Cold Calling vs Cold Emailing: What's Best for B2B Sales

Key Takeaways

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• Cold calling vs cold emailing isn’t an either/or decision—each has unique strengths.
  
  
• Cold calling works best for high-value deals, complex sales, and relationship-building.
  
  
• B2B cold emailing wins on scalability, cost efficiency, and buyer preference in 2025.
  
  
• Cold email campaigns are easier to track, test, and optimize for higher ROI.
  
  
• The most effective sales teams combine email + calls in multi-touch campaigns.
  
  
• Partnering with a cold email lead generation agency like Cleverly ensures your emails land, convert, and book meetings at scale.

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In B2B sales, one of the biggest debates has always been cold calling vs cold emailing. Both are proven ways to reach new prospects, but they work very differently, and the real question is: Which approach is right for your business in 2025?

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At Cleverly, we’ve helped over 10,000+ B2B companies generate meetings through both channels. We’ve made more than 1 million cold calls, sent millions of targeted emails, and set 53,000+ appointments. 

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What we’ve learned is this: cold calls and cold emails aren’t rivals, they’re tools. Each has its strengths, and the best teams know how to use them strategically.

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Here’s the simple breakdown:
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• Cold calls offer real-time conversations, instant feedback, and stronger relationship-building.
  
  
• Cold emails allow you to scale, track results, and reach decision-makers without interrupting their day.
  
  

In this blog, we’ll compare cold email vs cold call, explore the pros and cons of each, and show you how leading companies combine them to maximize pipeline growth. 

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Understanding Cold Calling

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Let’s start with the basics. Cold calling is when you reach out to a prospect over the phone without any prior contact. 

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The goal is usually to introduce your product or service, build interest, and hopefully book a meeting.

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Traditional vs. Modern Cold Calling

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• Traditional cold calling meant dialing down a list of numbers, often with little context on who you were speaking to. It was all about quantity—making hundreds of calls a day to land a few conversations.
  
  
• Modern cold calling, however, has evolved. Sales reps now use tools like LinkedIn, CRMs, and intent data to identify prospects and personalize calls. Instead of calling blindly, reps can tailor their pitch based on industry, role, or company updates.
  
  

Benefits of Cold Calling

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Despite its challenges, cold calling still has a few advantages:

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• Real-time connection – You get immediate human interaction with your prospect.
  
  
• Instant feedback – Prospects can respond to objections right away, which helps refine your pitch.
  
  
• Relationship building – Some prospects still prefer a direct voice-to-voice conversation over email.
  
  

Limitations of Cold Calling

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That said, cold calling comes with some serious drawbacks, especially for B2B sales today:

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• Low pick-up rates – Studies show that only about 1–3% of cold calls actually convert into meetings.
  
  
• Time-intensive – You can spend hours dialing numbers and only get a handful of conversations.
  
  
• Gatekeepers – Many companies have receptionists or call-screening systems that make it hard to reach decision-makers.
  
  
• Interruptive nature – Unlike cold emails, phone calls can disrupt prospects’ workday, making them less receptive.
  
  

This is why, when you compare cold email vs cold call, emails usually win out for B2B cold outreach. 

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Cold calls may still have a place in certain industries, but they’re less scalable and predictable compared to email campaigns.

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Understanding Cold Emailing

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If cold calling is about dialing prospects, B2B cold emailing is about reaching decision-makers directly in their inbox. 

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In simple terms, it’s sending a personalized, one-to-one email to someone you haven’t spoken to before, with the goal of starting a sales conversation or booking a meeting.

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How Cold Emailing Works

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Unlike mass email blasts or newsletters, cold email services focus on:

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• Identifying your ideal prospects for cold email (based on role, industry, or company size)
  
  
• Crafting tailored outreach messages that feel personal
  
  
• Sending these emails at scale while staying compliant with email regulations
  
  
• Following up with automated sequences until a response is received
  
  

Modern Cold Emailing

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Today, cold emailing is more powerful than ever thanks to automation and personalization tools. Platforms like outreach software, CRMs, and AI copy assistants allow you to:

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• Personalize at scale (mentioning company names, job titles, or recent news in each email)
  
  
• Automate follow-ups without lifting a finger
  
  
• Track open rates, click rates, and replies to refine messaging
  
  
• Schedule emails at the right time to increase engagement
  
  

This combination of automation + personalization makes B2B cold emailing highly efficient for sales teams that want predictable lead flow without burning hours on the phone.

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✨Check this out: How to Choose the Best Cold Email Outreach Software for Your Sales Team

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Benefits of Cold Emailing

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Here’s why so many companies are choosing email over calls:

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• Scalability – You can reach hundreds or even thousands of prospects per month without adding headcount.
  
  
• Lower cost – Compared to cold calling, email requires fewer resources and less time per prospect.
  
  
• Trackable – Every open, click, and reply is measurable, so you know what’s working and what’s not.
  
  
• Non-intrusive – Prospects can read and respond when it’s convenient for them.
  
  

Limitations of Cold Emailing

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Of course, cold emailing isn’t perfect. The biggest challenges are:

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• Deliverability – Poorly written or mass-blasted emails risk landing in spam folders.
  
  
• Competition – Decision-makers receive dozens of emails daily, so standing out is key.
  
  

That’s exactly why working with a trusted cold email lead generation agency makes all the difference—we handle strategy, compliance, and deliverability so your emails land, get opened, and book meetings.

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Cold Calling vs Cold Emailing – Key Differences

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Now that we’ve covered both methods, let’s break down cold email vs cold call side by side.

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On the surface, both are designed to reach new prospects, but the way they work—and the results they produce—can be very different.

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1. Channel Type: Synchronous vs. Asynchronous

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• Cold calls are synchronous—you and the prospect must connect in real time. This creates instant interaction but depends on catching them at the right moment.
  
  
• Cold emails are asynchronous—prospects can open and reply when it fits their schedule. This flexibility often leads to higher engagement rates.
  
  

2. Speed of Outreach vs. Speed of Response

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• Cold calling allows you to pitch instantly if someone picks up, but you’ll often run into voicemails or gatekeepers.
  
  
• Cold emailing enables faster outreach to larger lists, with responses typically coming within 24–48 hours.
  
  

3. Personalization & Ease of Scaling

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• Cold calls are highly personal and allow you to adapt your pitch in real time. The challenge is scaling—reps can only make so many quality calls in a day.
  
  
• Cold emails can scale much faster. With modern cold email services, personalization at scale is possible, making it easier to reach thousands without losing relevance.
  
  

4. Cost per Outreach

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• Cold calling is more labor-intensive and usually requires hiring or training SDRs, which increases cost per touchpoint.
  
  
• Cold emailing has a lower cost per outreach once systems are set up, though success depends heavily on deliverability and copy quality.
  
  

👀 For example, here’s how much you save with Cleverly:

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5. Response Rates & Conversion Rates

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• Cold calls average around a 1–2% success rate for booking meetings, but when you connect live, conversion rates can be higher for qualified prospects.
  
  
• Cold emails typically see 8–12%+ response rates when targeted well, with predictable conversion into meetings at scale.

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6. Buyer Preferences in 2025

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In 2025, buyers are busier than ever. Many prefer the convenience of email as a first touchpoint, while others value the directness of a call. The best teams adapt their outreach to the preferences of their target audience.

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When to Use Cold Calling

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While both cold email and cold calling have unique strengths, there are certain situations where picking up the phone can be the smarter move.

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1. High-Value Deals

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If you’re selling a six or seven-figure solution, the stakes are higher. A phone call can add the personal touch needed to build trust with executives who expect more than a quick email exchange.

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2. Complex Sales Cycles

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When the product or service is complex and requires explanation, a live conversation often clears confusion faster than a string of emails. This is especially true for technical or multi-stakeholder deals.

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3. Following Up on Warm Leads

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Once a prospect has engaged with you through email, LinkedIn, or a webinar, a cold call can serve as a strong follow-up to move the conversation forward.

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4. Re-Engaging Past Clients

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Sometimes a phone call is the quickest way to reconnect with former clients who already know your brand but have gone quiet.

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That said, these scenarios are the exception, not the rule. For the majority of outbound efforts, B2B cold emailing is still more cost-effective, scalable, and aligned with buyer preferences. 

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A well-written email sequence can handle the heavy lifting—while reserving calls for the highest-value opportunities.

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When to Use Cold Emailing

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While cold calls have their place, most modern B2B sales teams rely on cold emailing as their primary outreach channel. 

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The reason is simple: email makes it easy to scale, test, and build pipeline without overwhelming your team.

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Here’s when cold emailing works best:

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1. Reaching Large Prospect Lists at Scale

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If you’re targeting hundreds or even thousands of prospects, calling isn’t realistic. Cold email campaigns let you reach wide audiences quickly while still keeping messages personalized. With the right cold email lead generation agency, you can automate this entire process.

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2. Building Awareness Before a Call

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An email can warm up a prospect before a phone conversation. Instead of surprising them with a cold call, a thoughtful email sequence introduces who you are, why you’re reaching out, and what value you offer—making any follow-up call much easier.

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3. Time-Efficient Initial Outreach

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Emails save time. A single rep can launch campaigns to thousands of prospects in the same time it would take to make a handful of calls. That efficiency translates directly into more meetings booked per week.

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4. Testing Different Offers & Messaging

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With calls, it’s hard to measure what pitch works best. With emails, you can A/B test subject lines, CTAs, and value propositions—then double down on what gets the highest reply rates. This data-driven approach makes your outreach smarter every month.

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Combining Cold Calling and Cold Emailing for Maximum Impact

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The debate of email marketing vs cold calling doesn’t always have to end with choosing just one. In fact, some of the most effective outbound strategies use both channels together in a smart, coordinated way.

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Here’s how sales teams combine cold calling and cold emailing to get better results:

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1. Use Email to Warm Prospects Before Calling

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Instead of calling a prospect out of the blue, send a B2B cold emailing sequence first. This builds awareness, shares value, and puts your name in front of them. When you do call later, they already recognize who you are.

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2. Cold Call Follow-Up via Personalized Email

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If you do get someone on the phone but they aren’t ready to book, a follow-up email can reinforce your pitch. Sending a quick recap of the call or sharing a resource keeps the conversation alive.

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3. Cross-Channel Retargeting

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A cross-channel lead generation works best in 2025. Pair your cold email campaigns with LinkedIn messages, retargeting ads, or a timely phone call. The more touchpoints (without spamming), the higher the chance of turning a cold lead into a warm one.

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4. Example: Multi-Touch Outreach Flow

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Here’s a simple outbound flow many of our clients use:

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1. Day 1 – Send personalized cold email (introduce yourself + value prop)
   
   
2. Day 3 – Send LinkedIn connection request
   
   
3. Day 5 – Make a cold call referencing the email
   
   
4. Day 7 – Follow up with a value-driven resource via email
   
   
5. Day 10+ – Continue automated email follow-ups until a reply
   
   

This sequence ensures you’re not relying solely on the phone—or email—but creating a natural progression that meets buyers where they are.

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Choosing the Right Method for Your B2B Sales Strategy

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At the end of the day, the cold calling vs cold emailing debate isn’t about which method is “right” in theory—it’s about which one works best for your business. 

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The right approach depends on your audience, your industry, and your resources.

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Here are a few factors to think about:

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1. Consider Audience Preferences & Industry Norms

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• Some industries (like finance or healthcare) may still lean toward phone calls.
  
  
• But in most B2B spaces, decision-makers prefer email.
  
  

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2. Align With Your Team Strengths & Resources

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• Do you have a team of skilled callers who can confidently navigate conversations? Then cold calling is great to start with.
  
  
• If your team is lean and you need to scale quickly, B2B cold emailing is more efficient and less resource-intensive.
  
  

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3. Testing and Measuring ROI

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Don’t rely on guesswork. Test both approaches, track your response rates, cost per meeting, and conversion rates. 

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4. When to Outsource to a Cold Email or Cold Call Partner

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Running cold calling or cold email campaigns in-house may seem straightforward, but in reality, it’s complex. Deliverability issues, compliance, prospect targeting, SDR turnover, and script writing can all derail results if you don’t have the right expertise. 

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That’s why many sales teams choose to partner with a specialized agency to handle everything end-to-end.

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At Cleverly, we provide both:

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Done-for-You Cold Email Outreach

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• ROI-focused campaigns with proven sequences
  
  
• Pay-per-meeting-ready-lead model
  
  
• Month-to-month flexibility, no contracts
  
  
• Major discounts for teams and enterprise accounts

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Done-for-You Cold Calling System

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• 100% done-for-you SDR recruitment & cold call setup
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• No-accent appointment setters placed directly on your team
  
  
• Rigorous training to go live in just 2 weeks
  
  
• Breakthrough scripts designed to convert
  
  
• Data, tech, and power dialer included
  
  
• Half the cost of hiring in-house SDRs
  
  
• Guaranteed appointments—or we replace your SDR
  
  
• Trusted as the #1 Cold Calling Agency with 1M+ calls made, 53K appointments set, and $312M pipeline generated.

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Whether your strategy leans toward B2B cold emailing for scale or cold calling for higher-touch outreach, we take the heavy lifting off your plate so your team can focus on closing deals.

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Final Thoughts: Cold Calling vs Cold Emailing in 2025

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Both outreach methods have their place in B2B sales. Cold calling shines in higher-touch scenarios where complex conversations or relationship-building are key. Cold emailing, on the other hand, excels when you need scale, efficiency, and measurable ROI.

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In 2025, the most effective sales teams don’t see this as an either/or debate. They use both channels strategically, emails to warm up prospects at scale, and calls for the most valuable opportunities that need a personal touch.

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Guess what, Cleverly can help you with both. We’re your go-to cold calling agency when you’re looking for results on instant pitches. With half the cost of in-housing, Clevely offers 100% done-for-you SDR recruitment & cold call system!

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Similarly, if you wanna fill your pipeline with qualified meetings booked via cold email outreach services where you pay per-booked-meeting, we’re here for you!

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At Cleverly, we’ve helped 10,000+ clients generate leads with companies like:

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• Amazon
  
  
• Google
  
  
• Uber
  
  
• PayPal
  
  
• Slack
  
  
• Spotify & more
  
  

That resulted in $312 Million in Pipeline Revenue and $51.2 Million in Closed Revenue.

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Ready to scale your lead pipelines? Let’s talk!

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Frequently Asked Questions

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1. Which is more effective for B2B sales in 2025: cold calling or cold emailing?

Both work; but in different ways. Cold emailing is highly scalable, cost-efficient, and often the first choice for busy decision-makers. Cold calling, on the other hand, is powerful in high-touch scenarios where trust and real-time conversation matter. The most effective teams in 2025 are blending both for maximum impact.

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2. Can I combine cold calling and cold emailing in one campaign?

Absolutely. The strongest outbound strategies are multi-touch. For example, you might send a series of personalized emails to warm prospects, then follow up with a phone call for higher engagement. This combination increases conversions and shortens sales cycles.

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3. How do response rates compare between cold calls and cold emails?

Cold calls typically convert at around 1–2%, while cold emails often achieve 8–12%+ response rates when executed well. However, calls can move a conversation forward faster once a prospect is interested—making them a strong complement to email outreach.

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4. Are cold calls or cold emails better for high-ticket sales?

For high-ticket or complex deals, cold calls give you the advantage of building trust and addressing objections in real time. That said, many teams start with B2B cold emailing to qualify interest, then use calls to close larger deals.

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5. Should I hire a cold email lead generation agency instead of doing it in-house?

Yes, if you want faster, more predictable results without the headaches of training, compliance, or deliverability. At Cleverly, we specialize in both:
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• 100% done-for-you cold calling systems with trained SDRs, scripts, data, and power dialers.
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• ROI-driven cold email lead gen, run on a pay-per-meeting model.
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This way, you get appointments booked directly to your calendar—without the trial and error of building everything in-house.

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