8 Best Cold Call Opening Lines that will Force Customers to Listen

We know your customers hang up on you instantly and you don’t know why. Now, you’re looking for the best cold call opening line.

Underconfident, confused and losing motivation to make your next call? All your prospects receive an average of 8-10 sales calls in a day. They’ll disconnect 3/4th of the calls instantly.

Others hang up as soon as they realise that you will try to sell them something. 

This is a problem that is faced by every sales executive every day!

How can YOU be that one caller who makes them want to know more?

The answer lies here – Your introduction should make them say

Yes, go on, tell me about it!.

A catchy, interesting and captivating introduction can help you achieve this goal.

Because, no matter how good of a salesman you are, you cannot convince somebody who has already disconnected your call!

Only a catchy introduction will make them curious enough to listen to you! It will not close the sale for you but it will definitely make sure that they don’t disconnect the call after hearing your first line!

So, what to say at the beginning of a sales call?

Here is a guide to help you learn how to make the perfect intros, grab your customer’s attention and make them stay and ultimately help you find your best sales call opening line which will eventually grow your business.

#1 “Hi Sumit, this is Rahul, do you have a minute?”

Reasons why this works

• It’s crisp and assumes that you already know the prospect
• Doesn’t reveal your company so the prospect can’t discard you as a sales caller without even talking to you

This opening works well if you are selling something where you will need multiple follow-ups where the only role of the first call is to make an introduction and explore the chances of a relationship,

• Insurance sales: Make the intro on the first call and then create the opportunity for the sale over successive calls
• Real estate sales: This opening treats the prospect like a friend, thereby giving you the maximum chance to close a deal

This opening works, but this is how most people open their calls instead

“Hello, Main star health se Sumit bol raha hoon, kya aap insurance mein….”

If you are doing this, stop there!

NEVER DO THIS!

Ye karoge to prospect to jayega hi, saath mein number bhi block kar dega aapka!

This is the biggest mistake that all untrained salespeople make.

#2 Hi Rohan, this is Piyush from Tiger Reality. You are looking for a 2-BHK flat in the Udyog Vihar area, right?

Reasons why this works

• Here you have already done solid research and know well about the prospect!
• Moreover, you start the conversation with exactly what he needs. Thereby, increasing the chance that he will be interested in talking to you from the get-go.

Pro Tip: Make the call through a telecalling software like Telecrm to see all lead info in one place to customise every call as per the lead.

This opening works, but this is how most people open their calls instead

“Hi, I am — from —, ummm, ahhh,”

And BOOM! Lost a good client again.

We know you are a little underconfident and completely exhausted.

But just a little bit of research before the call will reduce the number of rejections that you get!

Before you start the call analyse and have a proper mindset as to where your conversation is gonna go.

1. Is it a follow-up to a warm lead?
2. A general follow-up?
3. Or a cold call with a new customer?

#3 Hi Amit, How are you doing?

Reasons why this works

• Familiarity: This opening makes the prospects feel as if you already know them.
• Authority: Doesn’t feel like you are begging for attention. Instead, you command respect from the beginning as an equal who has something valuable to offer.
• Ice-breaker: Most of the time prospects will respond with “I am good, who is this?” But sometimes they will give you an opening by talking about their problems and frustrations… “Business is bad but the rest is fine“

This intro works well universally. But here are 2 examples of where this approach works exceptionally well

• Cold calls: The biggest challenge with cold calls is the awkwardness between strangers. This opening simply kills that awkwardness.
• Credit card sales: Prospects hate credit card sales calls because the callers sound robotic. This opening on the other hand humanises the call!

This opening works, but this is how most people open their calls instead

“Kya meri Ayush ji se baat ho rahi h? sorry Ashish, sorry!”
….HEYYYY BHAGWAAAN!!!

Haha, we know you have made this mistake at least once in your calling career. This is why Customer Insight is a crucial part if you don’t want to mess up your introductions!!

Always properly recheck the name and details of the customer before dialing the number.

Be the existing data that you have on the customer and always aim to find out more so you know your customer inside out. 

#4 Hi Himani, are you busy right now?

Reasons why this works

• Breaks the mold: Most salespeople will start with their name and company name. This breaks that mold and takes them by surprise. It makes the customer more likely to talk.
• Adds a surprise factor: No telecaller has the guts to start like this. So, when you do, it will end up being a very interesting call for the prospect.

There’s nothing better than adding an element of surprise to your cold-calling script. Here are 3 examples where this can get you massive sales

Pro Tip: Use a to Instantly Boost Results for You!

This opening works, but this is how most people open their calls instead

“Hi this is Sumit from…”

Prospect: “Mere bacche ka 1st birthday h, main ye krlu pehle?”

Lo kardiya na disappoint aapne prospect ko

If you forgot this principle “The Mood matters”,

to sab gadbad hai baba!

Try to guess the mindset of the customer with their tone. 

Gauge if they say they are unavailable or if they are busy with something far more important.

It’s okay, kal call kar lena!

But never proceed because you just have to!

In fact, you can use this as an opportunity to tell something like

ok sir aap aaj enjoy karo main kal call back karta hun! 

This shows that you understand and that you genuinely care instead of just trying to sell your stuff to this guy!

#5 Hi, Is this Rajesh?

Reasons why this works

• The first word that you hear is yes: That simple word can anchor the prospect to give positive responses to your future questions.
• Starts with him instead of you: Instead of talking about your name or intro, it starts with the prospect’s name…

Again, this is one of the better icebreakers. It won’t make the prospect interested but at the same time, he will definitely not hang up after your first sentence. Here are 2 examples where this opening works great!

• Investment products: Here you need to get the details and qualify the prospect before making your pitch and you can only ask your prospect about his investment plans once he is comfortable enough to talk with you.
• Inbound leads: These are people that are already interested in your product or service and need a human conversation before they can take the next step.

This opening works, but this is how most people open their calls instead

“Hello Sir, This is Suresh”

Vs.

“Hi, Is this Rajesh? Rajesh, I am Suresh from Star Investments,  I hope this is a good time to talk…..”

Difference bahut hota hai!

Professional greetings improve your introduction from a 0 to at least a 5.

Any customer likes a polite and gentle start to any conversation!

A sweet greeting will not go unappreciated. Unko starting se hi interested banana hai to ye karna kabhi mat bhoolna 

Related Read: What are Telecaller Skills? 10 Skills to Use+ Tools to Increase Sales Efficiency

#6 So Sumit, is boosting sales and revenue one of your key challenges?

This opening is,

• Well researched
• Puts the prospect’s problem ahead of your own need to close a deal

But instead of doing this, most salespeople just go,

“Our product is the best for you”

Kuch samjhe aap?

You don’t have to sell just because aapka product exist karta h..

You have to sell kyon ki customer ke pain points ko address karta h.

If he doesn’t feel ki ‘Ha, ye actually me ek problem hai yaar’ then why would he be interested in buying your product or even listening to you further. 

#7 Hi Sumona, this is Rahul from Telecrm and I am calling to solve one of your biggest problems today

This opening

• Assumes familiarity: Here you are talking to the prospect as if you already know him.
• Makes a bold claim: “I am calling to solve one of your biggest problems.” When I make this claim I am demonstrating that I know you, I understand your problems and I have a solution. If I can prove my claim over the call then the deal is mine.
• Puts their problem in the centre: It talks about them and their problem, giving them a reason to talk to you

But instead, most sales reps go,

“Ye hamara product hai, To kya aap ye khareedenge?”

Customer: “Ek min, aap kaun?” 

Introduction me introduce hi nahi kiya to kya kiya bhaiya?? 

Never ever in your desperation to sell forget to Introduce yourself and your business. Kyuki agar vo tmhe jaante hi nai hai to call to cut hi karenge an….

#8 Hi Ranjan, I got your number from Justdial, you guys manufacture baking supplies, right?

• Gives a little context and the call doesn’t feel so cold: Sure, it is a cold call but this opening tells the prospect how you found his number and gives them a chance to talk about themselves.
• Makes it easy: for you to start and hold a conversation.

 “Ha to sir………..”

Customer: “Just a second, Aapko mera number kaha se mila?” 

Koi bhi insaan ye jaana chahega ki ye kon insaan mujhe call karrha ekdam se aur mera number kaha se mila isko yaar???

Har insaan ko apni privacy pyaari hoti hai!

You should never forget to mention Reference Contacts or Mutual Connections.

This automatically helps to improve your introduction because your customer knows you are a genuine person who wants to help them or their company.

Mutual connections will make sure that the prospect will want to know further.

Kyuki zaahir si baat hai, unka jaanne wala unko time waste nai krwana chahega. 

Pro Tip: Software for call management can help you solve all your calling woes and help you streamline your calling operations.

Conclusion

To be the smartest salesperson you need to know ki aapke prospects kya sunna chahte hain.

With this article, you should have some cold calling tips and a clear idea of the mistakes that you need to avoid while introducing yourself at the opening of your sales call. You will also have a clear idea about what should be your best sales call opening line.

Go ahead and apply these tricks to design your perfect sales call introduction.

You just need to have a little patience and keep practising…

And soon enough you will be avoiding these mistakes and giving intros that compel all your prospects to at least listen to your offer.

Yes, you are going to get rejected a lot!

But that’s the nature of a sales job.

And for every ‘rejection’ you get to choose whether you want to turn it into an opportunity for learning, growing and getting better at sales or an opportunity for blaming yourself!

Nothing in life comes easily!

But when you look back, you will be proud of yourself for not giving up, for having that positivity and even after being drained out, turning that rejection into a closed deal with your hard work!! 

Lastly, 

Without passion, you don’t have energy, Without energy, you have nothing”.

So my dear friend, take breaks, have a cup of coffee and GO GET THAT CLIENT!!!

Related Read:

• What Is Telecalling? Features, Benefits, Top Software and More!
• Industry-wise Telecaller Job Description for Aspiring telecallers and Hiring Managers