SDR cold call opening lines: five that work, and when to use each
An opening line has one job. It gets the buyer to answer your first question. Say who you are, why you called and what you want in about ten seconds.
Pick the line by situation. A call with a referral needs a different opener from a call to a stranger.
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Five openers
- Referral: "Hi Sam, it's Alex at Acme. Priya on your finance team suggested I call. She said you own invoice approvals. Is that right?"
- Trigger event: "Hi Sam, it's Alex at Acme. I saw you opened a second office in Leeds. Teams that grow that way often hit approval delays. Is that happening for you?"
- Role: "Hi Sam, it's Alex at Acme. I work with finance leads at logistics firms on late supplier payments. Is that something you handle?"
- Follow-up after an email: "Hi Sam, it's Alex at Acme. I sent you a note on Tuesday about approval delays. Did it reach you?"
- Returned call: "Hi Sam, thanks for calling back. You left me a message about approvals. Do you have two minutes?"
Each line ends on a question the buyer can answer in a word. That keeps the call alive.
What each line needs
- Your name and company, said once and slowly.
- One reason that is true and specific to the buyer.
- A question, not a pitch.
Cut anything else from the first ten seconds. The cold call script guide covers what follows. That is the reason, a discovery question, objection replies and the ask.
See inside
Lines to drop
- "How are you today?" It signals a sales call and asks for nothing useful.
- "Did I catch you at a bad time?" It hands the buyer an easy exit.
- A list of what your company does. The buyer has not asked yet.
Coach it
Record five openers a week per rep and play two in the 1:1. Score them on the call review criteria in the free SDR call scorecard. Practise one change at a time.
To plan how many calls a rep needs, use the dials per day calculator.
Questions
How long should a cold call opener be?
About ten seconds. Name, company, reason and one question.
Should an SDR ask permission to continue?
Only if the question is a real one. "Do you have two minutes?" works on a returned call. On a cold call, ask a question about the buyer's work instead.
Should I use the buyer's first name?
Yes, if that matches how your market talks. Check how the buyer signs emails.
Also: account research checklist, cold call script for agencies, cold call script for recruitment.
Related guides
SDR cold call script
Opener, reason, question, three objection replies and a voicemail.
SDR dials per day calculator
How many calls a rep needs to book a meeting goal.
Weekly SDR 1:1s
A 30-minute agenda, coaching questions and a worked example.
Reply to not interested
Five replies for five reasons, and when to stop.
Cold call script for recruiters
Four parts and an example for calling hiring managers.
Cold call script for agencies
Open with their work and book a first meeting.
Turn this into a programme you can run
14 Notion modules and 6 working trackers for SDR leaders. KPI library, comp calculator, cadence builder, interview scorecard, tool scorecard and a 90-day roadmap. £29, one payment, plus VAT for UK and EU buyers.
Treat benchmarks as starting points. Tune them to your market, deal size and sales cycle. Every figure shows its source and year.