Turning Cold Calls Into Warm Relationships
- Ren Saguil
- Jun 28
- 6 min read
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Read time: 7 mins
I am back home in Auckland and ran group coaching cohorts this week, one of my students raised two great questions related to her prospecting calls:
"Ren, I always hear two objections when I do my prospecting calls. My prospects would say:
I have everything. I don't need your product/services.
You are expensive.
My student works for one of the top global networking and security companies. (Hint: the name of the company is a city in California) 😉
If you know me and have been reading my newsletter, you know I don't believe in cold-calling.
Let's think of them as relationship calls.
Let's think of these interactions as helping our prospects, because that's what you do. You help solve your client's most important problems. Would you say no to someone who can potentially help you improve your business? Whether it's increasing your revenue, saving time, or even solving an existing problem.
The reality is when people email or call us, they often want to sell quickly without understanding our problems. Sure, they might be able to help us, but at that point we're not aware and don't know if we have a need. Selling to us at this stage is premature.
Nobody wants to be sold to.
So what do we do?
Let’s turn "cold calls" into relationship calls.
Beyond Selling: The Relationship Mindset
Many of us associate cold calls with pushy pitches or canned sales scripts, but that’s the problem.
Effective outreach is about connection, not transactions. Think of your calls or emails as opportunities to understand the challenges your prospects face and how you can help address them—not to hit them with a hard sell.
Here’s the key approach to adopt:
Shift Your Perspective
Stop thinking about achieving quick wins and start valuing long-term connections. People respond better to someone who genuinely listens and empathises with their situations.
Ask yourself: How can I add value to this person’s business or life today?
Be a Problem Solver, Not a Salesperson
Nobody wants to be "sold to," but most people are open to solutions that address their pain points. Frame your outreach around their needs and industry-specific challenges instead of your product features.
Remember, this small change in attitude can make all the difference. When you focus on helping, you'll earn respect, build trust, and lay the foundation for a profitable relationship.
Start with Your Existing Network
Start your outreach efforts with the people who already know you. They represent "low-hanging fruit" and can generate faster sales wins.
1.Current Clients
These individuals are already loyal to your brand. Call to check in on their needs or suggest additional services they could benefit from. I call them "business hypothesis".
“Hi Sarah, I was reviewing your account and noticed we might have solutions to remove [specific bottleneck]. Would you like to chat about this?”
2. Current Prospects
These are the prospects who’ve shown interest but haven’t taken the leap into becoming clients yet. Engaging these lukewarm leads keeps you top-of-mind and can help them make a decision.
3. Past Clients
Past customers who’ve drifted off may still be open to hearing from you. Touch base with something new to offer or just revisit old conversations,
"Hi Mark, I I was thinking about you. How are things going? I’d love to discuss how we could assist with [specific challenge] again.”
4. Peers Within Your Network
Your coworkers, experienced peers, or even industry contacts might have referrals or leads. Don’t be shy; ask! Networking generates some of the warmest leads you can find.
Build and Maintain a Dynamic Target List
A crucial step to running successful outreach efforts is to have an organised system. Begin with your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) and ensure it stays updated.
Monthly Refresh Plan:
Identify 30 current clients and explore upsell or cross-sell opportunities.
List 20 prospects you've interacted with but haven’t converted yet.
Add 10 new prospects who align with your ICP.
With an updated list like this, you'll always have clarity on who to contact and why. It eliminates the guesswork and ensures no promising lead slips through the cracks. Change the number of prospects/clients based on your goals.
How to Approach New Prospects Without the Fear
Reaching out to unknown prospects is intimidating, but it’s also where you can grow your pipeline and form valuable connections. Here's how to make it less daunting and more effective:
First Impressions Matter
Prospects might not know you initially, but they’ll remember you if you demonstrate genuine knowledge of their industry or role. When reaching out, position yourself as a resource they can trust. Use tools like LinkedIn, Perplexity and Gemini to research their background and personalise your approach.
Check this resource for Account Research and Profiling.
Engage with Value
Start the conversation by offering actionable advice or insights that position your company as a leader. For example, “I noticed your team focuses on [specific challenge]. We recently helped a similar company streamline this process with [solution]. Would love to share how.”
Ask For Referrals with Confidence
Word-of-mouth is one of the most effective methods for building warm leads. Think about your current clients or industry peers and ask yourself:
Who do they know that could benefit from your product or services?
Who within their network would most appreciate your help?
Here’s how to approach referrals strategically:
Internal Referrals
Ask your existing clients whether other departments or regions in their company could use your service too. "Who else in your team might find value in what we've discussed?"
Industry Referrals
Encourage clients to refer you outside their company. Phrase it with confidence, “Who in your professional circle could benefit from what we’ve accomplished together?”
Professional Connectors
Identify lawyers, consultants, or other professionals who work within your Ideal Customer Persona's network. You can host value-added sessions like webinars or lunch events to build relationships with natural connectors.
The Warm Outreach Framework You Need
For a quick actionable script to optimise your outreach, follow these steps:
1. The Opening
Start with a friendly and engaging introduction. Build rapport with a reference to a shared connection or observation.
“Hi [Prospect], it’s [Your Name]. I was recently speaking with [mutual connection] and they suggested I reach out.”
2. Address Their Pain Point
Mention something specific they’re likely struggling with based on research or prior conversations.
“I understand that keeping employee retention high has been a focus for companies in [industry]. Would you say that’s something your team is also navigating?”
3. Offer Value
Highlight a way your product/service has helped similar companies address this challenge. Make it about them and the problem you solve.
“We’ve supported several businesses like yours in reducing turnover by 25% through tailored bundles. Happy to provide insights.”
4. End with a Call-to-Action
Ask for the next step directly but respectfully.
“Would it make sense for us to schedule a call next week to walk through what this might look like for your team?”
How to address the two objections I mentioned earlier:
"I have everything. I don't need your product/services."
That’s awesome to hear Shane. I'm curious, looking ahead, are there any growth initiatives or challenges on the horizon that might require a different approach or a bit more support than your current setup provides?
Is it okay if I occasionally share valuable resources like exclusive webinars or product launches that might benefit your business? I only send the good stuff - promise!
Why this works:
Opens future dialog: Pivots to future possibilities without being pushy.
Focuses on business value: Shows interest in their growth initiatives and challenges.
Creates a permission-based relationship: Respects their time while keeping the door open.
Positions you as a resource: Transforms you from salesperson to potential partner.
Maintains the relationship: Aligns with the philosophy that "people need connection".
"You are expensive."
"When you say 'too expensive,' could you tell me a bit more about what you're comparing our solution to, or what you were hoping to spend to achieve [the specific outcome your product delivers]?”
Why this works:
"what you're comparing our solution to": Helps uncover competitors, alternatives, or even their own internal costs/processes.
"what you were hoping to spend to achieve [outcome]": Shifts the focus from price alone to the desired results, allowing you to highlight your unique value proposition.
Building Relationships Beats Chasing Leads
Stop cold calling, build relationships.
By shifting your perspective, focusing on relationship-building, and targeting warm leads first, you’ll not only make more sales but also build meaningful professional connections.
Every call, email, or message is another step toward nurturing a long-term business partnership.
Keep connecting with people. People need that connection. If you're not calling, you're probably not connecting. People want to talk. Then they buy.
What challenges do you face when making sales calls? Which of these strategies are you most excited to try? Hit reply—I'd love to hear your experiences.
Thanks for being here, and I’ll see you next week.
Ren
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