7 Outbound Sales Call Script Examples (+ Free Templates)
Jess served on the founding team of a successful B2B startup and has used a wide range of sales and marketing tools over the course of her 15-year career. She uses her industry knowledge to deliver the best answers to your questions about sales tools and sales management.
This article is part of a larger series on Sales Management.
Sales reps can use effective outbound call scripts to move leads through the sales process faster. Here are seven outbound sales call script examples based on specific objectives, such as setting an appointment, citing a referral, or following up on a previous conversation.
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💡 Quick Tip:
Compile & organize the information you discover in your outbound sales calls with a robust CRM like Salesforce Essentials.
Salesforce Essentials is an affordable CRM for small businesses that allows you to capture lead information in one place, fostering robust collaboration and organizing prospect information.
1. Appointment-setting Sales Script
Typically the most common cold-calling objective, appointment-setting sales scripts are used to schedule a product demo or sales presentation for the prospect to learn more after introducing your products or services. Regardless of what you sell, the script can be customized to suit your business and help you move prospects from awareness of your brand to interest in what you have to offer.
Hi [lead name], this is [your name] from [your organization name]. We haven’t had a chance to talk directly yet, but I saw that your company is one of the top providers of [specific product/service your prospect offers], and I wanted to quickly share ways we’ve helped other businesses similar to yours. Is this an OK time to chat for a minute?
[Client agrees to chat]
Excellent. So, we are a [product/service] business that specializes in [market niche or specific solutions], which is why I wanted to reach out to you directly. Our [product/service attribute] solution gives you the benefits of [benefit of using product/service].
I’d love to show you more with a 15-minute [demo or presentation]. Are you free early next week so I can highlight the [features or services] to see if it’s a good fit?
- Scenario 1: [Prospect agrees]
Great. If I can get your email address, I’ll send you an invite to my calendar portal so you can pick a time that works for you.
- Scenario 2: [Prospect rejects/objects without reason]
OK, no worries. I can email you some additional information for reference, so if you have a need for our services later, you’ll have it and my contact information. What’s a good email address for you?
- Scenario 3: [Prospect objects due to reason: budget, fear of change/commitment, unfamiliar brand, or is happy with current provider]
I totally understand your concerns. What I can tell you is that:
[Budget] Purchasing [product or service] can be looked at as a strong investment that can [value obtained from solutions such as cost-saving or increased productivity]. In fact, all of our clients similar to your business see on average [value stat about ROI, increased productivity, decreased cost, increased sales, etc.].
[Fear of change] While making a large [systematic or operational] change may seem scary at times, sometimes it is necessary to [put yourself in a better overall position or remain competitive in your market]. In fact, we’ve been able to see businesses similar to yours and even some competitors acquire [stat about value obtained from your solution]. Most of them even say the transition was easier than anticipated.
[Prefers familiar brand] We do get clients who have used those firms in the past and found issues with [potential issues]. The thing that makes us different and has been an attractive trait for new businesses is [unique selling proposition].
[Happy with current provider] I’m not looking to change your mind about a purchase decision. I would like to learn more about your needs and share more about how we may be able to help in the future. Is there anything in particular that you like a lot about your current provider? Also, what are some things you think could be improved about your current provider? [Find potential value proposition gaps].
2. Voicemail (& Voicemail Follow-up) Sales Script
When doing cold calling outreach, you’re often in a position where you need to leave a voicemail because the prospect doesn’t answer. It’s wise to have an outbound sales call script example ready to go so you can leave an effective voicemail that entices the lead.
Hi [lead name], this is [your name] from [your organization name].
I’m sorry I didn’t get a chance to connect with you directly, but I’d love to schedule a few minutes next week to show you how we’ve helped businesses like yours reap the benefits of [benefit of using product/service] by [using or investing in] our [product or service].
You can reach me at [phone number]. I understand you are busy, so if I don’t hear from you, I will follow up later next week.
I look forward to hearing from you.
While this outbound sales call script example is solid for voicemail situations, leads often do not return calls left by a salesperson. Have a plan to follow up on the voicemail after a week or so, and have a sales script ready for that follow-up call.
Hi [lead name], this is [your name] from [your organization name].
I’m glad I was able to reach you this time. I wanted to follow up on the voicemail I sent last week. Is this an OK time to chat for a second?
[Client agrees to chat]
Excellent. So I touched on it briefly in my previous message, but we are a [product/service] business that specializes in [market niche or specific solutions]. Our [product/service attribute] solution gives you the benefits of [benefit of using product/service].
I’d love to show you more with a 15-minute [demo or presentation]. Are you free early next week so I can show you the [features or services] to see if it might be a good fit?
Similar to the appointment-setting sales script, you then handle rejections or objections voiced by the lead contact and adjust accordingly. Additionally, while this script assumes your voicemail follow-up objective is to set an appointment, that’s not always the case and you’d have to craft the script to fit your call to action.
3. Gatekeeper Sales Script
Many outbound sales reps find themselves in positions where they have enough information to contact an organization but not the decision-maker—putting them in touch with a gatekeeper. In this situation, the objective is to be forwarded to the decision-maker or at least obtain their contact information.
Hi, my name is [your name] and I’m calling from [your organization name]. I was hoping you could help me find the right person to speak with.
I’m trying to connect with someone who manages your [department/job function that would likely be a purchaser of your product/service]. Do you know who that might be?
[Gatekeeper names person]
Excellent. I’d love to try and connect with them if possible. Are you by any chance able to forward me?
- Scenario 1: [Gatekeeper forwards you to their phone] → Initiate other sales scripts
- Scenario 2: [Gatekeeper can’t forward you but provides their contact information]
Awesome, that’ll work too. Thank you for your help. I’ll leave my information with you and reach out to [contact name] in a few days.
- Scenario 3: [Gatekeeper does not have information or cannot disclose it]
No worries. How about I leave my information with you to pass along to [contact name], and I will follow up again next week. Can you tell me the best time to reach [decision-maker’s name]?
Pro tip: Use a customer relationship management (CRM) platform like HubSpot to collect insights during discovery calls. As part of HubSpot’s sales management features, specific information can be collected by sales reps during calls using outbound call scripts. This provides uniform data about leads such as sales stage, duration until purchase decision, and the prospect’s priorities.
HubSpot Discovery Call Script. (Source: HubSpot)
4. Post-conversation Sales Script
Outbound calling isn’t just for cold outreach—many times it’s to follow up on previous conversations. You may have gone as far as to present a full sales pitch or product demo where the lead expressed they were very interested. This means your new objective is to get them closer to a purchasing decision, which can be triggered using this outbound sales call script example.
Hi [lead name], this is [your name] from [your organization name]. How’s your day going?
Excellent, that’s great to hear! So, based on what I gathered from our previous [conversation, demo, or presentation], we are a great fit for your [product or service] needs.
I’d like to get us moving to the next stage in the process. Typically, we [send a proposal, quote/underwrite your business, or schedule a free consultation to further evaluate] to give you a comprehensive understanding of our offering along with pricing information.
Is this something you are ready for?
- Scenario 1: [Lead is not ready for next steps]
No worries at all and no rush. I’ll follow up with you in about a month or so and see if anything changes. Of course, feel free to contact me if you have any questions or your readiness changes.
- Scenario 2: [Lead is ready]
That’s great to hear! On my end, I’ll [generate a proposal, send application/quoting documents, or send an email to schedule the next call] so we can get everything moving. In the meantime, feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Pro tip: CRMs are a vital tool for all aspects of the outbound sales call process. Salesforce Essentials, for instance, offers telephonic capabilities to place outbound calls, note-taking features to document information from those calls, and integrates with popular applications like DocuSign to easily send signable proposals after a call is completed.
Salesforce Essentials dialer configuration (Source: YouTube)
Salesforce Essentials call notepad (Source: Salesforce)
5. Referral Sales Script
One smart way to gauge a lead’s interest is by citing a referral or mutual connection. This sales script does just that as a method for getting your foot in the door with the contact. Before using this script, however, be sure to obtain permission from the referrer or mutual connection prior to using their name.
Hi [lead name], this is [your name] from [your organization name].
- Alternative 1: [Referrer] told me to reach out as they mentioned you were having trouble with [problem they are having].
- Alternative 2: I saw that we were both good friends with [mutual connection], so I wanted to make a direct introduction.
Is this a good time to talk for a minute?
- Scenario 1: [Prospect says it’s a good time]
Great! So, we are a [product/service] business that focuses on [market niche or specific solutions], something your business could definitely find value in.
Our [product/service attribute] solution gives you the benefits of [benefit of using product/service]. I’d love to show you more with a 15-minute [demo or presentation]. Are you free early next week so I can show you the [features or services] we offer?
- Scenario 2: [Prospect says it is not a good time]
No worries. Can we arrange 10 minutes to talk next week when it’s a better time for us to chat?
Pro tip: An automated scheduling software like Calendly is a great way to streamline your meeting scheduling process after a prospect agrees to a meeting. A pre-created event calendar can be created based on your scheduling preferences and then sent as a link to a prospect to find a time that works for them. Once the event is made, it is automatically synced to each of the attendees’ calendars.
Calendly scheduling system (Source: HubSpot)
6. Promotional Sales Script
Special offers or limited-time deals are effective tactics found in sales plans to expedite the sales process and quickly get a lead to the decision phase. This outbound call script provides the opportunity to communicate your promotional sales deal and handle common objections you may encounter.
Hi [lead name], this is [your name] from [your organization name].
I haven’t gotten the chance to reach out yet for an introduction, but I want to let you know about a special offer we are currently promoting for [time range or specific company attribute].
We are [providing or offering] [special offer: free consultation, free trial, discount, bulk deal, etc.] to help businesses like your own [benefit of taking advantage of special offer].
Is this something you are interested in learning more about?
- Scenario 1: [Prospect expresses interest]
Excellent. Why don’t we do this? If I can get the best email address for you, I can send you all of the details of the special offer as well as the link to [sign up, redeem, or schedule special offer] to get the ball rolling.
- Scenario 2: [Prospect rejects/objects without reason]
No worries at all. I’d love to get your email address and send you some additional information in case you change your mind.
- Scenario 3: [Prospect objects due to reason: budget, fear of change/commitment, unfamiliar brand, or is happy with current provider]
I totally understand your concerns. What I can tell you is that:
[Budget] This [special or promotional] offer is a great [low-cost or no-risk] opportunity to see what we are all about and why our [customers or clients] are constantly satisfied with our offerings through the value they attain.
[Fear of change] This [special or promotional] is a great [no-risk or zero commitment] opportunity to see what we are all about and why our [customers or clients] are constantly satisfied with making that commitment to our [solution, service, or product].
[Prefers familiar brand] This [special or promotional] is a great [low-cost, no-risk, or zero commitment] opportunity to learn about our brand and become familiar with what we stand for and the value we offer to our [customers or clients].
[Happy with current provider] This [special or promotional] is a great [no-risk or zero commitment] opportunity to learn about our brand and see why our unique value proposition might be a better fit for your business compared to your current provider.
7. Final Follow-up Voicemail Sales Script (Hail Mary)
After months of following up with a lead and leaving voicemails, attempt one final “Hail Mary” to connect with the person and utilize a “now or never” situation. This outbound sales call script sample is specifically for leaving a voicemail for the final time after many prior attempts.
Hi [lead name], this is [your name] from [your organization name]. I know [it’s been a while since we last talked or I’ve reached out quite a bit], but I wanted to try one more time to connect with you before I close your file.
Based on [our prior conversations or my research], you [were interested or would be a great fit] [in or for] our [product or service] due to [reason they would be interested or a good fit].
Please give me a call back at your convenience and let me know what we can do to [start or restart] the conversation.
If you’ve decided it’s not a good fit right now, let’s talk about it and decide when to revisit.
I look forward to hearing back from you soon.
Compared to the other sales script examples on this list, this one may seem out of desperation. However, because a huge part of lead qualification is the interest they show, you should use this script as a way to eliminate the leads who aren’t a good fit so you can prioritize the worthwhile opportunities.
6 Sales Calls Statistics
For additional insights on outbound sales calls and how sales reps feel about them, check out some of these interesting stats below:
- 92% of all customer interactions happen on the phone
- Sales reps spend 15% of their time leaving voicemail messages
- 80% of calls go to voicemail; unfortunately, 90% of voicemails are never returned
- 42% of sales reps don’t feel they have enough information before making a call
- It takes about 18 calls to connect with a buyer
- Tuesday is the best day for making cold calls—Friday is the worst
Bottom Line
These outbound sales call script examples can assist those in sales management positions guide sales reps in fostering effective sales calls. Plus, the free call script templates can easily be customized for your sales team based on your industry, prior engagement with the lead, and outbound calling objectives. Combining these script examples with the right software tools will yield a more organized and productive sales operation.
