A cold call is an unsolicited approach made by a salesperson or marketer to a potential customer who has had no prior contact with the business. It is commonly used in telephone sales, but can also refer to in-person visits or outreach via email or messaging.
The purpose of a cold call is to introduce a product or service, generate interest, and ideally secure a meeting, sale, or further engagement. Because the recipient is not expecting the contact, success often depends on the caller’s ability to quickly establish relevance, build rapport, and handle objections.
Cold calling can be cost-effective but is often met with resistance, so it requires skill, preparation, and sensitivity to data protection and privacy regulations, such as GDPR in the UK.