9 Tips to Get a 13% Pick-Up Rate with Your Cold Calls
+ 3 mistakes to avoid
Read time: 5 min
Hello Chefs! Welcome back to this week’s edition of the Outbound Kitchen newsletter!
Every Sunday, we serve up a quick, tasty insight on the most effective outbound tactics you can use right now—all in 5 minutes or less.
Let’s get cookin’ 👇
9 Tips to Get a 13% Pick-Up Rate with Your Cold Calls
Today, we’re diving into how you can have more conversations with decision-makers over the phone.
One common mistake I see reps make is focusing on increasing their connect-to-meeting rate when their connect rate is below 5%. Instead, the priority should be on improving your dial-to-connect rate—the percentage of calls that result in a connection.
Here’s some data from Gong on Dial-to-Connect Rates:
Average rep 5.4%
Top Quartile Rep: 13.3%
To help you reach that top quartile, I’ve compiled 9 tips and 3 mistakes based on my experience, podcast episodes, and the books I’ve read about cold calling.
#1: Focus on Direct Lines or Cell Phone Numbers
Prioritize finding and using direct lines or cell phone numbers for cold calls. These numbers often bypass gatekeepers, and phone trees and have a higher connect rate
In the US, calling cell phone numbers is common practice. In Europe, while less common, mobile numbers still yield results.
#2: How to find Direct Lines or Cell Phone Numbers
You have 3 options:
Check Email Signatures: Always check the email signature of your prospect for direct phone numbers. It could be in their initial response or an old email in your CRM.
Use Verified Data Tools: Invest in tools that provide verified phone numbers or use waterfall enrichment to increase your chances of a successful connect. Verified data services can boost pick-up rates to around 15%.
Call a colleague: If you don't have your prospect's cell phone or office number. Call their office or a colleague to ask for help on how to contact your prospect and ask for the prospect's phone number.
#3: Leave a voicemail
Leave a voicemail after every call attempt. According to data from Orum, this can increase your next call’s pick-up rate by 25.8%. Last week’s newsletter included two voicemail scripts—click the link below if you missed them:
#4: Call Prospects Who Open your Emails 3+ times
Call your prospects when they open your emails many times or watch a video you sent. Configure your sales engagement platform to automatically create a task to call your prospect immediately or do it manually.
#5: Mark and Categorize Your Call Outcomes
When you’re dialing, focus on the phone numbers you’re confident belong to your prospects. Here’s how you can make that process smooth and efficient.
Knowing which numbers are worth calling saves you time and frustration. It helps you avoid wasted dials and keeps you focused on the prospects that matter.
Here’s how to do it:
Categorize your calls:
Blank ⚪️ (Unconfirmed): It rings 4+ times, but it’s a generic voicemail, so you’re not sure it’s them yet.
Green 🟢 (Confirmed): You’re sure it’s the right person. The voicemail confirms it’s them. These are your go-to numbers.
Yellow 🟡 (Not Sure): Something feels off—like busy lines or straight-to-voicemail. Try once more, but be ready to move this to red.
Red 🔴 (Bad): Wrong numbers, fax lines, or repeated busy signals. Don’t waste time dialing these again.
Leave notes for obstacles:
Phone Trees. Write down the numbers you dialed to navigate phone trees. Next time, you can bypass them quickly.
Corporate Lines & Front Desks: If you hit dead ends, note them down. This way, you won’t waste time dialing them again for other prospects.
Gatekeepers. If you get blocked, take note. You’ll be better prepared to get past them next time.
Use tags If You Can:
If your sales tool lets you tag bad numbers, do it. This way, you can skip them in bulk and keep your list clean.
By organizing and categorizing your call outcomes, you ensure that your time is spent on prospects who are more likely to answer.
#6: Respect the Law of Diminishing Returns
Here’s the thing: when you’re making calls, keep it to 5 attempts over 4 weeks. After that, give the prospect some space—wait a month before trying again.
Why does this matter?
If you keep pushing the same person, you’re likely wasting time and irritating them. That’s not going to get you the result you’re after.
Think about it this way: instead of putting all your energy into one prospect, focus on others who might actually be ready to talk. Set yourself a clear limit—5 calls in 4 weeks—and then move on to the next opportunity.
Here’s how to do it:
Call up to 5 times in 4 weeks. After that, give the prospect a break for a month.
Leave only 2 voicemails. This boosts your email reply rate without overloading the prospect.
Shift your focus. Use the extra time to reach out to new prospects who might be ready to engage.
Bottom line: When you respect the law of diminishing returns, you’re not just wasting your time. You’re making sure every call counts, which leads to better results.
#7: Avoid impassable gatekeepers
If a gatekeeper keeps blocking you, try calling your prospect’s cell, contacting them on other channels, or dialing during off-hours.
#8: When is the best time to make a cold call?
Timing your cold calls can make a big difference to improve your connect rate. Here’s how to figure out what works best for your prospects and industry.
Making calls at the right time increases your chances of reaching someone and having a meaningful conversation. It’s all about working smarter, not harder.
Here’s how to do it:
1. Experiment with Call Times: There’s no perfect time for everyone, so test different call times with your prospects. For example:
Office Workers: Try calling just before or after their workday—like 8:45 a.m. or 5:00 p.m.
Restaurant Owners: Reach out before lunch or dinner, when they’re likely to have a moment.
Scientists: Afternoons tend to work better.
Leverage What Works for Others:
Late Calls: In my episode with Teddy Frank, a top-performing SDR at Atrium, he found that calling after 5 PM local time led to the best results, especially when working across different time zones. (Teddy calls 2nd level+ sales and RevOps leaders in the SaaS industry)
Midweek Success: Quitterie Lafont, another top SDR at Datadog, found her sweet spot on Wednesdays. She doubles her calls that day and avoids Mondays entirely. (For context, she prospects tech leaders, DevOps, and engineers.)
Call at Unusual Times: Consider calling when other SDRs aren’t, like Monday mornings or Friday afternoons. You might catch prospects at a time when they’re less bombarded.
Target between meetings: Try calling 5 minutes before or after the start of the hour, like 1:55 p.m. or 2:05 p.m. This can catch your prospect between meetings when they’re more likely to pick up.
Use Data to Guide You: If you have tools that track call outcomes, use them to identify the best times to call. Adjust your strategy based on what’s working for you or your team.
#9: Prevent Spam Tagging
If your calls get flagged as spam, your chances of connecting with prospects drop to almost zero. Keeping your number in good standing ensures you actually reach people.
Here's how to avoid getting your number flagged as spam:
Register your phone number: Make sure your number is recognized as legit by registering it with the major carriers. You can do that here: Free Caller Registry.
Rotate your numbers: Carriers watch for unusual spikes in call activity. If you’re making a lot of calls, use different numbers to spread the load. Most sales tools let you rotate lines, so use that feature to avoid burning out one number.
Test your numbers regularly: Before you start dialing from a new number, call your own phone first. This lets you check if it’s already marked as spam, especially since many numbers are recycled.
Stick to business hours: Call between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m. to stay within FTC guidelines. Hitting the phones at odd hours like 5 a.m. or 10 p.m. increases the risk of getting flagged.
Avoid calling bad numbers repeatedly: If a number is bad, stop calling it. Carriers notice if you keep dialing dud numbers and may mark your number as spam. So keep track of your calls and avoid repeating mistakes.
❌ 3 mistakes to avoid:
Avoid tactics like:
Double or triple dialing someone: This can make them think you’re an emergency from a loved one.
Hiding your phone number: It breaks trust and can get your number flagged as spam.
Cold FaceTime: Yes, people actually do this, and it’s highly intrusive.
These tactics annoy prospects and damage your reputation. Always maintain professional and respectful call etiquette. Building trust is essential for long-term success.
What’s your favorite way to increase your cold call connect rate? Let me know!
Now you have ideas to improve your cold call connect rate and have more conversations.
That’s it!
I hope this helps with your outbound journey.
Keep cooking up those great recipes!
✌️👨🍳
Elric, The Outbound Chef
Say hi 👋 on LinkedIn, on YouTube, Spotify, or X.
P.S. This past week marked my first full week back in Mexico City, and it was a good one! I recorded a podcast with my friend Harry Sims, where he asked me two thought-provoking questions: What’s one piece of advice for the next generation of SDRs? And what’s the future for SDRs and outbound? I’m still mulling over those.
I also had some great conversations with prospects and potential sponsors for the newsletter.
Next week, I’m excited to roll out the new branding, which you can already catch a glimpse of in today’s newsletter. Stay tuned!
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