Definition
Connect rate measures how often a call is answered by a real person instead of ringing out, going to voicemail or reaching a wrong number. It's one of the first numbers to check when cold calling results are low, because a great script doesn't help if nobody picks up. Connect rates vary widely by industry, job title and list quality, so the useful comparison is against your own past weeks.
How It Works
To work it out, divide live conversations by total dials over the same period. For example, 30 connects from 300 dials is a 10% connect rate.
The main levers are list quality (correct direct numbers), call timing (the hours your prospects are at their desks) and calling the same prospect more than once over a few days. Track it per list and per time of day, not just as one number.
A low connect rate on one list usually points to bad phone numbers, while a low rate at certain hours points to timing. Fixing those is often faster than changing the script..
Real-World Example
30 connects from 300 dials is a 10% connect rate.