Why Cold-Calling Is Dying—and What Savvy Sellers in Manufacturing Can Do Instead

by | Sales and Marketing

For decades, cold-calling was a sales standard, especially in industries like manufacturing, where relationships often began with direct outreach. But if you’re still using the tactic today, you’re burning up precious time trying to reach buyers who aren’t ready for you — or aren’t even reachable! At least not in the way they used to be.

I hear all the time from manufacturers who once swore by cold-calling. Now they’re telling me, “The old ways just aren’t working.”

So, what does this mean for sales? It’s not that selling is dead; it’s that you need a new mindset — and a new strategy. Let’s dive into why cold-calling’s heyday has passed and then pivot to what I believe is a much more effective approach.

Why cold-calling worked -- until it didn’t

Back in the day, the tactic was straightforward enough: Pick up the phone, reach a decision-maker, and make the case for what you’re offering. And, hey, with decent intel and a strong pitch, it was a numbers game you could sometimes win.

Sure, this is a rather rosy description; it leaves out just how spirit-breaking cold-calling could be for salespeople.

But, it was a viable means to gain customers because (compared to today) prospects really didn’t have a lot of ways to learn about the products and services they needed. Their access to information was limited — and sales reps often served as the gatekeepers to it.

Sales reps used to be gatekeepers.

Early in my own career, I worked for a mortgage broker, and cold-calling drove the business. We’d dial prospects from a register of deeds, likely get someone to answer, and try to convince them we had a better loan option.

Not surprisingly, call volume was critical. My boss would even duct-tape a salesperson’s hand to the phone if they weren’t making enough calls.

Flash forward to the present: With the internet’s rise, the information gate has collapsed and now prospects in a wide range of business sectors no longer need — nor want — a salesperson explaining things to them.

At least not right away. Those prospects, including B2B customers in the manufacturing sector, are first doing their own online research (more on that below).

A phone call isn't what it used to be

A phone call ain’t what it used to be

While salespeople lost their gatekeeper status, the phone itself morphed into an indispensable handheld miracle, a gadget that puts Captain Kirk’s communicator to shame. All that said, when was the last time you eagerly picked up your smartphone to answer a call from an unknown number? Exactly.

Along with this hesitant attitude is the fact that the smartphone is also a digital fortress, shielding buyers from cold-callers thanks to caller ID and various do-not-disturb features. It’s no wonder that cold-calling went cold; people today take pains to screen out calls they don’t want. (And not even duct tape can help.)

“But,” you might argue, “if you call a company’s main line, a receptionist will put you through to a real person.” Maybe. However, don’t forget you also have to contend with prospects who are not only buried in work but also extra-wary of unsolicited calls. Oh, and those desk phones? They’re often set to forward calls … to smartphones.

Digital-first buyers now dominate

It’s not just the culture around phone communication that’s changed — the entire buying process has been upended. Prospective buyers today want to be in control. That’s why they seek out online content that empowers them to make informed decisions.

More specifically, they’re educating themselves by visiting websites, reading blogs, clicking on case studies, and checking out LinkedIn posts. And when they feel like they know enough to make the next move, they want to be the ones who reach out.

In fact, today nearly 60% of the buyer’s journey is completed before a salesperson enters the picture. And if on the slim chance you do break through with a cold call? Guess what: It can actually backfire because you now seem out of touch with how your customers want to buy.

Nearly 60% of the buyer's journey is completed before salesperson interaction.

What manufacturers should do instead of cold-calling

So, if people aren’t answering calls and instead are researching solutions online, what does that mean for you?

It’s hardly a way-out concept: You need to meet your prospects where they are — in the Digital Territory — and give them what they want. And that’s where digital marketing comes in.

This is a strategy that empowers you to deliver digital content that speaks to your buyers’ pain points and answers their crucial questions. And when prospects encounter that relevant content, they’re more likely to remember your brand and take action. Let’s take a closer look at what I mean.

Building a Digital Twin of your sales team

The idea of replacing cold calls with digital content may sound foreign to traditional sales teams, but it actually has a lot to do with them. In fact, your content should serve as a “Digital Twin” of your best salespeople — a virtual version of what they say and do, presented through a variety of formats like blog posts, videos, guides, case studies, and social media posts.

Of course, there needs to be a strategy here. Your content should adhere to the tried and true sales maxim that people will only do business with you if they Know You, Like You, and Trust You. And that means delivering insights specific to the various sales funnel stages.

Importantly, a crucial information source for those insights should be your salespeople. They know the questions prospects ask, the pain points they’re dealing with, and the criteria they’re considering. With the support of sales, you can deliver content that prospects find compelling enough that they eventually reach out to you.

And when that happens, they’re now a WARM lead. (For more details on this process, check out How to Integrate Sales into Your Manufacturing Marketing Plan.)

Warm leads in the hands of sales pros: A winning formula

With the Digital Twin approach, no one is being made obsolete. On the contrary, salespeople are as important as ever, but they’re no longer the theoretical first step in the buyer’s journey via cold-calling.
Instead, they’re the last.

The Digital Twin approach enables your salespeople to more effectively leverage their skills as customer-focused subject-matter experts. That’s because they now enter the sales scenario when a prospect has engaged with your content and shown interest.

This is the ideal time for sales to jump in and provide the personalized attention that’s needed to turn a warm lead into a new customer.

Find your warm leads beyond the cold-call sea

Today’s buyers don’t wait around for information. They’re hungrily searching for it themselves online. That’s precisely why you need to be in the Digital Territory, providing sales-informed wisdom that demonstrates you’re the go-to problem solver.

Meanwhile, your salespeople no longer need to cast a wide net and hope for a cold call catch. You can give them warm, receptive leads who are primed for the kind of personal touch that salespeople are so good at giving.

The new buyer behavior isn’t a passing trend; it’s the new reality for manufacturing sales. And the sooner you adapt, the more prepared you’ll be for a world that has neither the time nor patience for the cold call.

Greg Mischio

Greg Mischio

Greg Mischio has been creating content for many moons. He is the Founder and CEO of Winbound, a sales and marketing agency that provides content and marketing services with a focus on manufacturing and industrial verticals.

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