Warm Up the Cold Call

Here's a good follow-up to topic of cold calls:

Do you get the shivers when you cold call?

I think this is a great example to illustrate what I'm trying to say when it comes to cold calls. Just calling people out of the blue that you have never had contact with can be uncomfortable, but if there is some way you can "warm up" the waters before you dive in, I think it will be less of a shock to you and the other person will be more likely to hear you out or at least consider what you are offering.

Keep in mind that cold calling is not an effort to make a sale for your services right then and there. It's an opportunity to begin building a relationship that later opens the door to the sale.