Overview
Apollo data reveals that, in addition to sending an auto-email, simply picking up the phone—whether the call connects or not—results in a 6% increase in meeting-booked rates.
Cold calling is an integral part of outbound sales. Include this channel in your multichannel strategy, and you can significantly increase your chances of booking a meeting.
Check out the following sections to learn how to get started with effective cold calling in Apollo.
Want to uncover powerful cold-calling tips, tricks, and best practices? Hop into Chapter 4 of our shiny new book, Outbound Sales, to learn:
- Tips to mentally conquer the cold call.
- The first thing to do when a prospect picks up the phone.
- How to ask (dis)qualifying questions and handle objections.
- What makes an effective cold-calling script—with examples.
How to Cold Call in Apollo: A Checklist
Use Apollo to find qualified prospects, access their verified phone numbers, make calls from local numbers to improve connection rates, track your call activity metrics, and record, analyze, and coach from your calls to constantly uplevel you and your team's game. Follow this 5-step cold calling checklist to engage in meaningful conversations with your ideal prospects using the Apollo dialer.
Step 1: Set Up the Dialer
If you have access to the dialer on your Apollo plan, begin by setting it up to start connecting with your qualified contacts on the phone directly within Apollo.
Follow these simple steps to lay the foundations for effective cold calling in Apollo:
- Find out here which countries the Apollo dialer supports.
Apollo registers its numbers with Shaken/Stir to reduce the likelihood of being flagged as spam. However, you should still follow best practices to keep your sender reputation safe. Check out the Cold Calling Best Practices article for guidance on how to stay compliant and avoid calling high-risk numbers. And hop into the How to Make Cold Calls in Apollo Academy course to learn how the most successful sellers use cold calls as part of their outbound strategy.
Step 2: Make Calls
Now that you've set up the dialer, read up on best practices, and configured your dialer settings, it's time to make your first calls with Apollo:
Step 3: Review Your Calls
After you've made your first calls, you can access and replay them within Apollo at any time.
Step 4: Coach in Active Calls
As a manager, you can join active calls to coach your team live.
Step 5: Leave a Voicemail
If a prospect doesn't answer your call, make sure you leave a voicemail.
Dialer Integrations and Next Steps
Apollo also integrates with other dialer software. Learn more about how to use each one:
Cold calling is just one part of the puzzle! Now that you've learned how to use Apollo to cold call effectively, hop into checklist #5 to learn how to do social selling with Apollo. Then, when you're ready, head to checklist #6 to start using sequences in Apollo to connect with your prospects across multiple channels.