Finding success in outbound sales should not feel like searching for a needle in a digital haystack, especially when building verified mobile phone data for cold calling lists.
You’ll need more than just a basic contact list to connect with your ideal prospects today.
Modern sales intelligence tools and data enrichment platforms have changed how we gather and verify mobile numbers – and there’s a strategic approach that can transform your cold calling from guesswork into a precise targeting system.
Let’s discover the exact tools top performers use.👇👇👇
How to Build a Cold Call List The Right Way
When it comes to building a powerful cold calling list, BetterContact masters the art of waterfall enrichment to transform your lead generation game.
You have three fantastic options to create accurate contact lists that’ll skyrocket your sales reps’ success!
✅ Type 1: The Premium Route:
Clay’s platform, paired with BetterContact, delivers the highest-quality ideal customer profile data for those seeking premium, easily scalable results.

- Create Clay Table
- Create apollo and connect your Apollo API key in clay.
- Use Apollo “Find People at Company By Job Title” feature to build your ideal customer profile Lead List (ICP)
- Use clay “Find Contacts at Company” features to fill the ICP Apollo missed
- Utilize BetterContact right inside Clay OR export CSV, then upload to BetterContact
- Leverage Clay’s email enrichment to find any phone numbers BetterContact missed (if you don’t go the CSV route)
This top-tier method ensures maximum accuracy for your contact details, though it comes at a higher price point. ✨
PRO TIP: Using Apollo first to build the lead list right inside Clay saves you a bunch of Clay credits. The “Find Contacts at Company” feature will cost you one clay credit, and it will stack up when you’re working with a lot of companies.
✅ Type 2: The Apollo Route
Looking for a budget-friendly approach? Start with Apollo.io and Export Apollo before enriching with BetterContact.

- Build your lead list in Apollo.io.
- Paste People’s link in Export Apollo for scraping.
- Clean up database based on your preference
- Upload CSV file in BetterContact.
The problem with this route is that you won’t often find enough people in Apollo. Also, Apollo is very popular; thus, it is overused by everyone and their grandma. So there’s literally no possibility of finding unique leads or contact info.
✅ Type 3: The Linkedin Route
This option combines Sales Navigator with Scrupp.com for building the cold call contact list.

- Build your ICP in Sales Navigator
- Scrape with Scrupp.com
- Upload CSV file to BetterContact
Choose your method based on your needs – whether it’s cost-effectiveness, accuracy, or speed that matters most to your team! 🚀
What Lead Data Your Cold Calling Lists Must Contain?
Since successful cold calling relies heavily on having the right information at your fingertips, let’s dive into the essential data points you’ll need in your contact lists! 🎯
Your cold-calling success depends on gathering specific details about each prospect. Start with the basics, like their name and job title, and extend to valuable insights that will help you connect meaningfully.
Tools like BetterContact and Clay can help you enrich your leads with verified contact data at scale.
Start with these must-have elements:
- Name and Job Title (to personalize your approach)
- Phone number (preferably mobile)
- Email address (for follow-ups)
- Company size and industry details
You can always take it further by collecting:
- Buying intent signals
- Recent company news or funding
- Technology stack information
- LinkedIn profile details
Problem With Manually Building or Buying a Cold Call List
Building or purchasing cold calling lists might seem like a quick fix for your outbound lead generation efforts, but it’s riddled with challenges that can derail your efforts! 🚫
Manual list-building cons:
- Countless hours of research and data entry
- Bought lists often contain outdated or inaccurate information
- Requires huge time to clean up
- You’d often need to double-verify the list
That wastes your sales team’s valuable time.
⭕ Data Inaccuracy: Up to 40% of purchased contact data is typically outdated, and over 80% of potential prospects ignore calls from unknown numbers! ⚠️
⭕ When manually searching through reliable sources like LinkedIn or Google, finding correct contact information becomes a time-consuming puzzle.
You’ll spend precious hours cross-checking data from multiple sources, which hurts your cold-calling efficiency. Investing in sales intelligence tools that can automatically verify and update contact data is crucial.
Benefits of Building a Cold Call List with the Right Tools
The right prospecting tools can transform your cold-calling strategy from frustrating to fantastic! 🎯 Modern sales intelligence platforms eliminate the headaches of manual list-building while delivering high-quality, verified contact data that keeps your team productive.
With specialized cold-calling software, you’ll unlock these game-changing benefits:
✅ Save time by accessing pre-verified high-quality contacts
✅ Target potential leads more effectively with accurate data
✅ Build momentum as your team works through organized lists
✅ Create focused scripts that resonate with your specific audience
✅ Keep your sales funnel flowing with regularly enriched data
Best of all, you won’t waste resources on outdated information. Advanced platforms automatically update contact details, ensuring your team always has fresh, compliance-ready data at their fingertips.
Quick Cold Call Tech Stack Look:
- Lead List: Clay, Apollo, ExportApollo, Scrupp
- Contact Finding: BetterContact
- Calling: JustCall, PhoneBurner
- Automation: Make.com
Leading platforms like BetterContact achieve 99.5% verification accuracy through sophisticated multi-layer verification methods.
✨PRO TIPS: Building a Cold Calling List
Utilize CRM enrichment to keep up-to-date with sales intent data that reveals which prospects are actively looking to buy while ensuring you’re working with freshly verified contact information is the way to go.
1. Populate CRM with Sales Intent
Integrate data from your phone number finder tools with:
- Recent company developments
- Technology stack information
- Hiring patterns
- Website visitor behavior
- Social media engagement
Don’t just stop at basic contact details – dig deeper!
2. Always use up-to-date Verified Data
Successful sales development relies on reaching real decision-makers at active companies.
Here’s how to keep your data fresh:
- Verify phone numbers through data validation services
- Remove duplicate contact records immediately
- Update information after each call attempt
- Cross-reference data with multiple sources
- Set up automated verification schedules
Your cold-calling strategies will only be as effective as your data quality.
3. Get The Right Mobile Phone Numbers
Targeting the mobile phone numbers of key decision-makers can dramatically boost your connection rates and sales success.
When building your cold-calling lists, focus on getting accurate mobile numbers for specific contact names rather than general office lines.
Here’s why it matters: As a sales representative, you’ll want to reach potential customers directly on their personal devices.
While services like BetterContact can provide mobile numbers, they can be costly – so make sure you’re targeting the right people. 📱
Pro tip: You typically only need one solid contact per company.
Remember, Use Clay to build a focused lead list first. This approach helps you:
- Maintain a laser-focused prospect list
- Calling as few people as possible per company maintains your image
- Save money on phone number finding credits
- Increase your chances of reaching actual decision-makers
- Avoid wasting time contacting multiple people at the same organization
How to Cold Call Effectively
Now that your calling list is ready let’s explore the essential steps to make those calls count!
For success, you’ll need four key elements: working technology, prepared scripts, objection-handling strategies, and a solid follow-up plan.
Whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, mastering these fundamentals will transform your cold calling from nerve-wracking to natural 📞✨.
1. Make Sure Your Tech Setup is Working
Before you launch your cold-calling campaign, double-check that your technical setup is working properly. Your success rate with cold-calling lists heavily depends on a smoothly running tech environment.
Ensure your CRM is properly configured and test your dialing software, whether it’s JustCall, PhoneBurner, or another platform.
- Verify your payment information is up-to-date for all your SaaS subscriptions.
- Test your dialer’s connection with your verified mobile phone data
- Run a few test calls to ensure proper audio quality
- Check that your CRM is syncing correctly with your calling software
Don’t let technical hiccups derail your momentum! Taking a few minutes to test everything before you start dialing can save you hours of frustration and missed opportunities.
2. Prep Cold Call Scripts
Mastering your cold call script is like having a trusty roadmap for sales success! 🗺️ You’ll want to create a flexible template that guides your conversations while leaving room for natural dialogue and personalization.
Remember to schedule your cold calling efforts during optimal times – avoid peak business hours and weekends when reaching out.
If you can’t build your script, consider purchasing Courses from Jeremy Miner.
A well-structured script helps new team members transition effectively and ensures everyone’s aligned with your sales objectives.
- Keep your script conversational.
- Test different messaging approaches.
- Adjust based on customer responses.
- Train new team members consistently.
3. Research Objections Handling
Understanding common objections is the secret weapon!
Successfully handling pushback like “I’m not interested” or “We’re happy with our current solution” requires preparation, practice, and the right mindset.
To master objection handling while building your cold-calling list, try these proven tips:
- Research common industry pain points
- Practice responses to typical pushback
- Focus on gaining access to decision-makers
- Document successful rebuttals for future calls
4. Remember to Follow Up
Successful cold calling doesn’t end with handling objections – it’s all about the follow-up game! 📞
Most sales pros know that reaching a prospect on the first try is like catching lightning in a bottle, which is why persistence and strategic follow-up are your best friends.
Research shows it typically takes eight cold calls to connect with a prospect, so don’t let those cold leads slip away! Schedule regular follow-up calls in your calendar and track each interaction.
When you reach your prospect, you’ll already build familiarity through consistent outreach. Remember to:
- Space your follow-up calls strategically
- Keep detailed notes of previous attempts
- Vary your contact times
- Stay positive and professional
Building a strong business relationship takes time, but your persistence will pay off with higher conversion rates!
5. Avoid Excessive Automation
While automating is good but, where do you draw the line of automation?
You should automate generating lead list building, phone numbers, verification etc. But a lot of people recently began running cold calls using AI.
So, Why Should you avoid cold call AI automation?
Avoid cold-call AI automation because it is intrusive, impersonal, and often ineffective. It has low conversion rates, creates negative brand perception, struggles with complex interactions, and may violate telemarketing laws. Human-led sales calls build trust, adapt to customer needs, and comply with legal regulations.
Key reasons to avoid cold call AI:
- Low effectiveness: AI cold calls have poor conversion rates and fail to build rapport.
- Negative perception: Most recipients find AI-generated calls intrusive and annoying.
- Limited adaptability: AI struggles with unexpected questions and complex scenarios.
- Legal risks: Many regions prohibit automated cold calls without consent.
- Lack of human touch: Trust and rapport are essential in sales, which AI lacks.
To Wrap It All Up
Look who came to visit?
Remember, your success hinges on accurate data – so invest in the right platforms, keep your information fresh, and watch your cold calling transform from arctic temperatures to red-hot opportunities! 🎯
FAQ
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What is a Cold Call List?
A cold call list contains prospects’ names, phone numbers, job titles, and company details. It helps sales teams make outbound calls efficiently, eliminating the need to search for contacts manually. A high-quality list increases call volume, improves conversations, and boosts appointment bookings.
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Should you buy cold call lists?
No, you should not buy cold call lists from Fiverr or similar sources. Instead, use verified mobile phone number finders like BetterContact, which offers 3 billion contact records with only verified numbers.
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What are the benefits of using a Cold Calling List?
A cold calling list improves productivity by targeting interested prospects, enhances efficiency with accurate contact data, increases successful calls, and helps sales reps manage time effectively by planning outreach in advance.
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What tools can I use to build a cold-calling list?
BetterContact is the best tool for building a live cold calling list with verified phone numbers, ensuring accurate and high-quality data for outbound sales.
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How do I track who I called on my cold calling list?
Use a CRM or Airtable to log call details, track follow-ups, and manage prospects efficiently, ensuring no opportunity is missed.
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How do I build a good cold-calling list?
Build a quality cold calling list by sourcing verified contact data, targeting the right prospects, and using tools like BetterContact for accuracy and efficiency.
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How to get the correct phone numbers for cold calling?
Use reliable data sources like BetterContact to find accurate and verified phone numbers, ensuring your cold-calling efforts reach the right prospects.
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Why Your Business Needs a Cold Calling List?
A cold calling list streamlines customer outreach, saves time, and increases conversions. It provides direct access to high-quality prospects, reducing marketing costs while boosting sales and customer relationships.
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How many cold calls a day is typical?
Sales reps typically make 35–52 cold calls daily, depending on industry and research time per prospect. B2B sales often require fewer but more strategic calls.
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What is an example of cold calling?
Cold calling involves a sales rep introducing their product and asking about the prospect’s needs. Example: “Hi yah, my name is [Name]. My CEO just told me to call you; I have this {your-report} at hand for {prosect company}. Can you help me out?