Both are effective ways to reach prospects. But, when it comes to cold calling vs. social selling, which one do you think is the superior prospecting channel?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the blog, we\u2019ll dive deep into both of these outreach channels, exploring their pros, cons, and when you should use<\/strong> which to help you ensure your outreach efforts always thrive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cold calling<\/a> refers to connecting with prospects who aren\u2019t aware of your product but fit your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) <\/strong>over the phone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, cold calling is contacting an individual or business with whom you have no past relationship with an aim to build their interest in your offering and ultimately convert them into paying customers.<\/strong> All via the good ol\u2019 phone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With cold calling, SDRs get instant feedback and insight into how their prospects are receiving the pitch.<\/strong> During your call, you can ask them what they think about your product, their objections, reservations, etc. Based on this, you can tweak your pitch accordingly to tackle their specific pain points head-on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is because of its immediacy that Nikita Solberg<\/a>, a seasoned SDR, prefers cold calling. They say, \u201cOne thing I like about it is because it’s very quick. That\u2019s why I spend so much time cold calling because it is so easy to get that yes or no.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In all other outreach techniques, you need to rely heavily on indirect sources<\/strong> such as their company website, social media activity, published articles, etc., to learn about your prospect. It’s never from the horse’s mouth. But in cold calling, since you\u2019re talking directly to your prospect,<\/strong> you learn about their business and how best to solve their problem directly from them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A crisp conversation with targeted questions<\/a> can give you insight into how you can create a prize-winning pitch that knocks their socks off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Cold emails<\/a> and LinkedIn messages are easily ignorable\u2014they\u2019re just words on a screen. But, cold calling allows SDRs to add a human touch to their prospecting efforts<\/strong>. Calling has greater immediacy, emotional intelligence, and persuasive ability than any other outreach channels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, taking the time to call your prospect and talk to them directly instead of from behind a screen helps you nurture the relationship and build stronger rapport with them<\/strong>. Real-time conversations help your prospects feel less like a name on a list and make them feel valued and seen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Alastair Chamberlin, an SDR manger, has this to say about why cold calling helps in rapport building<\/a>: \u201cI think if you’re conversational, and you have a genuine conversation with someone about anything, I think you can build rapport through that<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cold calling has an average conversion rate<\/a> of 2%. <\/strong>This is because your prospect isn\u2019t actively researching your offering or even looking for a solution in your space. As a result, your calls might be thwarted and rejected<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Further, since this technique is disruptive in nature and disturbs your prospect\u2019s schedule, you\u2019ll often face complete disinterest as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This sales outreach method can be intrusive for your prospects<\/strong> as they might not have shown any interest in your offering to warrant this interruption. Not only that, it could also leave a bad taste in their mouth and turn them completely against your solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They could associate negatively with your product and reduce the chances of further contact as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cold calling can demand a lot in terms of time, human resource and software investment to help manage your outreach effectively. And the ROI can be lower than desired. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, let\u2019s say your SDR makes 200 cold calls in a day, which takes about 6 hours. Out of these 200 calls, only 20 might get answered. Further, your sales rep will probably have meaningful conversations with 5 or 10 prospects. And by the end of it, they\u2019ll be able to book only 1-2 meetings. Sounds frustrating, but that\u2019s the ground reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, you need reps to make more dials, and you need more reps to place more cold calls to hit your revenue goals. This means significantly more investment in software, which can strain your overhead costs.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Cold calling has its pros and cons like all sales techniques. But even with the disadvantages mentioned above, this sales outreach technique is not to be taken lightly. Here are some scenarios where cold calling packs a strong punch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cold calling allows you to connect directly with your prospect to understand their job, pain points, priorities, and goals. Gaining this information straight from your prospect helps you build a rapport with them and nurture a relationship of trust. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n And when you know how they think, what they want, and what\u2019s holding them back, you can approach their account like a pro and nudge them down the sales pipeline smoothly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Contrary to the general notion, cold calling is quite popular among C-level executives and VP buyers.<\/strong> In fact, research by RAIN Group<\/a> finds that a whopping 57%<\/strong> of this prospect demographic prefers their phones to ping rather than emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, if your prospects belong to this group, cold calling is your best shot.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, cold calling is best for prospects in industries that prefer to be contacted via phone<\/strong>. According to Hiya\u2019s State of the Call report<\/a>, healthcare, auto service providers, insurance, and banking and financial transactions are some industries where the phone is the most preferred choice for communication.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In such a case, contacting prospects via any other medium would probably be something you could add to your 3 a.m thoughts\u2014Why did you do that again?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Social selling is a sales technique wherein you leverage a prospect\u2019s social media presence to connect with them, engage them, and ultimately convert them<\/strong>. It\u2019s a great way to build brand awareness, inform prospects about your offering, and further brand affinity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social selling means using platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to identify prospects, share targeted content, build credibility and provide value to them. Using an Instagram post generator<\/a> can help streamline your social selling efforts by creating consistent, engaging content that attracts and nurtures prospects on the platform. Doing this helps SDRs build rapport and trust with their prospects, making them more likely to convert into buying customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social selling gives SDRs a simple and easy way to connect with their prospects.<\/strong> In fact, 84% of CEOs and VPs use social media<\/a> to make purchasing decisions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Further, since online platforms are meant to foster community interaction, prospects view sales outreach as less intrusive than cold calling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n With the viral nature of social media content, you can leverage trends, challenges, and templates popular on each platform to help improve your brand awareness. Good video design<\/a> will make your content more engaging and shareable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only that, but you can also partner with social media influencers in your space to help reach ICP-fit prospects efficiently. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Social selling throws open the doors to a vast pool of audience and offers global reach that other sales outreach techniques<\/strong> just cannot facilitate. For instance, LinkedIn<\/a> boasts over 1 billion users from more than 200 countries and territories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And so, if you\u2019re looking to scale your outreach efforts and inject your sales pipeline with some fresh prospects, social media platforms should be your top choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These engaging mediums help you identify and connect with your prospects with a click of a button. Unlike cold calling where you need to first create a prospect list and dial each prospect manually, social selling is more scalable<\/strong> as it lends itself to automation better. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, with LinkedIn automation tools<\/a>, you can manage a larger volume of and outreach and enable personalization at scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, social media platforms offer valuable insight into how your sales outreach efforts are faring. You can track key performance indicators (KPIs) like<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not only that, but social selling also helps you gain data on your prospects\u2019 preferences, interests, struggles and more. Use this data to personalize your sales pitch and you drive your conversion rates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social selling doesn\u2019t demand the same level of urgency that cold calling does. Like emails, prospects can choose not to reply or even open your messages. Because of this, your efforts can sometimes lead to undesirable results. In fact, a LinkedIn poll<\/a> by Daniel Disney, a social selling expert, reveals 64% of people generate zero leads from LinkedIn content. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n And so, if you\u2019re short on time, social selling should probably be low on your list of outreach methods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social selling might be an excellent choice if you\u2019re looking to drive brand awareness, but a word to the wise: it doesn\u2019t happen overnight. You see, building a strong presence on these platforms requires you to provide relevant content consistently, engage in industry discussions and establish prominence in your space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And this needs you to have sufficient time and effort.<\/strong> So, if you\u2019re on a time crunch, this might drop down on your list of sales outreach techniques.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Out of the 8 billion people on planet Earth, around 5.17 billion use social media<\/a>. So, you\u2019re competing for the attention of 5.17 billion (minus 1) people when it comes to these platforms. Of course, this is a bit exaggerated. Still, you\u2019re trying to get the attention of your target audience, whose number can be in millions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your prospects are likely seeing a ton of content every minute they spend on them, so you need to share relevant and provocative content that elicits a response from them.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s the only way you can hope to stand out of the crowd and make your prospect engage with you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like cold calling, social selling also has its benefits and shortcomings, as noted above. However, this sales outreach technique can prove a winner in a number of scenarios, such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social selling can prove useful in case your sales team is still growing. <\/strong>This is because while this technique might need time before it starts yielding results, it doesn\u2019t need all hands on deck. <\/p>\n\n\n\n To go back to our cold calling example, a single SDR can only gain 1-2 meetings for every 200 cold calls dialed, so you need at least a team of 10 SDRs to bring home the bucks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, a single-person team can also effectively implement a social selling strategy<\/strong>. One SDR can engage with multiple prospects simultaneously hopping from one conversation to the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A small team dedicated to leveraging and optimizing your social media presence will get you far enough in the eyes of your prospects and help you engage them effectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Next, if your audience is on social media, why aren\u2019t you there? That\u2019s sales 101. Social selling is arguably the best sales outreach technique you could employ if your target audience is active on social media. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here are the numbers from Pew Research Center on which social media platforms<\/a> are popular among different age groups:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Companies unwilling to exist online jeopardize their existence in the real world, too. Social media is where your customers are and where they make their purchase decisions. In fact, studies show<\/a> that 90% of people buy from brands they follow online. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Apart from this, your social media presence also helps you identify your prospects faster, keeps you in the loop<\/strong> as their behaviors and preferences change, and helps you foster a relationship of trust with them. In light of this, social selling is a no-brainer for modern SDRs. To strengthen this connection, many brands are turning to live streaming to engage their audiences in real-time. A Muvi alternative<\/a><\/strong> enables hosting live events, product demos, and Q&A sessions, helping brands transform social interactions into sales conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Social selling is especially effective if you\u2019re selling high-dollar products and services<\/strong> or if your sales cycle<\/a> is particularly long. When buyers have to deliberate on their purchase decisions, it’s best for you to be active on social media where they conduct their research. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, social selling allows you to nurture your leads until they\u2019re ready to buy<\/strong>. By segmenting your leads based on their behavior, interest, and sales cycle stage, you can dish out personalized and well-timed messages to nudge them towards your desired action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you know the pros and cons of both sales outreach techniques, it\u2019s time to analyze how these two fare against each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here is a concise table to help you compare the two sales outreach techniques. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We give it to you straight: You need both cold calling and social selling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We wish there was a clear winner, but in today\u2019s competitive platform, you need to leverage both of these outreach channels if you want to see your meetings booked quota smashed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Research by McKinsey and Company<\/a> reveals B2B customers are likely to use 10 or more different channels<\/strong> before they decide to make the purchase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, a combination of cold calling and social selling will make your sales outreach more comprehensive and effective. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Moral of the story? You must leverage cold calling and <\/em>social selling simultaneously as part of your multichannel outreach strategy <\/strong>to boost your response rates and book more meetings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re wondering how best to implement this, we\u2019ve got you covered. Read on to find out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking for a single platform to do cold calling and social selling and more, <\/em>look no further than Klenty. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Klenty\u2019s<\/a> sales engagement platform helps you execute a comprehensive outreach strategy<\/strong> that encompasses not just phone and LinkedIn, but also email, SMS,<\/a> and WhatsApp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s how Klenty\u2019s SEP helps you conduct cold calling and social selling:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sales Dialer for Cold Calling<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Klenty\u2019s Sales Dialer<\/a> helps you place calls with a single click<\/strong> while also saving all call notes directly in your CRM. Here are some of its key features:<\/p>\n\n\n\n LinkedIn Automation for Social Selling<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Supercharge your social selling with Klenty\u2019s LinkedIn Execution<\/a>, which helps you harness the power <\/strong>of the networking site without endlessly toggling between applications. Here are its key features:<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the end of the day, Klenty lets you plan and implement a flawless outreach strategy that combines cold calling and social selling<\/strong>. With this multichannel outreach<\/a>, you\u2019ll not only meet but surpass your meetings booked goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To know more about how Klenty can help your outreach efforts skyrocket, book a demo<\/a> now!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, social selling is worth it. This outreach technique helps you reach your audience with ease, boost your brand awareness, scale your outreach as per your goals, and measure the success of your efforts accurately.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The way to make a successful cold call is to What Is Cold Calling?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pros & Cons of Cold Calling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pros of Cold Calling<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Cons of Cold Calling<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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When To Use Cold Calling?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What Is Social Selling?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Pros & Cons of Social Selling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Pros of Social Selling<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Cons of Social Selling<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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When To Use Social Selling?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Difference Between Cold Calling Vs Social Selling<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Which Is the Best Platform for Cold Calling and Social Selling?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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FAQ<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
1. Is social selling worth it?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. How do you make a successful cold call?<\/strong><\/h3>\n