Cold calling isn’t dead. Most sales orgs just suck at it.
- joel55393
- Jul 30
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 13
"AI can find intent—but it can’t earn trust. Outbound calling, done strategically, drives up to 40–50% higher ROI than email alone."
Outbound Impact Snapshot:
📞 Calls convert 8.25% vs. 0.3% for email
🤝 78% of decision-makers accept meetings post-call
🔄 Multi-touch campaigns boost conversion +25%
💬 AI assists—but humans close.
Let’s get this out of the way: I have an issue with the term Artificial Intelligence. It is both insufficient and over-promising at the same time. There’s nothing artificial about it. But it doesn’t have all the answers either.
Can we rebrand it as Applied Intelligence? Because that's what it really is—applying the modeled intelligence so processes can be optimized for a desired outcome.
This has a significant application in MARTECH, where Applied Intelligence has reshaped how we organize and execute repetitive processes.
But here’s the thing: when it comes to Demand Generation, AI is only one side of the coin. The human component is the other—and it’s essential.
This post is about finding the right mix. Especially if you want your Outbound GTM strategy to do more than just check boxes—it needs to generate real pipeline.
My Obsession: Outbound Calling —
Let’s talk about something that’s been undervalued, underused, and underloved: Outbound Calling.
This cornerstone of demand generation has been quietly downgraded in many sales orgs. Here’s why:
CRM data quality is, politely put, a dumpster fire
Email campaigns stole the spotlight
Outbound calling is… hard
But let’s clear the air right now: AI is not replacing the human in outbound calls. Natural Language Processing isn't anywhere near ready for that. (Fight me.)
Why Outbound Calling Still Reigns —
Think of email as the overture—it sets the mood, introduces themes, warms up the audience.
The outbound call is the crescendo.
Email and calling are symbiotic. When done right, one sets the table for the other. Here’s why calling matters:
Cold calling yields a 2% opportunity rate—compared to just 0.3% from email.
Cold calls convert 8.25% of the time. Emails? A dismal 0.3%.
78% of decision-makers say yes to meetings after a cold call.
60% say conversations influence buying decisions more than any other touchpoint.
Campaigns with cold calling see 25% higher conversion rates.
Outbound calling delivers 40–50% better ROI than email-only efforts.
According to Reddit (yes, even Reddit has gems), 60% of inbound meetings originated from a cold call.
So Why the Decline in Outbound Calling?
Because most orgs don’t know how to run outbound effectively. It’s not “just more calls”—it’s highly strategic and methodical.
80% of sales require 6–12 follow-ups. Most reps quit after 4.
93% of successful conversions happen after the 6th touch.
And yet, most sales orgs… don’t go the distance.
Where AI Helps (and Where It Doesn’t) —
AI is brilliant at targeting, lead scoring, and identifying intent signals. It can optimize cadences and save tons of time. But it can’t do this:
Handle objections live
Read tone
Show empathy
Uncover "reveals"—those nuggets of competitive insight you only get from real conversations
Extract BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timing) on the fly
In short, AI can tee up the pitch. But only a human can close.
The Secret Sauce: Email + Calling, Working Together —
Email campaigns should set the tone—educate, warm, and signal intent.
Done right:
Open rates = 28%
Reply rates = 5–25%
But email alone won’t get you across the finish line.
Outbound calling cuts through the noise, bypasses the funnel, and drives straight into pipeline.
What We Do at Second Sight —
At Second Sight, we deliver a full-spectrum outbound strategy designed to enhance your ABM and GTM performance:
Custom email campaigns (written by humans, guided by intent data)
Multimodal touch cadences
Intent-driven outbound calling
AI helps us enhance our outbound strategy—not replace the people behind it. Because modern demand generation demands both.
-JF
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