Cold calling is an effective sales technique that has been around for decades, but finding the right time to make a call can make all the difference between success and failure. With the start of a new year, it's a great time to reassess your cold calling strategy and optimize your approach for maximum impact. In this blog post, we'll provide you with our updated guideline for 2023 on the best times for cold calling. 

Drawing on the latest research and insights, we'll help you identify the most opportune moments to reach out to prospects and improve your chances of closing more deals. Whether you're a seasoned sales professional or new to cold calling, this guideline is a must-read for anyone looking to boost their sales and maximize their success in the year ahead.

The Importance of Time When Cold Calling

It's important to call at the right time. Your response rate will be higher the more suitable the time you call. Naturally, more responses will lead to more sales conversations and prospects. Increased connections result in more closes and sales-qualified leads (SQLs).

Your contact might still be asleep or be on their way to work if you phone too early. It's likely that they will spend the first hour of the day setting priorities and responding to emails, even if they are already at work. If Monday comes around, this is even more likely.

Most likely, if you call too late, your contact won't pick up. Most likely, they are thinking about personal matters rather than work. Most likely, their partner and possibly a family are at the top of their list of priorities. Most people buy groceries, prepare supper, and spend time with loved ones after their workday is finished.

Calling leads and prospects while they are most likely at work is the greatest strategy.

The best time to call your strongest leads and prospects is when engagement is at its peak, advise SDRs and sales representatives. In general, late morning or late afternoon on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday.

Best Times For Cold Calling

Best day of a week for cold calling 

InsideSales recently conducted a sizable research that studied 100,000 call attempts and three years' worth of data. The best day for cold calling was Thursday, closely followed by Wednesday.

Image Source: InsideSales

In a 30-week research, CallHippo collected 15,800 call attempts from 1,200+ clients in over 15 countries. 

It examined the best workweek days for dialogue. The outcomes were as follows, ranked from best to worst:

• Wednesday (195 talks) (195 conversations)
• Thursday (135 talks) (135 conversations)
• Tuesday (95 talks) (95 conversations)
• Monday (90 talks) (90 conversations)
• Friday (60 talks) (60 conversations)

Another study by Yesware examined more than 25,000 calls and discovered that the days with the most phone calls lasting more than five minutes were Tuesday and Thursday. 

To find the ideal time to make a cold call, InsightSquared also monitored hundreds of calls. According to their findings, Tuesday had the highest connect rate at 10%.

In conclusion, these four research show that the following days are the most effective for cold calling:

• InsightSquared: Tuesday
• CallHippo: Wednesday
• InsideSales: Thursday
• Yesware: Tuesday and Thursday

The findings are clear: Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday are the top days for cold calling.

Worst Times For Cold Calling

Your representatives should never cold call a prospect in certain circumstances. The following are a few of the most extreme instances:

• Weekends and after work: It might be harmful to interrupt someone during their family meal or personal time. Whilst some people are online constantly, not everyone is. For a rep, taking that risk is probably not worthwhile.
• Too early in the morning: The early hours of the morning are typically a period for concentration, in-depth work, and uninterrupted task completion. Your reps risk alienating the prospect if they don't adhere to those hours.
• Federal holidays: These days have a lot of significance to individuals in North America. Thanksgiving or Christmas celebration interruptions only make your reps appear desperate and out of touch, neither of which will help them close more deals.
• When other people are phoning: While phoning at times of high conversion enhances the likelihood of receiving a response, it also attracts the most competition. Your salespeople should be strategic because of this. Contrary to popular belief, after business hours may be the greatest time to contact because there won't be any competition for their attention.

Conclusion

Cold calling can be a powerful tool for sales teams, but knowing the best times to make a call is key to success. By following the guideline we've provided for 2023, you can make the most of your cold calling efforts and increase your chances of converting leads into customers. 

Remember to consider factors such as time zones, industry norms, and the availability of your target audience when scheduling your calls. Keep track of your results and adjust your approach as necessary to continually improve your sales performance. 

With the right strategy and timing, cold calling can be a valuable addition to your sales arsenal, helping you achieve your goals and drive growth in the year ahead.