Cold Call vs Cold Email: When to Use Each Approach

Cold calling and cold emailing are two of the most popular outbound sales tactics used to connect with potential customers.

However, knowing when to use each approach can make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your sales strategy.

While both have their merits, understanding their unique strengths and drawbacks will help you choose the right tool for the job.

Let’s break down everything you need to know about cold calling vs cold emailing, so you can make an informed decision on when to use each.

What Is Cold Calling?

Cold calling is the art of picking up the phone and reaching out to potential customers who have not shown any prior interest in your product or service.

This technique allows you to make direct, real-time contact, providing a unique opportunity to build a personal connection with the prospect. A well-executed cold call can help to address immediate questions, overcome objections, and even close deals on the spot.

However, cold calling can be a bit intimidating for both the caller and the recipient, especially when you’re interrupting someone’s day.

Despite its challenges, it can lead to quick feedback and provides an opportunity to make an immediate impact.

What Is Cold Emailing?

Cold emailing is similar to cold calling in that it involves reaching out to potential prospects who have not expressed any interest in your business.

Unlike cold calling, cold emailing is done asynchronously. You craft an email, hit "send," and wait for a response, leaving the prospect time to review your message and respond when it's convenient for them.

We can tell you that this a less intrusive method compared to cold calling, as prospects can choose whether or not to engage.

It’s often used in B2B sales, where business professionals may not have the time for a phone call but are open to reviewing email proposals or offers.

Comparing Cold Calling vs Cold Emailing

1. Immediate Interaction vs Delayed Response

• Cold Calling: The major advantage of cold calling is the ability to engage in immediate conversation. You can ask questions, handle objections, and pivot the conversation based on how the prospect responds in real-time. This creates a dynamic interaction where you can build rapport right away.
• Cold Emailing: On the other hand, cold emailing doesn’t allow for real-time communication. Prospects can respond whenever they feel like it, which means there is a delay in feedback. However, this delay can be a benefit for some prospects, as they have time to think about your offer and respond at their convenience.

2. Personalization and Approach

• Cold Calling: Cold calls provide a personal touch that emails can’t match. You can instantly adjust your tone and approach based on the prospect’s mood, creating a more personalized experience. This real-time interaction allows you to build a relationship with the prospect and increase your chances of conversion.
• Cold Emailing: Cold emails can still be personalized, but they lack the instant feedback that comes with a phone call. However, you can craft a highly targeted email, addressing specific pain points, or referencing details about the prospect’s business, which might resonate more than a generic phone pitch.

3. Time and Effort

• Cold Calling: Cold calling takes more time and effort. Each call requires manual work, including researching the prospect, crafting the pitch, and handling objections on the spot. It can also be mentally taxing, as sales reps need to stay motivated despite high rejection rates.
• Cold Emailing: Cold emailing allows for more efficiency. You can craft one message and send it to multiple prospects at once. However, this efficiency comes at a price: email responses can be less reliable, and you won’t always get the level of engagement that you might expect from a phone call.

4. Response Rates and Engagement

• Cold Calling: Cold calling typically has higher engagement rates in the sense that you are speaking directly with the prospect. However, this also means that you may face a lot of rejection. Getting past gatekeepers, dealing with hang-ups, or having your call ignored are all common frustrations that can make cold calling challenging.
• Cold Emailing: Cold emails, while less intrusive, generally have lower response rates compared to cold calling. That said, they can be more easily ignored or overlooked, as they don’t require immediate attention. However, when done well, an email can lead to higher-quality interactions if the prospect feels the offer is relevant to them.

When to Use Cold Calling

Cold calling is best used when you want to have a direct, real-time conversation with a prospect. It’s particularly effective in the following scenarios:

• When building rapport quickly: If your goal is to create a personal connection, cold calling provides an immediate opportunity to engage with the prospect, answer questions, and overcome objections in real-time.
• When immediate feedback is necessary: Cold calling is ideal when you need to gauge interest quickly or adjust your sales pitch on the fly.
• When targeting high-value leads: For B2B or high-ticket sales, speaking directly with decision-makers can help you close deals faster. Cold calling allows for direct interaction with key people who may have more authority to make decisions.

However, cold calling is best suited for situations where your sales reps are skilled and confident in handling rejection and can work with limited information at first. It requires persistence and a well-prepared team to be successful.

When to Use Cold Emailing

Cold emailing works well when you need to reach a large number of prospects quickly or when you’re targeting a more professional audience that might prefer reviewing offers at their own pace. Here are a few scenarios where cold emailing shines:

• When you have limited resources: If you’re a small business or startup, cold emailing allows you to reach more prospects with less time and effort.
• When you’re looking to scale your outreach: Unlike cold calling, which requires a one-on-one effort from a sales rep, cold emails can be automated and sent to thousands of prospects with a few clicks.
• When the prospect prefers less interruption: Cold emailing can be less intrusive than cold calling. If you know your target market is busy, especially in B2B industries, an email might be more effective as it allows the prospect to respond when it’s convenient for them.

Cold emailing is particularly useful in less time-sensitive scenarios or when you are working with a prospect who values detail and wants to digest your offer before responding.

Cold Calling vs Cold Emailing in B2B Sales

In B2B sales, both cold calling and cold emailing play important roles, but each serves different purposes. Cold calling is especially valuable for building relationships with key decision-makers in companies. It’s often used for follow-ups, deeper conversations, or closing deals after the initial contact has been made. Cold emailing, on the other hand, is great for initial outreach or nurturing leads over time with consistent messaging.

Both methods can complement each other. You might start with cold emailing to introduce your product or service and then follow up with a cold call to answer questions, overcome objections, or close the deal.

So, Which Approach is Right for You?

When comparing cold calling vs cold emailing, it ultimately comes down to your goals, resources, and target audience.

Cold calling is best when you need real-time interaction and personalized engagement. Cold emailing, on the other hand, is perfect for efficiency, scaling outreach, and reaching prospects who prefer to respond at their own pace.

For businesses looking to optimize their outreach, using both approaches in tandem is often the best strategy.

Start with an email to introduce yourself and your offering, then follow up with a call for deeper engagement.

If you were to combine both of these strategies, you can reach a wider audience while ensuring you have the opportunity to engage with leads on a more personal level when needed.