Blogs

Phone Numbers for Cold Calling: 7 Ways to Find & AI Impact

May 24, 2024

Ready to be your business hero?

Unbelievably, 82% of customers agree to meetings with vendors that initiate contact. Though it’s sometimes thought of as a thing of the past in the digital era, cold calling is still very much a part of sales and marketing.

Discovering phone numbers for cold calling is a crucial step that can make or break your sales attempts, and this article explores the fundamentals. We will look at both conventional approaches and how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming this field and making it more successful and efficient than ever. Come learn creative approaches to use technology to improve the outcomes of cold calling.

Understanding Cold Calling

In cold calling, salespeople get in touch with prospective clients who haven’t previously shown interest in the goods or services they are offering. Introduction of these prospects to the offers is the main goal with the intention of turning them into customers.

However, one of the main challenges in cold calling is sourcing valid phone numbers. Sales teams often struggle with outdated or irrelevant contact lists, leading to wasted efforts and low success rates. Ensuring the accuracy and relevance of these contact details is crucial for effective cold calling.

Want to know more? Read also – Cold Calling Conversion Rates: Success % with Benchmark

Seven Ways to Find Phone Numbers

Utilizing Social Media Platforms

Professional contact information can be found in abundance on social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Utilising these platforms can be done as follows:

Professional connections are best made on LinkedIn, the most focused site. To identify profiles relevant to your industry, use the search feature; then, look up their contact data. A paid service, LinkedIn Sales Navigator offers more thorough contact information access and improved search capabilities.
Twitter. In many cases, experts include links to their websites or contact details in their bio. Discover profiles based on industry-relevant keywords with Twitter’s advanced search.
Facebook. For small firms in particular, some business pages or groups can be a useful source of contact information, even though they are more personal. Join pertinent sites or groups to discover possible leads.

Using these sites’ search features and participating actively will help you compile a list of possible contacts for your cold calling campaigns.

2. Business Directories and Websites

Standard resources for locating contact details are company websites and business directories. Using them well is as follows:

Company Websites. Look through the official websites of companies you’re considering. A “Contact Us” page from most businesses includes phone numbers, email addresses, and occasionally direct contact details for important employees.
Business Directories. Detailed contact information for companies are frequently included on websites such as Yellow Pages, Manta, and directories tailored to particular industries. Looking for businesses by name, location, or industry? Use these directories. Though they typically need a membership, tools like ZoomInfo and D&B Hoovers provide additional in-depth analysis and direct contact details.

These tools let you to assemble a list of phone numbers and maybe useful contacts that are pertinent to your marketing and sales initiatives.

3. Networking Events and Conferences

One classic, yet very successful, way to create a strong contact list for cold calling is to gather business cards and connections at industry events. This is how to maximize it:

Attend Relevant Events. Find and go to networking events, trade exhibitions, and industry conferences where possible clients are probably going to be.
Be Prepared. Always have your own business cards on hand to trade. Take up interesting topics to build rapport before requesting a business card.
Follow Up. Give someone a call or send a customized email following the event. This not only strengthens the relationship but also guarantees that your new connections will recall you when you get in touch with them later on for sales.

Engaging fully in these activities and following up well will help you to build important relationships that will be more open to your cold calling attempts.

4. Purchasing Access to Professional Databases

Subscription services that provide verified contact lists are a reliable source for quality leads. Here’s how to effectively use these services:

Choose the Right Service. Select a database like ZoomInfo, LinkedIn Sales Navigator, or Hoovers, which are known for their extensive and accurate business databases.
Subscription Access. Subscribe to the service that fits your budget and needs. Most of these platforms offer tiered pricing depending on the depth of information and number of contacts you require.
Utilize Search Features. Use the advanced search features to filter contacts by industry, role, location, and other criteria relevant to your target audience.

By using these databases, you can access a wide array of verified phone numbers and contact details that are regularly updated, enhancing your cold calling success.

5. Using Public Records and Online Databases

Online databases and public documents are priceless sources of decision-makers’ and company owners’ contact details. Here’s how to use these tools:

Find Related Databases. Start with public and government data sources such as the business filings of your local Secretary of State or the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which frequently offer contact information for registered companies.
Investigate Niche Databases. Depending on your sector, specialist web databases could provide focused information. These might be chamber of commerce directories, trade groups, and professional licensing boards.
Using the search features offered by these databases, find companies and their owners. Many times, filters are implemented according on the size, location, and industry sector of the company.

Discover direct contact details by searching these public and specialist databases, which are not necessarily accessible via other means.

6. Referrals from Existing Contacts

Leveraging your current customers or business partners for referrals is a highly effective strategy to expand your cold calling list. Here’s how to approach it:

Incentivize Referrals. Offer incentives to customers who refer new prospects to you. This could be discounts, free services, or other benefits.
Ask Directly. During or after successful interactions, ask satisfied customers if they know anyone else who might benefit from your services.
Network Follow-Up. When you receive referrals, reach out promptly with a personalized introduction that mentions your mutual contact.

This approach not only helps in getting reliable contact numbers but also increases the likelihood of a warm reception from potential leads.

7. Cold Calling Automation Tools

Cold calling automation tools can streamline the process of finding and managing phone numbers based on specific criteria. Here’s how to use these tools effectively:

Select a Tool. Choose a tool like PhoneBurner, CallTools, or Mojo Dialer, known for their efficiency in cold calling operations.
Set Criteria. Configure the tool to target specific industries, roles, or geographic areas that align with your business goals.
Automate and Monitor. Use the tool to automatically generate phone lists and monitor the effectiveness of different strategies and lists.

These tools not only save time but also ensure that you are reaching the most relevant prospects for your business.

Interested in details? Check out our article – How AI Cold Calling is Better Than Human: Tools + Tips

The Risks of Buying Phone Number Lists

A variety of possible traps might seriously jeopardize your marketing efforts when you buy pre-made phone number lists for cold calling. Using these lists puts your company in risk both legally and ethically, especially in light of laws like the GDPR in the EU and the TCPA in the US that require strict consent and privacy procedures. These regulations can result in large fines for non-compliance and are intended to protect consumer privacy.

Practically speaking, these lists are often stuffed with out-of-date, wrong, or irrelevant contact information, which results in a high percentage of unresolved connections and uninterested receivers. This is a resource waster and may erode consumer confidence in and credibility of your brand.

Furthermore, the response is frequently negative since recipients on these lists have not chosen to be contacted, which lowers the possibility of successful interaction and may result in brand resentment and public relations problems.

The Risks of Buying Phone Number Lists

It takes careful organization and management of your phone numbers to do cold calling well. Best practices include the following:

Arrangement of Your Contacts. Make an organised database in which contacts are classified according to pertinent factors as industry, degree of interest, possible deal size, or past contacts.
To keep your database current and trustworthy, update it often to reflect changes in contact information or engagement status.
Sort Your Calls. Sort contacts according to prospective value or engagement readiness so you may concentrate your efforts where they will be most effective.

Personalization of phone conversations can greatly increase success rates:

Tailor Your Approach. Using information from previous research or conversations, tailor your call script to cover particulars about the contact or their company.
Use Names and Details. To show that you are interested in and pay attention to detail, address them by name and bring up particulars of their company.
Adapt Based on Feedback. Pay Close Attention to the Contact’s Comments and Be Prepared to Modify Your Pitch or Method to More Ideally Fit Their Needs and Interests.

How AI Enhances Phone Number Acquisition

Getting and confirming phone numbers for cold calling is made much easier with artificial intelligence (AI). AI technologies can automate the process of extracting contact information from social media and websites, therefore lowering the amount of manual labor needed. By real-time cross-referencing these figures against several databases, AI can also confirm that the information is accurate and up to date.

Among the AI-driven tools that expedite this process are:

AI Capable CRMs. AI is used by systems like Salesforce or HubSpot to automatically enhance contact data.
Data Enrichment Tools. Users of sites like Lusha or ZoomInfo can obtain verified phone numbers and other pertinent information by using AI to search the internet and compile comprehensive contact details.

Together with saving time, these AI technologies improve the precision and dependability of the data utilized in cold calling campaigns.

Revolutionizing Lead Generation. Embrace the Power of AnyBiz for Multi-Channel Marketing Success

In today’s multi-channel marketing landscape, simply relying on cold calls isn’t enough. AnyBiz emerges as a cutting-edge tool designed to optimize lead generation across all channels. This innovative platform goes beyond traditional methods by integrating advanced AI capabilities to manage and enhance every aspect of lead generation, including providing verified phone numbers from its extensive database of over 80 million prospects.

AnyBiz is not just about breadth; it ensures each interaction is tailored and personalized through its AI-driven agents. These agents perform tasks around the clock, from email to social media engagement, ensuring that every potential lead is nurtured carefully. Moreover, AnyBiz is set to revolutionize the industry further with an upcoming AI function for cold calling, which will automate and optimize phone-based outreach without the need for human intervention.

This tool’s ability to integrate seamlessly with existing CRM systems, like HubSpot, and its innovative features such as automated email classification and personalized landing pages, ensure enhanced ROI, better lead quality, and accelerated business growth. With these capabilities, AnyBiz stands out as a holistic solution for businesses aiming to leverage the full spectrum of digital marketing channels.

As AnyBiz continues to advance, now is the perfect time to explore its capabilities. Consider booking a demo to see firsthand how AnyBiz can transform your lead generation efforts and drive your business forward in the competitive market.

Summary of the features of AnyBiz

AI Sales Agents. Automates sales processes, crafts unique outreach sequences, and replaces traditional SDR roles.
Continuous Operation. Operates 24/7 across all time zones to maintain continuous engagement with prospects.
Smart Decision-Making. Makes strategic outreach decisions, analyzing over 10,000 data points per hour.
Personalization and Multi-Channel Engagement. Personalizes every message using a vast database of prospects and multiple communication channels.
Automated Email Classification and Response. Automatically classifies and responds to client emails, maintaining personalized engagement.
Dashboard and Metrics. Provides metrics tracking for brand awareness, opportunities, and more.
Integration and Calendar Management. Integrates with CRM systems like HubSpot and includes a Calendly connector for scheduling.

Conclusion

In summary, finding the right phone numbers for cold calling involves a mix of traditional tactics and cutting-edge technologies. From leveraging social media platforms and business directories to utilizing AI-enhanced tools, each method provides unique benefits. The integration of AI, particularly in platforms like AnyBiz, transforms cold calling by automating data collection and outreach, ensuring personalized and timely interactions with prospects. This shift not only streamlines the process but also significantly boosts the effectiveness and efficiency of cold calling campaigns.

Related article:

FAQ

What are the top ways to find phone numbers for cold calling?

Utilizing social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.
Searching business directories and company websites.
Collecting business cards at networking events and conferences.
Purchasing access to professional databases.
Exploring public records and online databases.
Getting referrals from existing contacts.
Using cold calling automation tools.

How can AI enhance the process of finding phone numbers for cold calling?

Artificial intelligence can automate phone number extraction and verification, saving labor and raising precision. AnyBiz and other tools employ artificial intelligence to examine data and offer verified contact details.

What are the risks associated with buying phone number lists?

Buying phone number lists can lead to legal issues if the contacts have not consented to be contacted, and the data might be outdated or inaccurate.

How does AI impact the efficiency of cold calling?

AI optimizes call timing and personalizes the conversation based on data-driven insights, significantly increasing the success rates of cold calling campaigns.

Can AI directly help in making cold calls?

Yes, upcoming AI functions in tools like AnyBiz will automate the entire cold calling process, including dialing numbers and interacting with prospects, enhancing both efficiency and effectiveness.