Open a cold call

The first ten seconds

People decide very fast whether to stay on the line. In your first two or three sentences, say who you are, who you're calling for, and why, then ask a simple question.

Example: "Hi, this is Sara with Blue Harbor Homes. I'm calling about the house on Maple Street. Would you ever consider an offer on it?"

Sound human, not scripted

Know your script well enough that you don't need to read it. Use the person's name, keep a relaxed pace, and react to what they actually say instead of pushing on to the next line.

Always aim for a next step

Every call should end with something clear: an appointment, a callback time, or a polite no. Offer two specific options ("Tuesday at 10 or Wednesday at 3?") instead of an open question, and confirm the time zone.

Voicemails

Keep voicemails to about 20 seconds: your name, the company, one reason to call back, and your number, said slowly and repeated once.