Does cold outreach work anymore?

Published: Wed, 08/27/25

Updated: Sun, 08/31/25

August 27, 2025

TOGETHER WITH

Welcome back to The Quota, the sales newsletter Larry Ellison once called “What’s that? Next question please.” In this week’s issue, we’ll take a look at whether cold outreach works anymore, then share a Sales Fail about a restaurant owner, and give some advice to a rep whose company is missing deadlines (and payroll). Enjoy!

NUMBER OF THE WEEK

48% of sales reps say that competing against low-price competitors is the biggest obstacle to closing the deal.

Source: Richardson

SALES ROUNDUP

Here’s what’s happening in the sales world this week:

Chinese ‘virtual human’ salespeople are already outperforming their real human counterparts, according to a recent report in Wired. Built using AI technology from Baidu and DeepSeek, the virtual livestreamers sell everything from wet wipes to printers 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The deployment and early success of these AI avatars raises questions about whether they will displace people who make a living by selling products while livestreaming on platforms like TikTok or by doing affiliate marketing on TikTok Shop. You can read more about it here.
Country music star Eric Church recently opened up about his former sales job, claiming he was the worst salesman in history. "I sold knives from midnight to 7:00 or 8:00 a.m.," Church recalled to his record label. "And, anytime somebody calls you at 3:00 or 4:00 a.m. and needs 200 knives for $19.95, it's automatically an alarming situation. I was young, and I'd been in a lot of these people's shoes. I had done this...I knew they were drunk; I knew what they had done. Church claims he would talk people out of making the purchase. You can read more about it here.

FEATURE

With AI and endless sequences, does cold outreach even work anymore?

By Jordan Weinstein, VP of Business Development at RepVue

Does it feel like your outbound efforts are just adding to an endless stream of noise? Are your cold emails going unread and your calls unanswered, leaving you wondering if the traditional playbook for tech sales is broken? You’re not alone. A recent discussion among sales professionals revealed a collective sentiment: the landscape of tech sales is shifting dramatically, and traditional cold outreach methods are struggling to keep up with increasingly overwhelmed buyers.

The Diminishing Returns of Cold Outreach

The days of mass cold emails and relentless cold calls yielding consistent results appear to be numbered. The overarching sentiment from sales professionals is clear. One user described cold emails as “white noise,” a sentiment echoed by many. The frustration is palpable, with one commenter noting, “Cold calls are becoming so ineffective,” citing the lack of company desk phones as a major hurdle. Another highlighted how “email filters” are increasingly effective at stopping messages before they’re even seen. This isn’t just a minor blip. It signifies a fundamental shift in how buyers prefer to be approached — or, more accurately, how they prefer not to be (Take note of where sales reps are actually hitting quota here)

The Rise of the Savvy, Overloaded Buyer

Today’s buyers are more informed and more jaded than ever before. Described as “savvier” and “fatigued” from the constant barrage of sales messages, many have developed sophisticated methods to screen out unwanted communication. As one observed, buyers “do not give a [expletive] about products” unless it comes from a trusted source. They’re not surprised by common sales tactics, making it harder to capture their attention. This buyer sophistication directly contributes to the feeling that while tools help us “pump out leads” and SDRs are “firing off sequences at scale,” we’re inadvertently “scaling noise” instead of genuinely “scaling trust.” The challenge is no longer just finding prospects, but genuinely connecting with them in a meaningful way.

Shifting Towards Inbound and Authentic Relationships

If cold outreach is losing its efficacy, what’s next? The consensus among many experienced sales professionals points to a significant pivot. The future, they suggest, will “eventually become 90% intent signals and warm intros only.” This reflects a growing understanding that networking is king and will never go away. Genuine relationships are paramount (If the company you work for doesn’t see it this way, it might be time to jump ship. See over 200 companies hiring now)

Misaligned Expectations: The Management Disconnect

A significant pain point for many reps is the disconnect between the evolving reality on the ground and management expectations. There’s frustration with VPs or managers who still push for traditional cold calling metrics, even when these strategies yield minimal results. As one commenter lamented, this often leads to a focus on vanity metrics rather than true quota attainment.

As the industry continues to evolve, finding an organization that prioritizes inbound lead flow can be a game-changer. RepVue can provide valuable insights into a company’s lead quality and pipeline generation, helping you identify roles and companies where you can bypass the endless cold outreach grind and focus on closing qualified opportunities. It’s a forward-looking step for any sales professional aiming to thrive in the new sales frontier.

Turn Prospect Silence into Sales Opportunities

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MEME OF THE WEEK

Source: Instagram -- Sales Humor

QUIZ

Approximately how many watches does Rolex sell per year?

A. 14,080
B. 2.91 million
C. 740,000
D. 1.24 million

SALES FAILS

Each week, we bring you the most cringe-worthy sales moments from across the web. To submit your sales fail story for consideration, click here. (Don't worry, you'll remain completely anonymous).

I sell accounting software to small businesses and was working through my cold call list when I reached a restaurant owner. When he answered, his voice was completely groggy and I could tell I'd clearly woken him up from a nap.

I launched into my standard pitch about how our software could help streamline his accounting processes. He politely declined, explaining that he was a small operation and happy with his current system.

I should have taken the hint and moved on, but I was behind on my quota that month. Instead, I kept pushing, asking questions about his business growth plans and when he thought he might be ready to scale up his operations. He kept insisting he wasn't interested, getting slightly more irritated with each question. Then I made my fatal mistake. I asked him about his annual revenue, thinking it would help me understand his budget and needs better.

That's when he completely lost it. He started screaming about how his restaurant was barely staying afloat, how he was probably going to lose everything, and why some random salesman was asking him about money when he could barely keep his lights on. His voice started breaking, and it sounded like he might be crying. He hung up on me mid-rant, and I sat there feeling like the biggest asshole on the planet.

Anonymous Location Withheld

GRAPH OF THE WEEK

Source: LinkedIn Poll -- August 2025

WORTH A PEEK

Who is the hardest person to sell to? If you guessed sales newsletter publisher, you’d be WRONG. A user recently posted this question to Reddit, and got 246 replies. Check out the conversation here.

ASK THE QUOTA

Want to submit a question and be featured in our advice column? Click here. (Don't worry, you'll remain completely anonymous).

Dear Quota Team,

I’m a B2B sales manager at a small consumer goods company that sells a $50 product through an e-commerce store. I manage all wholesale business with distributors and retailers worldwide. Our main product has been on the market for two years, generating just over $1 million in total sales.

About a year ago, we soft-launched a new product. The owner asked me to sell pre-orders with the promise of delivery in Q1 of 2025. I sold thousands of units on pre-order as the interest for the new product was very high. It’s now Q3, and production delays have caused us to repeatedly miss delivery timelines. As a result, many of my retail accounts are unhappy, requesting refunds, and giving negative feedback.

Despite this, the owners continue to push me to sell more pre-orders, even though it’s clear they don’t know when the product will actually be ready. The situation is worsening: last pay period was the first time payroll was missed, even though I’ve consistently hit my sales targets every month this year, mainly from partnering with key accounts and selling our original product very well. I’m proud of my work and would like to see the company succeed, but I’m struggling with my integrity as a salesperson—selling something I don’t know will be delivered—and I’m increasingly worried about the company’s financial stability and whether I’ll continue to be paid. What should I do in this situation?

Concerned in Canada

Dear Concerned,

The missed payroll is a red flag that your ship is taking on water. Stop selling pre-orders immediately—your reputation is worth more than any commission, and angry customers will follow you wherever you go next. Start documenting everything (emails about delays, missed payroll, unrealistic promises) while quietly job hunting. Use your strong track record with the original product to land interviews elsewhere. Your gut is telling you what your brain already knows: when leadership prioritizes short-term cash over customer relationships, it's time to jump ship.

Quiz Answer: D. Rolex sells approximately 1.24 million watches per year (You can read the source article here).

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Today's email was written by Ken Kupchik, Erica Furgiuele, Steve Rado, and Emily Hill.

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