There was a time when an incoming call sparked excitement. Now? I just stare at the screen, bracing myself for yet another unsolicited sales pitch.
No, I haven’t had a car accident in the last two years. No, I don’t want to change my mobile tariff. No, I’m not interested in answering three simple questions about life insurance. And no, I don’t fancy going to my sister’s for lunch on Sunday (that last one was my mum, but you get the idea).
The problem with the relentless wave of cold calls is that we’ve all been conditioned to expect the worst when an unknown number pops up. And that’s a shame - because when we make a prospecting call, we actually have a solid reason for doing so.
How to Avoid Being Just Another Nuisance
New business agencies often carry a bad reputation, thanks to a handful of companies who treat cold calling like a numbers game - churning through thousands of calls a day with little regard for relevance or strategy. Think warehouses full of headset-wearing phone jockeys, desperately hoping that one in a thousand will accidentally say yes.
That’s not how you win clients.
We take a different approach:
We only call when there’s a genuine reason to do so. No scripts, no generic pitches - just a well-thought-out reason to start a conversation.
We do our homework. Before we dial, we’ve researched the company, their work, their challenges, and their industry.
Why does this matter? Because when you respect your prospect’s time, they’ll reward you with something invaluable: an extra 10 seconds of attention.
And that’s a lot.
Instead of being just another cold caller, mention a project of theirs that impressed you. Reference a campaign you’ve recently worked on that’s relevant to them. Show that you’ve done your research, and - crucially - bring a tailored suggestion to the table.
Suddenly, you’re not just another interruption. You’re informed, relevant, and adding value.
Yes, you’re still technically a pest. But you’ll be the best-dressed pest they’ll deal with today. And sometimes, that’s all it takes to get the ball rolling.
#BestDressedPest (I’m keeping that one).