---
title: "What Is Cold Calling? Definition for B2B Sales | ONEGTMLAB"
description: "Cold calling is phoning a potential buyer who has had no prior contact with the seller. Learn how B2B cold calling works and where it fits in outbound."
canonical: https://www.onegtmlab.dev/glossary/cold-calling
---

# What Is Cold Calling? Definition for B2B Sales | ONEGTMLAB

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GTM Glossary

# Cold Calling

Cold calling is phoning a potential buyer who has had no prior contact with the seller, usually to introduce a product, qualify interest or book a meeting.

Also called: cold call, outbound calling

## Why it matters

A live call can do in a few minutes what several emails cannot: ask questions, handle an objection and agree on a next step in real time.

Cold calling depends on good data and good preparation. Teams need accurate direct or mobile numbers, a reason the call is relevant to that person, and a short opening that earns the next thirty seconds.

## Example

An SDR at a company selling fleet software calls the operations director of a delivery company that just expanded into a new region. She mentions the expansion, asks how they plan routes across the two regions, and when the director describes a problem, asks for a short call with an account executive later in the week.

## Related terms

-   [Sales Prospecting](/glossary/sales-prospecting)
-   [Outbound Sales](/glossary/outbound-sales)
-   [Sales Development Representative (SDR)](/glossary/sales-development-representative)
-   [Discovery Call](/glossary/discovery-call)
-   [Cold Email](/glossary/cold-email)

## Related service

[GTM Engineering Signal-led outbound systems that enrich, score, sequence and sync to your CRM.](/ai-gtm-engineering)

## Related playbook

-   [Outbound Sales Playbook From a signal or event list to the right buyers, one channel each, with every row explained.](/growth-playbooks/outbound-sales)

## Questions people ask

### Is outbound sales cold calling?

Cold calling is one part of outbound sales, not all of it. Outbound sales covers any outreach the seller starts, including cold email, LinkedIn messages, calls and direct mail.

[← All GTM terms, A to Z](/glossary)

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