Stop Cold Calling Blind: How to Prepare a Call That Opens Doors

We teamed up with Telefonická Komunikace and hosted a webinar on effective cold calling. Claudie Hrušková Paldusová, CEO of Telefonická komunikace with over 14 years of experience in acquisition calling, shared techniques that actually work. Here are the key takeaways.

Cold calling in 2026 isn’t about dialing as many numbers as possible and hoping something sticks. “I like to call it 21st-century phone selling,” Claudie explains. “You need to build a relationship, invest energy, and work with information about the company. Then it’s not really a cold call.” The more you know about a company before the call, the less cold the call becomes. When you know that a company has been growing, opened a new branch, or changed management, you have a concrete reason to call. You’re not just another voice on the phone wanting to “introduce our company.”

Words that kill a call in the first minute

Claudie identified words and phrases that immediately reduce your chances of success.

Diminutives – Using overly casual or diminutive language in a professional call instantly undermines your credibility. Especially with assertive sales directors or business owners, casual speak comes across as unprofessional.

“Am I disturbing you?” – When you call a busy person and ask if you’re disturbing them, the answer is almost always yes. Instead, try: “Is this a good time to talk?” or “Can you speak right now?” Similarly, “Do you have a quick moment?” sounds uncertain, and “Do you have time?” is a red flag for assertive types.

Pushing for the outcome – “Let’s at least schedule a meeting...” When a client says they want information by email first, don’t push. The analytical type (typically procurement) needs to study the information. Deliver what you promise, and follow up as agreed.

4 contact strategies based on customer typology

The biggest mistake salespeople make: they talk to everyone the same way. Claudie works with personality typology and adapts her communication:

The assertive type (typically sales directors, owners) – Fast, concise, no time for small talk. Be brief, get straight to the point. Don’t ask “do you have time?”, ask “is now a good time?” Work with data: “I see you’ve opened another branch...” Use numbers and emphasize practical benefits.

The analytical type (typically procurement) – Interested in details and numbers, researches you during the call. Speak through facts, be prepared for detailed questions. What you say must match what you send by email. If you agree on a call in 14 days, Wednesday at 1 PM, call at exactly 1 PM.

The social type (typically marketing, HR) – Enjoys chatting, shares personal info, asks about you. Get on their wavelength, share back. Frame the call with time: “I have 10 minutes for you, what if we...” Be friendly and open.

The supportive type – Indecisive, needs time, reluctant to say no directly. Give them time to decide, don’t take rejection personally, and create a safe space for discussion.

How to get past the reception

The reception desk is the first barrier, and most salespeople underestimate it. Claudie recommends:

Address the receptionist by name. Find it out in advance or ask: “Who am I speaking with?” Most callers ignore the receptionist – don’t be like most callers.

Distinguish the type of receptionist. Experienced assistant (runs the company) – approach with respect, ask for help. New receptionist – be more specific and assertive: “I need to speak with Mr. Novák regarding XY.”

Leave a written message. When you can’t reach the person directly, ask the receptionist to pass along a message with your name and phone number. About 20% of people call back – and that’s your warm lead, not a cold call.

A note on GDPR: Calling contacts from publicly available sources is fine, but you must be able to prove it. Never call customer service lines with a sales pitch, and always respect requests to be removed from the database. Claudie recommends having the process reviewed by a law firm.

Handling rejection: No = opportunity

“Every no is an opportunity to find out why,” says Claudie. The key is to ask about the reason for rejection – without pressure, but sincerely. Why isn’t now the right time? When would it make sense to reach out again? What would need to change for it to be relevant? Simply saying “Okay, fine, let’s wrap up then” means you’re losing valuable information for future contact.

How data and preparation increase success rates

The webinar connected two perspectives: Jakub Durec from BizMachine showed how to prepare the data, Claudie explained how to use it in the call.

1. In Prospector, filter e-shops with growing traffic and recent management changes – 164 companies instead of 9,000
2. For each company, you see context: what changed, who makes decisions
3. Claudie: “I’m calling because I see you recently opened another branch. How’s the growth going?”

Result: The call has context, it’s not a cold call, and conversion rates go up.

Phone acquisition can yield a 10–35% success rate for relevant meetings. But only when you have the right data and the right approach to the call. The two are closely connected.

About Telefonická Komunikace: A company with over 14 years of experience in acquisition calling and sales team training. Learn more at telefonickakomunikace.cz.

Telefonická komunikace is a specialized firm focused on developing business skills in phone communication. They help companies increase the success rate of acquisition and reactivation calls and set up effective customer contact processes. With years of hands-on experience, they know how to work with context, typology, and data to turn phone calls from a dreaded routine into real business opportunities.

They work with leading Czech and international brands in finance, services, automotive, and manufacturing. Their clients include Business Lease, Canon, KIA, and Yamazaki Mazak.

More information about their approach and services at www.telefonickakomunikace.cz.