Do you know that feeling? You dial the number. It rings. And deep down, you almost hope no one picks up.
That used to be my everyday life. Cold outreach. Interruptive marketing. I disturbed people in meetings. When they were stressed. During lunch.
The problem was not my offer. The problem was my timing.
I was the disruption.
The “salesperson” people want to get rid of as quickly as possible. The result: rejection, frustration and wasted energy.
Then I changed my perspective. Why call someone who has no idea who I am? It is like barging into someone’s living room uninvited.
Today, I do it differently. I “knock” first. Digitally.
My system does the groundwork:
1. It visits the profile (shows interest).
2. It sends a reasonable connection request.
3. It provides initial value through a message.
Only when the “door opens” — in other words, when interest is signalled — do I pick up the phone or continue the conversation personally in writing.
Recruiters know what it’s like to cold-call a candidate who’s in a meeting. Reaching out on LinkedIn first helps here, too. If you have Recruiter Lite, CompLeadly takes candidates directly from your saved search; otherwise, a standard LinkedIn search is enough. The app visits their profiles, sends connection requests and writes the first message once they accept. You only pick up the phone when someone replies. Applicants can avoid calling the company’s main number, too. You can also reach out to hiring managers and recruiters at your target company on LinkedIn first. In the free version, these are basic features with a daily limit, such as 2 connection requests per day. More on using CompLeadly in recruiting: CompLeadly for recruiters.
The difference is huge.
Before: “No time, send an email.” (Hangs up). Today: “Oh, hi Sebastian, I saw your message. Glad we’re speaking.”
It is not rocket science. It is basic decency in the digital age. Automation does not replace human conversation. It makes sure the conversation is welcome in the first place.
How “cold” are your calls still?
Write it in the comments
shows you how it works and where to find your code in the app.
