Cold outreach is a critical part of B2B sales, helping businesses connect with potential clients, generate leads, and close deals. Two primary methods of cold outreach—cold emailing and cold calling—each have their strengths and weaknesses. Choosing the right approach can significantly impact response rates, engagement, and overall sales success.
Table of Contents
Understanding Cold Email and Cold Calling
When to Use Cold Email vs. Cold Calling in B2B Sales
How to Combine Cold Email and Cold Calling for Maximum Effect
Tracking and Optimizing Your Outreach
Conclusion
Understanding Cold Email and Cold Calling
Before deciding which method to use, it's important to understand what cold email and cold calling entail.
What is Cold Emailing?
Cold emailing involves sending unsolicited emails to potential prospects who have not previously engaged with your business. This approach allows sales teams to introduce their product or service, provide value, and nurture leads at scale.
Pros of Cold Emailing:
Scalable – You can reach hundreds or thousands of prospects simultaneously.
Less intrusive – Recipients can read and respond at their convenience.
Easy to track and optimize – Open rates, click-through rates, and replies can be monitored and improved.
Allows for detailed information – Emails can contain links, attachments, and case studies.
Cons of Cold Emailing:
Lower response rates – Emails can be ignored or sent to spam.
Takes longer to build engagement – May require multiple follow-ups.
Compliance risks – Needs adherence to GDPR, CAN-SPAM, and other regulations.
What is Cold Calling?
Cold calling involves directly calling a prospect who has not previously engaged with your business. This method is more direct and allows for immediate interaction.
Pros of Cold Calling:
Immediate engagement – You can have real-time conversations.
Builds rapport faster – Voice tone and personality create a personal connection.
Better for complex offerings – Ideal for discussing high-ticket or detailed solutions.
Allows for instant feedback – You can address objections and questions immediately.
Cons of Cold Calling:
Intrusive – Many prospects find unsolicited calls annoying.
Time-consuming – SDRs (Sales Development Representatives) can only make so many calls per day.
Lower scalability – Unlike emails, cold calls require direct human effort for each contact.
Harder to track and optimize – Call metrics can be subjective and harder to measure.
When to Use Cold Email vs. Cold Calling in B2B Sales
Choosing between cold email and cold calling depends on various factors, including industry, prospect preferences, and sales objectives.
When to Use Cold Email
Cold email is best suited for:
Reaching decision-makers who are hard to call – Executives often have gatekeepers screening calls but may read emails.
Complex sales cycles that require research – Emails allow you to introduce detailed information with supporting materials.
Mass outreach – If you're prospecting at scale, email is more efficient.
Nurturing cold leads – A well-crafted email sequence can warm up a lead before a call.
Complying with regulations – In regions with strict telemarketing laws, email can be a safer option.
When to Use Cold Calling
Cold calling is more effective when:
You need quick feedback – Phone calls provide immediate responses, making it easier to gauge interest.
You’re selling high-ticket or complex solutions – Conversations are better for explaining intricate offerings.
Personalization is key – Calls help establish trust and build relationships faster.
You want to bypass email overload – Many professionals receive dozens of sales emails daily, making calls a way to stand out.
Following up on engagement – If a lead has engaged with previous outreach, a call can convert them faster.
How to Combine Cold Email and Cold Calling for Maximum Effect
For the best results, a hybrid approach often works best. Here’s how you can integrate both methods effectively:
1. Use Cold Email to Warm Up Prospects Before Calling
Sending an introductory email before calling can make the call feel less intrusive. A simple email structure might look like this:
Subject: Quick Question About [Company Name]
Hi [First Name],
I came across [Company Name] and wanted to connect. I help businesses like yours achieve [specific benefit]. I’d love to share a quick idea that might be valuable.
Here [link] is some more information on how we work.
Best, [Your Name]
2. Follow Up a Cold Email with a Call
If a prospect opens your email but doesn’t respond, follow up with a call:
“Hi [First Name], I sent you an email about [topic] and wanted to follow up to see if you had any thoughts. Do you have a few minutes to chat?”
This approach ensures your call isn’t completely cold and increases the chances of engagement.
3. Alternate Between Email and Calls
A multi-touch strategy keeps prospects engaged without overwhelming them. A sample sequence could look like this:
Day 1: Send a cold email.
Day 3: Follow up with a call.
Day 5: Send a second follow-up email.
Day 7: Call again with a new angle.
Day 10: Send a final email with an extra value proposition.
4. Leverage Voicemail and Email Together
If a call goes to voicemail, leave a short message and follow up with an email:
“Hi [First Name], I just tried calling to discuss [brief benefit]. I’ll follow up with an email—would love to connect!”
This keeps your outreach cohesive and increases visibility.
5. Use Personalization to Boost Responses
Prospects respond better to personalized outreach. Whether via email or phone, reference specific details like:
Their company’s recent news or achievements.
Shared connections or mutual interests.
Industry trends affecting their business.
Tracking and Optimizing Your Outreach
To maximize the effectiveness of cold email and cold calling, track key performance indicators (KPIs):
For Cold Email:
Open rate (Target: 40%+)
Click-through rate (Target: 2–5%)
For Cold Calling:
Connection rate (How many calls reach the prospect)
Conversation-to-meeting ratio
Overall conversion rate
By analyzing these metrics, you can refine messaging, timing, and targeting for better results.
Conclusion
Both cold email and cold calling are valuable B2B sales tools, each with its own advantages. The best approach depends on your goals, audience, and industry. Instead of choosing one over the other, integrating both into a cohesive strategy often yields the best results.
By leveraging cold email for scalability and cold calling for personal engagement, sales teams can maximize outreach effectiveness and drive higher conversions.