
Talk More
Top reps “own” more of the
cold calling conversation
The optimal “talk-to-listen” ratio
for discovery calls is as low as
46:54. But cold calls are different.
The optimal talk-to-listen ratio for
successful cold calls is higher than
unsuccessful ones, with reps
talking more than their prospects
Unsuccessful Cold Calls
Talk Listen55% 45%
42% 58%Talk Listen

25. Gong.io |
Opening lines that don’t work
MonologueDuration(Seconds)
9
6
3
0
Unsuccessful Cold Calls Successful Cold Calls
Don’t Expect
Monologues Back
Successful cold calls actually
have shorter prospect
monologues
Successful cold calls actually don’t
have long bursts of talking from the
customer. Remember your job is
not discovery. It’s to get the
meeting.
8 sec
3.5 sec

26. Gong.io |
Know Your Buyer

27. We made it!
How do we make sure we
STAY here?

28. Gong.io |
If you can, schedule for the afternoon

29. Gong.io |
...Most BDRs do the opposite

30. Gong.io |
How long should your meeting be?

31. Gong.io |
They are more likely to show up to a 30 min. meeting

36. Gong.io |
The Takeaway?
Prepare. Go in with a plan.

37. www.gong.io/blog