Carolina Mantzalos

The industry average cold call success rate is now 2.7%. But we’re seeing 4×+ the average at Cognism. What changed isn’t effort or talk tracks. It’s what happens before the dial. - We call fewer contacts, but reach real decision-makers with verified data - We’re using signals and AI to prioritise timing, not replace judgement - We treat live conversations as high-value moments, not volume play Cold calls that feel less “cold”, and convert into pipeline more reliably. This is the competitive reality heading into 2026. 📘 We break down the benchmarks, patterns, and implications in The Cold Calling Competitiveness Gap: https://lnkd.in/exMA6vy3 #coldcalling #sales

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What does cold calling really mean to you? For Piers, SDR Manager at Cognism, cold calling isn’t just outreach - it’s the purest form of sales. It’s about: 🔍 Hunting for the right decision-makers 🎯 Leading with their needs, not your product 🔥 Delivering a pitch that clearly shows your value Cold calling done right isn’t pushy, it’s personal. Want more real talk like this? Catch the full episode of On The Hunt with Piers and Jason - link in comments. #SalesMindset #ColdCalling #SDRLife #SalesTips 

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Avoca's results after switching to Attention: 80% increase in lead conversion after the first meeting. 4x onboarding acceleration to quota. 80% more accurate CRM data. Jack Gashi runs sales at Avoca and spoke with us about the changes he's seen. They moved on from Gong because the features he needed were always "on the roadmap." Avoca is scaling fast in the home services AI space. Before Attention, onboarding was a grind and CRM updates were a constant battle. Now new reps ask for Attention access before they start. We're proud to work with teams like Avoca that are turning every customer conversation into automated CRM data, faster onboarding, and coaching that happens with intent. Check out the full story on our website.

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Salespeople… If you think that the SDR role is largely a waste of money. My output on Friday (a pretty below average day connect wise) will surely put the doubters to rest. - 10 connects with prospects DIRECTLY within ICP (VP of Sales, CROs, Head of Demand Gen) - 6 of those connects came onto the website, DIRECTLY following my cold call to them. - 3 of those prospects that came onto the website, answered my live VIDEO call attempt with Rep.ai. - 2 of those turned into a meeting for this week. None of these people knew anything about our company before I called them. Now, 6 leaders at 6 different companies know who we are, and obviously had enough interest to search us up after a random guy called their cell phone. This literally happens every single day… I connect with people within ICP, learn about their process/struggles/GTM strategy, and get the opportunity to tell them how we may/may not fit within that. Now, think about how this all compounds if you have a good rep talking to your market everyday for years on end? Having a dedicated rep that makes cold calls every day is STILL the best way to build pipeline/engage with your market. IDC what anyone says… GOOD SDRs aren’t going anywhere. PS: I also drove 12 more ICP prospects to our website because of a cold calling video I posted (again, I can track this with Rep.ai). The best SDRs in the future will be killers on the phone WITH the ability to drive inbound through their content. Jeremy, Eric, Roy J., Marc, Aubrey, Jamis, Nate, Nate Curious to know - how many convos are you averaging a day when cold calling? What do you guys think will the future SDR role will look like?

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GONG 💜 EXCLAIMER Exclaimer’s revenue teams ran into challenges that a lot of orgs can relate to: Siloed systems. Forecasts based on gut feel. Managers spending too much time reviewing calls. They wanted a way to get everyone on the same page, move faster, and make decisions with confidence. Now they’ve got it: ✅ More accurate forecasts ✅ Less time spent on manual review ✅ Faster rep onboarding ✅ GTM teams working from one source of truth We’re proud to partner with Exclaimer as they scale and keep building momentum. Read their full story here: https://lnkd.in/gu9CkT5B

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🚀 The thing I love most about being an SDR leader is seeing my team succeed from making small changes, celebrating big wins and sharing best practices. 🔍 A key focus for us at the moment is 'Meeting buyers where other's aren't'. ☎️ As much as cold calling is the quickest way to information, dire connect rates and AI call screeners mean SDR teams need to find new ways to 'stand out' and start conversations with prospects. Those channels are: 🎁 Gifting and Direct Mail - try tools like &Open and Reachdesk to make promotions, raises and personal moments even more special. 🗣️ Voicenotes - try a short and sweet opener based on 'Research / Trigger, Hook and CTA' 📽️ Video Messages - recording a video on job postings, website pages and profiles show that your message is extra personalised. 🎙️ Voicemails - depending on what your desired outcome is, you could try "Hey, it's James, give me a call back." or 'Hey, it's James with Airwallex, sent you an email titled 'managing payments', if you don't respond there, I'll give you another call in a few days." With some of the team starting to post more on LinkedIn and using these channels to engage in conversations, we're already seeing green shoots of success, with strong replies and meetings booked. 🤷‍♂️ Are there any other ways you're seeing success with some of the more 'non-traditional' channels?

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In outbound sales, every interaction is critical. But in a sea of emails, standing out takes planning, timing, and personalisation that really resonates. Yet, the real challenge for Sales Development Reps (SDRs) lies in doing just the right amount of research: too little, and you risk getting ignored; too much, and efficiency suffers. Our latest guide explores the key strategies and common pitfalls in outbound prospecting, equipping you with the insights needed to convert more leads, more effectively. Read it in full here: https://lnkd.in/egQSu4kv #WeAreInterlink

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Half of first sales hires fail within their first year. Your first AE is one of the highest-leverage hires you’ll ever make. Get it right, and you unlock growth. Get it wrong, and you’ll spend the next 12 months untangling the mess. The difference comes down to when you hire, who you hire, and how you set them up to win. On our most recent newsletter, we break down a tactical playbook for founders making their first sales hire, with lessons from operators who’ve done it at Braze, Loopio, Hyperscience, and more. 🟢 Know the right timing Hire after you’ve personally closed 5–10 deals, can clearly articulate your narrative, and sales is eating 50%+ of your time. 🟢 Hire a doer, not a strategist Your first rep should be a missionary, full-stack generalist, not a VP who expects SDRs, decks, and brand recognition. 🟢 Avoid “big company” red flags Skip candidates who only thrived with inbound, enablement, and brand power. Early-stage selling = grit + resourcefulness. 🟢 Set them up for success Day-one prospecting, tight CRM hygiene, clear ICP criteria, and weekly feedback loops are non-negotiables. 🟢 Consider two, not one Staggered hires create faster learning loops, A/B test your motion, and prevent “lone wolf” burnout. Your first sales hire is about building the foundation for a repeatable motion. __ 📖 Full breakdown in the latest The GTMnow Newsletter: https://lnkd.in/gj6aRfNd 💡Join 50k+ GTM leaders and founders in GTMnow by subscribing on the website or Substack.

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Outbound works better when your CRM stays in the loop. HighLevel ↔ Instantly now sync leads and engagement both ways. Here’s how it works ����

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Can we talk about BANT for a second? The amount of SDR teams that still strictly follow BANT baffles me. I hear quite often that SDR's need to qualify every meeting through BANT before their AE's will accept it. Authority, sure. Need, hmm probably (somewhat) But budget and timeline - really? Are we truly expecting SDR's to ask 'do you have budget for this?' and 'when do you need this solved by?' on a cold call? I don't know the exact stats, but I reckon 90% of my deals over the last 10 years did not have a budget at the start of the conversations. As a fellow AE, if you're really rejecting SDR meetings that aren't fully BANT qualified, you are quite literally turning away deals.

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Working in RevOps be like ⬇️ Territories? A mess. Quotas? Changing all the time, pissing people off. Comp plans? Non-stop questions every time commissions are paid. And where does all this chaos stem from? SPREADSHEETS. 🫠 But it doesn’t have to be this way. CaptivateIQ is helping RevOps teams escape spreadsheet purgatory and actually streamline sales planning, automate commissions, and unify data - so you can focus on strategy, not manual fixes. We sat down with Jayne Myers and Jaime DyBuncio from CaptivateIQ to dig into how they’re tackling these challenges. Some game-changing takeaways: 🔥 Automate territory & quota planning - no more rigid, one-size-fits-all models. 📊 Pull in messy CRM, finance & sales data - no pre-cleaning required. 🤝 Collaborate with sales leaders (without the email or Slack chaos). 🚀 Get real-time insights on fairness, performance & incentive impact. 👉 Check out the full breakdown here on our website ⇒ www(.)**revopscoop(.)com/product-reviews/revops-demos #revops #revenueoperations #salesops #salesops #salesoperations #sops

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