Cold Calling Script for Web Design and Digital Marketing Agencies

A cold calling script for web design and digital marketing agencies works best when it opens with one specific thing you noticed about the business: a site that's hard to use on a phone, no way to book online, or a Google listing with few recent reviews. Ask for the owner, mention what you noticed, ask one question about where their customers come from, and ask for a 15-minute review of what you found. Below you'll find what to check before you call, the full script, answers to the brush-offs owners use, and a voicemail.

Five Minutes of Research Before Each Call

Generic pitches about "growing your business online" get hung up on. A specific observation gets a conversation. Before each call, check:

Pick the one finding that matters most to their business, and write it down. That's your opener.

The Cold Calling Script

Fill in the parts in brackets, and say it in your own words.

Opener: "Hi, is this [owner's name]? This is [your name] with [agency]. I'll be quick: I know I'm calling out of the blue."

Reason for the call, built on what you found: "I was looking at [business] online, and I noticed [one finding, such as: your site's hard to use on a phone, and there's no way to book a [service] from it]. I help [type of business] in [area] fix exactly that."

The one question: "Where do most of your new customers come from right now: referrals, Google, or something else?"

Then listen, and follow up with one of these:

• "When someone finds you on Google, what do you want them to do: call, book or ask for a quote?"
• "Do you get as many enquiries from the website as you'd like?"
• "Who looks after the website for you at the moment?"

The ask: "I put together a quick review of [your site or listing]: three things I'd change and why. Could I walk you through it in 15 minutes? I have [day] at [time] or [day] at [time]."

Close-out: "Great. I'll send the invite to [email] with a link to the screen-share."

Answers to the 5 Brush-Offs You'll Hear Most

Agree, give one short reply, then ask a question. If they say no twice, thank them and move on.

1. "My nephew built our website."

"Then you've got someone who knows the business. I'm not saying it's wrong. Would a quick second opinion be useful, something you could share with them?"

2. "We get all our work from referrals."

"That's a great position to be in. When someone's referred to you, they usually look you up first. Is your site helping them pick up the phone?"

3. "Just send me something."

"Happy to. So it's useful, would the review of your site or of your Google listing matter more to you?" Then: "I'll send it today and call [day] to see if it's worth 15 minutes."

4. "We tried SEO and it didn't work."

"That's common, and frustrating. What did they do, and how long did it run? It helps to know what not to repeat." Listen. Their answer usually shows what went wrong.

5. "How much does it cost?"

"It depends on what you need, and I'd be guessing right now. That's what the 15 minutes is for. If it isn't worth it, I'll tell you."

When Someone Else Answers

At small businesses the owner often answers. When they don't:

• "Hi, who looks after your website and marketing?"
• "Is [owner's name] around, or is there a better time to catch them?"
• If asked what it's about: "It's about your website. I noticed something I wanted to mention to [name]."

Voicemail Script

"Hi [name], [your name] with [agency]. I was looking at [business]'s website and noticed [one finding]. I've got a couple of quick ideas to fix it. Call me on [number] if you'd like them. That's [number] again. Thanks."

Then send a short email with a screenshot of what you found.

Pick One Niche Before You Call

Calls get easier when everyone on your list is the same type of business, such as dentists, plumbers or law firms. Your research gets faster, your opener gets sharper, and you hear the same few brush-offs, so your answers improve every day. Start with one niche in one area, and expand once it's working.

Check the calling rules where you call. In the UK, many small businesses are sole traders who can register with the TPS, so screen your list against both the TPS and the CTPS. See cold calling laws by country.

Need Someone to Make the Calls?

Research and calling every day takes time away from client work. Our appointment setting for marketing agencies gives web design, SEO and marketing agencies a dedicated caller who phones business owners and books meetings on your calendar. Two ways to work with us:

• Hire a Caller (from $1,499/month per caller): a vetted, full-time caller works your list and your script during your prospects' business hours and reports to you.
• We Call for You (from $2,199/month per caller): we supply, train and manage the caller, write the script with you, and send call recordings and a weekly report.

Both services have no setup fee, run month to month and start in about two weeks. See prices by caller country.