Struggling with cold calling?
Been there, done that.
It's one of the most demanding parts of our jobs as salespeople.
And rightfully so, as it takes an average of 8 cold call attempts to even get a prospect to pick up the phone, let alone talk to us.
And we shouldn't even mention the countless voice messages that make you go:
It's stuff you end up having nightmares about.
But don't give up just yet; it isn't all doom and gloom.
Nearly 70% of buyers still welcomed cold calls over the last year, and 27% of sellers confirmed it's a highly effective way to reach new prospects.
You need to keep persevering, you need to work on your cold calling techniques…
And you need to put your trust in high-quality cold calling software that enables you to operate smarter and faster.
Which one, you say?
Stick with us, and you'll find out. It's a promise.
But first, let's cover a bit of 101 (which you can skip by clicking here if you're impatient to get straight to the solutions).
Cold calling software is a digital sales productivity solution that enables your sales team to scale their cold calling process and make calls way more efficiently.
Or in other words, we can say it's software designed to make life far easier for people engaging in the tough task of cold calling potential leads.
Some of its key features include:
Pretty useful stuff, right?
And straightforward, too.
But here's where things can get a little confusing.
There are various types of cold calling software, and you might get thrown by all the different tools you find as you research the market.
Cold calling software can fall under the following categories:
Each solution has its own benefits, but in this article, we'll focus on CRMs with cold calling software built-in.
Why?
1. Because sales CRMs are the complete all-in-one tool for salespeople, and they eliminate the need for separate programs, painful integrations, and multiple invoices.
It simply makes sense to invest in a CRM that takes care of your cold calling needs without having to reach out to third-party solutions or expensive developers.
2. Because we're the makers of an excellent CRM for salespeople, Ringy.
Sound like a plan?
Yes — let's keep going and quickly cover the three types of cold calling CRMs in the next section.
No — we're sorry to hear that, but we can't force you down the cold calling CRM path if that isn't your thing. But we can still be helpful (because that's kind of our thing) and recommend you check out this article on standalone solutions. Good luck!
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Type |
Focus |
Key Features |
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Collaborative CRM |
Internal and external communication |
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Analytical CRM |
Data analysis and strategic insights |
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Operational CRM |
Automation of marketing, sales, and service tasks |
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A collaborative CRM solution is all about communicating internally among your different teams and departments and externally with your clients and leads.
Its primary focus is to streamline comms-related workflows and processes, allowing you to offer a superior experience to whoever gets in touch.
A good cold-calling CRM will be, first and foremost, a collaborative CRM; however, if it's truly world-class, it'll also throw in a few elements of the other two types of CRMs, analytical and operational.
An analytical CRM is mainly interested in numbers and figures.
It collects, organizes, and analyzes all the customer data it can find.
And it equips you with powerful insights — usually in the form of dashboards and easy-to-digest charts and graphs — that take the pressure of strategic decision-making off your gut.
Plus, an analytical CRM makes it a lot easier to track employee performance and spot top performers.
Guess what? Like any good operations manager, an operational CRM is concerned with efficiency and productivity.
Which, in the CRM world, means automation.
Marketing automation. Sales automation. Service automation. Automation automation.
Things like autoresponder emails, SMS drip campaigns, chatbots, and lead scoring can transform the way you do business and take an incredible amount of soul-destroying tasks off your plate.
When it comes to boosting sales efficiency, the right cold calling software is a game changer. That said, here are some key features of cold calling software that help streamline processes and supercharge your sales teams.
One of the most notable features of cold calling software is its auto-dialing capability. Gone are the days of manually dialing each prospect's number. Auto-dialers take care of that, increasing call volume dramatically by automating the dialing process.
While auto-dialers handle the dialing, predictive dialing takes it a step further by predicting when an agent will be free to take the next call. This reduces the frustrating gaps between calls and minimizes the time agents spend waiting for someone to pick up. Predictive dialing ensures that your team is consistently engaging with prospects, maximizing productivity, and reducing idle time.
Cold calling without CRM integration is like driving without a GPS—doable, but inefficient. The best CRM for cold calling should seamlessly integrate with your cold calling software, allowing you to centralize all contact information, lead data, and call logs in one place. This streamlined workflow helps reduce manual data entry and ensures that sales teams can access all relevant information in real-time.
Integrating cold calling CRM systems ensures that every call is logged, tracked, and synced, allowing sales teams to stay organized. This not only improves lead management but also enhances data accuracy, as all interactions are automatically updated in the system.
Plus, when using a CRM for cold calling, sales managers get a 360-degree view of their pipeline, leading to smarter decision-making and improved sales outcomes.
Call recording allows sales managers to review previous calls for quality assurance, identify areas for improvement, and deliver targeted feedback. Whether for compliance or training, call recording helps teams fine-tune their approach, improving the overall quality of sales conversations.
In addition to recording, real-time call monitoring empowers managers to listen in on live calls and provide immediate coaching. This feature is especially helpful when onboarding new team members or during complex sales negotiations. With real-time insights, managers can intervene at critical moments, enhancing the chances of a successful outcome.
Cold calling is all about the numbers, and advanced analytics and reporting tools help you stay on top of your game. With the ability to track critical performance metrics like call volume, call duration, and conversion rates, cold calling software ensures that no data point is overlooked. These insights allow teams to make data-driven decisions and optimize their cold calling strategies over time.
Beyond tracking metrics, the real magic happens when the software generates actionable insights. By analyzing patterns in your cold calling metrics, such as the best time of day to call or the most effective script, sales teams can continuously improve. Cold calling AI often plays a role here, using machine learning to suggest optimal approaches based on historical data.
The follow-up process is crucial in cold calling, and missing out on it can cost you valuable leads. Automated voicemail features allow sales reps to leave pre-recorded messages, saving time while maintaining a personal touch. Similarly, SMS follow-up can be triggered automatically after a call, ensuring that your prospects stay engaged even after the conversation ends.
By automating voicemails and SMS messages, your team can handle a larger volume of follow-ups without sacrificing quality.
Research suggests that timely follow-ups can increase conversion rates by as much as 42%. This simple yet powerful feature allows sales teams to stay on top of every lead and boost overall engagement.
AI-powered cold calling software is transforming the game by offering a range of intelligent features that enhance efficiency, personalization, and overall success. Some of these functions include:
AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of data, including customer profiles, website interactions, and social media activity, to identify and prioritize high-quality leads. This helps you focus your efforts on prospects who are most likely to convert, saving you time and resources.
AI can assist in crafting personalized messaging by analyzing customer data, preferences, and behaviors. By understanding your target audience, AI can help you tailor your approach to resonate with each individual prospect. This can lead to higher engagement rates and improved conversion rates.
AI-driven tools can determine the optimal times to make calls based on factors like time zones, past interactions, and engagement patterns. This ensures that you're reaching prospects when they're most likely to be receptive, increasing your chances of connecting.
During a cold call, AI can offer real-time prompts and suggestions based on the conversation's flow. This can help you stay on track, avoid common pitfalls, and respond effectively to objections. Think of it as having a personal coach guiding you through the call.
AI tools can analyze call recordings to evaluate your performance, identify trends, and uncover areas for improvement. By gaining insights into your call dynamics, you can refine your approach and become a more effective cold caller.
AI can analyze the effectiveness of different call scripts and refine them over time based on what works best. This ensures that you're using scripts that resonate with your target audience and drive results.
Investing in cold calling software can have a profound impact on your sales team's efficiency, productivity, and overall success. Let's explore some of the key benefits:
Cold calling software can automate many mundane activities, allowing your sales reps to focus on what they do best: building relationships and closing deals. By automating dialing, scheduling, and follow-ups, you can reduce downtime between calls and increase overall call volume.
Cold calling software doesn't just stop at dialing—it also helps with lead management. Thanks to seamless CRM integration, all your lead data is stored in one place. This makes lead segmentation a breeze, allowing sales teams to target specific prospects based on criteria like industry, location, or previous interactions.
By analyzing customer data and engagement patterns, the system can rank leads by their likelihood of conversion. This means your reps spend more time on leads that matter, leading to more focused and effective outreach.
Cold calling software can provide real-time feedback and coaching opportunities through call recordings and monitoring. This helps sales reps identify areas for improvement and develop their skills.
Additionally, performance analytics can be used to track key metrics and identify trends, allowing you to provide targeted training and support.
Ensuring compliance with regulations, such as GDPR and TCPA, is crucial for any business. Cold calling software can help you stay compliant by providing features like call logging and opt-out management. By keeping accurate records of all customer interactions, you can demonstrate accountability and avoid legal issues.
While the allure of free cold calling software can be tempting, it's essential to weigh the pros and cons carefully before diving in.
Here are the benefits:
Let's analyze the cons:
You might have asked yourself why we ranked these platforms in this order as you read through our top five picks.
It's only natural.
And that's why we've decided to include a third (and final, we promise) table explaining what we looked for as we made this ranking.
Read it or skip it; it's up to you.
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Criteria |
Why it's important |
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Price |
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User-friendliness |
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Communication features |
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Other features |
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Customer support |
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Now on to the detailed reviews:
Ringy is the one.
That is if you're looking for the perfect synergy between cold calling software and an all-in-one sales CRM.
We've built it to allow you, the salesperson, to focus exclusively on selling.
Our platform will take care of everything else — from automatic call recording to power dialing to easy coaching, it's all within a click's reach.
Or a tap's reach if you decide to use our mobile application and hit up a couple of leads on the train ride home.
And the best thing is that it won't cost you an arm and a leg.
You'll get everything for just $109 a month regardless of how many people are on your team.
Top cold calling features:
Monthly price: $109 a month for unlimited users (as of Sep 2024)
Close CRM is a close second. Pardon the pun.
But we couldn't help ourselves as we're talking about a fantastic all-in-one sales CRM that really deserves the silver medal.
It literally has all the features a salesperson could ever want.
However, there's one drawback:
Close CRM is pricey.
If you want all the cold calling bells and whistles, you'll need to go for the top-of-the-line Enterprise package at $149 per month/user (which really adds up if you have a large, or even large-ish, team).
Top cold calling features:
Monthly price: from $59 to $149 a month per user (as of Sep 2024)
Bitrix24 brands itself as "your ultimate workspace."
And they're not lying — Bitrix24 is one of the most complete (and affordable) platforms out there.
It has modules for collaboration, traditional CRM tasks, project management, website and webshop-building, and HR tasks.
No wonder over 15 million organizations have chosen this solution.
Its built-in cold calling software is impressive because the call center module is fully integrated with the Bitrix24 CRM and the voice-based marketing automation processes.
No need to install anything else — just plug a headset into your computer, purchase as many local numbers as you need, and start auto-dialing!
Top cold calling features:
Monthly price: from $0 to $499 a month for unlimited users (as of Sep 2024)
If you're looking for a CRM with built-in cloud telephony, you shouldn't overlook Freshsales (formerly known as Freshworks CRM).
It's a solid alternative for SMEs looking for simple, user-friendly, and accessibly priced cold calling software.
Freshsales combines an all-in-one sales CRM (think automation, contact management, artificial intelligence, and inventory management) with powerful communication features.
If you opt for Freshsales, you can look forward to:
Just note that Freshsales also uses a per-user pricing model, so costs can easily get out of control if your sales and marketing teams grow too large.
Top cold calling features:
Monthly price: from $0 to $95 a month per user (as of Sep 2024)
Hubspot CRM breaks into this list of the top five best CRM for cold calling for one significant reason:
It has a free version that's actually worth using if you're strapped for cash.
You can get your hands on a bucket load of nifty features (from VoIP calling with recording and logging to email marketing to live chat) for literally no money.
Then why isn't it everyone's favorite CRM? And why are some schmucks still paying for CRMs?
Well, because the free version of Hubspot is limited:
And if you want to upgrade, things get expensive quickly…
The starter package is $20/month, and the professional package is a whopping $1300/month for 5 users (with a $50/month surcharge per additional user).
Yikes.
And this lack of scalability is the main reason why we only recommend Hubspot as an entry-level CRM — after you take flight, you're far better off switching to Ringy or Close.
Top cold calling features:
Monthly price: from $0 to $1,300 a month (as of Sep 2024)
Good question.
Hubspot isn't the only place you can go if you want to try out free cold calling software.
You also have other options like:
But you have to be aware that there's no such thing as a free lunch in the world of cold calling software.
Sooner or later, you're going to have to either:
And trust us, no sane salesperson can accept poor performance, and workarounds (no matter how clever) are going to cost you a heck of a lot more than picking an affordably priced platform without per-user pricing like Ringy or Bitrix24.
However, they might be cheaper than Hubspot's enterprise package!
So the lesson is "think long-term and don't waste time and energy on solutions that'll end up costing you mucho bucks when your company takes off."
It's time to stop struggling with cold calling.
You know what you need to do to transform your least favorite activity into a revenue-generating process that propels your career to new levels.
You need to:
while you're working on your cold calling game, you should also:
Sound like a plan?
Then kickstart it today with a demo of Ringy and a 14-day free trial!