25+ Amazing Cold Calling Success Statistics [2026]: Data, Trends, Opinions And More

Research Summary. If you’re questioning the effectiveness of cold calling in 2026, data shows it remains a vital strategy for businesses aiming to enhance their revenue. However, it often requires significant time and effort, with numerous calls needed to secure a single appointment or referral. Our data analysis team has compiled the latest insights:

• Cold calling has a 2% success rate, on average.

• 82% of buyers report they have accepted sales meetings that originated from a cold call.

• 57% of B2B C-level executives prefer being contacted via phone, according to recent surveys.

• Companies that doubt the effectiveness of cold calling typically experience 42% less growth than those that embrace it.

• 69% of buyers have taken at least one phone call from a salesperson in the past year.

• Despite its effectiveness, 63% of salespeople express that cold calling is their least favorite part of the job.

• A sales representative makes an average of 33 cold calls daily.

• The optimal times to make cold calls are Wednesdays between 4 PM and 5 PM, followed by 11 AM to 12 PM.

For a deeper analysis, we categorized the data as follows:
Salespeople | Buyers | Success Rate | Key Metrics

Statistics on Cold Calling and Salespeople

• 63% of salespeople dislike cold calling.

  While unpopular among sales professionals, 55% of rapidly growing companies still use cold calling as a primary strategy. Companies that dismiss cold calling’s effectiveness see 42% less growth compared to those that value it.

• A sales representative averages 33 cold calls daily.

  However, 88% of buyers often ignore cold callers, and 58% find cold calls unhelpful. This may explain why sales reps spend approximately 1.5 hours on cold calls every day to secure just one appointment or referral.

  Moreover, only 18% of quality leads are generated through outbound methods like cold calling.



• 18% of salespeople consider email their second most effective sales tool.

  Some studies suggest that email marketing is twice as effective as cold calling, as 80% of business buyers prefer receiving cold emails to phone calls.

  For optimal results, send email prospecting messages on weekdays.

  Despite their potential, over 80% of cold emails remain unopened. Of those that are opened, 91% are accessed the day after being sent.

  Nevertheless, 70% of sales representatives stop sending cold emails after their first attempt if they don’t receive a response.

• Nearly 75% of salespeople believe they effectively communicate their value during cold calls.

  In contrast, only 37% of prospects feel that salespeople address their specific concerns adequately.

• 42% of sales representatives feel unprepared for high-quality cold calls.

  Many salespeople struggle to engage potential buyers because they lack insight into their needs and interests, which is crucial for successful conversions.

• 48% of B2B salespeople fear making cold calls.

  Additionally, studies indicate that 53% of salespeople give up too soon during cold calling efforts, indicating room for improvement in conversion rates.

Buyer Cold Calling Statistics

• 69% of buyers accepted at least one cold call in the past year.

  However, it typically requires an average of eight attempts to reach a prospect, up from 3.68 attempts in 2007.

  

• 57% of C-level executives prefer being contacted by phone, compared to 51% of directors and 47% of managers.

  Sales professionals successfully reach C-level executives on the first cold call 39% of the time, 72% on the second, and 93% on the third attempt.

  Notably, 90% of CEOs report they never respond to cold calls or emails.

  

• Buying decisions typically involve seven people, with at least five needing to agree to make a purchase.

  This complexity can hinder cold callers from reaching the appropriate decision-maker.

  Moreover, 50% of prospects are often not a good fit for the offered product or service.

• Half of buyers would appreciate a follow-up cold call.

  Despite this, 50% of salespeople never attempt a second cold call, and those that do typically stop after two attempts.

• 84% of buyers are mainly influenced by referrals from friends and family.

  Although 91% of customers are willing to provide referrals, only 11% of salespeople ask for them during cold calls. Additionally, just 22% have a formal referral system in place, resulting in lost leads.

  

• 82% of buyers research providers on LinkedIn before responding to outreach.

  Beginning a cold call with, “I see we share a common LinkedIn group,” can enhance your chances of securing a meeting by 70%. Almost half of buyers search for potential vendors on LinkedIn before a call.

• During cold calls, 42% of customers prioritize active listening.

  Research suggests that successful salespeople should talk 55% of the time and listen 45%. During effective cold calls, reps spend an average of 37 seconds speaking, versus 3.5 seconds shared by the prospect.

  Buyers who had negative experiences often cite a lack of listening, excessive pressure, or insufficient research as reasons for their dissatisfaction.

• 49% of buyers prefer initial contact through cold calls.

  This preference rises to 54% among technology buyers, in contrast to 40% for financial services and 50% for professional services.

  

Cold Call Success Rate Statistics

• During cold calls, 55% of contacts do not answer, 17% have incorrect information, and only 28% will answer.

  Of those who do answer, 82% of buyers agree to set up meetings.

  

• 27% of sellers view cold calling as an effective means of acquiring new clients/customers.

  Nevertheless, only 1% of cold calls result in appointments.

• Contacting prospects within one minute of them being tagged as leads can boost the conversion likelihood by nearly 400%.

  Over 80% of buyers agree to meetings with salespeople who reach out first, and the vendor that contacts the customer first wins the sale 35% to 50% of the time.

  Conversely, waiting more than 30 minutes decreases your chances of conversion by 62%. Waiting an hour can reduce your chances eight-fold, and waiting 24 hours can diminish your chances to 17%.

  The best time to call is within the first 50 minutes after a lead shows interest, especially if monitoring web log-ins.

• The best day and time to make cold calls is Wednesdays between 4:00 PM and 5:00 PM, followed by 11 AM to 12 PM.

  Avoid calling on Monday mornings between 7:00 AM and 11:00 AM, as prospects are often busy. Cold call success rates are 46% higher on Wednesdays than on Mondays.



• As of 2026, 94% of calls from unknown numbers go to voicemail.

  In 2014, that rate was 80%. This highlights the importance of leaving well-crafted messages, which can enhance response rates by 3% to 22%.

  The ideal message length is under 30 seconds; exceeding this duration decreases connection chances by 2% for each additional second.

  

Cold Call Statistics by Metrics

• Sales professionals have only 5 to 10 minutes to persuade prospects during cold calls.

  Consequently, successful cold calls tend to last between 5:50 and 7:30 minutes, featuring a focused pitch of around 37 seconds.

  In contrast, unsuccessful cold calls average 3 minutes and 14 seconds.

• The tone and choice of words during a cold call significantly influence success rates.

  93% of a call’s success is attributed to the speaker’s tone. While 30.9% of salespeople start their calls with “Is this a good time?”, using “How have you been?” can yield a 6.6X higher success rate.

  Stating a reason for the cold outreach can more than double the success rate. Additionally, using “we” instead of “I” can increase success rates by 35%.

  Conversely, certain phrases can negatively impact success:

  • Discount (17%);

  • Show you how (13%);

  • Contract (7%);

  • Free trial (5%).

  

• Successful cold calls address three to four of the prospect’s business challenges.

  This is crucial since 66% of buyers value salespeople highlighting how their product or service can solve their issues. 96% emphasize the importance of the value proposition during decision-making.

  Asking questions is also key; salespeople who ask one to six questions have a 40% success rate, while those who ask 11 to 14 questions achieve a 70% success rate.

  

Cold Calling FAQ

1. Is cold calling effective?

   Yes, cold calling is effective. 82% of buyers that have booked meetings with salespeople after a series of contacts started with cold sales calls. However, this process demands considerable effort.

   On average, salespeople generate roughly one appointment or referral from every 209 cold calls, requiring about 7.5 hours of work.

2. Is cold calling necessary?

   Yes, cold calling is essential for any business that relies on sales and aims for growth. Organizations that dismiss cold calling’s efficacy experience 42% less growth compared to those that recognize its value.

   Although strategies like inbound marketing also contribute to business growth, nothing replaces direct contact with potential buyers.

3. How many attempts does it take to achieve cold-calling success?

   Typically, it takes about six attempts to achieve cold-calling success. 93% of cold leads that convert do so after six calls, and making at least six cold calls can boost contact rates by 70%.

4. What’s the best time and date to make a cold call?

   The best day and time to make cold calls is Wednesdays between 4 PM and 5 PM. This is followed by 11 AM to 12 PM on the same day and the same times on Thursdays.

   These times tend to be more effective as they’re typically the least busy work periods, allowing recipients ample time to consider the offer.

Conclusion

Cold calling has been an integral part of sales strategies for decades and continues to be relevant in 2026, even with the rise of faster communication technologies like email.

However, it requires a proactive approach, demanding significant time and effort from salespeople for both initial outreach and follow-ups.

References

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Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.