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Cold calling or cold email: workflow compared

Compare cold calling and cold email by the work each needs, which steps ColdMeetings runs, and a cost per meeting example with stated inputs.

Updated October 20, 20264 min read

People argue about which channel works better as if there were one answer. There is not: the answer depends on your list, your offer and the hours you can spend. What you can compare without a debate is the work each channel asks of you, step by step.

ColdMeetings runs the email side only. It does not place calls. The table below says which steps it covers so you can see where the rest of the work stays with you or with other tools.

The work, one step at a time

Each row is a step in getting from a target company to a held meeting. The last column is a plain statement about ColdMeetings, not about quality.

Workflow steps for each channel and which ones ColdMeetings runs
StepCold calling needsCold email needsColdMeetings runs it
Choose who to contactA list of target companies and rolesThe same listLists can be imported and verified
Contact dataA direct dial or a switchboard routeA verified email addressEmail verification, not phone numbers
InfrastructurePhone lines or a dialer, and time blocked on calendarsSending domains, DNS records and mailboxesYes, domains, DNS records and mailboxes
First touchA live conversation or a voicemailA short first emailYes, as a sequence step
Follow-upCall-backs on a scheduleFollow-up emails on a scheduleYes, sequences
Handling answersObjections handled liveReplies sorted and answered in writingYes, replies are collected and sorted
Booking the meetingAgreed on the callA link or a proposed time in a replyYes, meeting booking
Honoring opt-outsA do-not-call list kept by the callerA working unsubscribe, honored promptlyYes, suppression and unsubscribe handling
Calling or LinkedIn stepsThe core of the channelNot part of emailNo

What the rules ask of each channel

Rules differ by channel, and they change, so treat this as orientation. The FTC's guide to the Telemarketing Sales Rule says most phone calls between a telemarketer and a business are exempt from that rule, with exceptions: calls selling certain nondurable office or cleaning supplies, and calls that solicit employees to buy for their own use. Its Do Not Call Registry provisions likewise do not apply to business-to-business calls.

The FTC's CAN-SPAM guide says the law is not limited to bulk email and has no exception for business-to-business email. It asks for a valid physical postal address in the message, a clear way to opt out, and honoring an opt-out request within 10 business days, with the opt-out working for at least 30 days after the message is sent.

The practical difference for a small team: a phone campaign leans on how you handle a conversation, while an email campaign leans on setup and list handling that you can write down once and repeat.

A cost per meeting example, with the inputs shown

Both columns below are fictional and use example inputs; they are not benchmarks. A calling team, Ashford Logistics Analytics, spends a rep's month on the phone. An email team, Brightwater Payroll Software, spends less people time and pays for a tool plan, domains and mailboxes.

Calling example inputs: $4,000 of people time, $150 of tools, 8 booked meetings, 6 held, 3 qualified opportunities. Email example inputs: $1,200 of people time, $247 of tools, domains and mailboxes, 6 booked meetings, 5 held, 2 qualified opportunities.

Worked example from costPerMeetingBreakdown. Inputs are examples.
MeasureCalling exampleEmail example
Total monthly spend$4,150$1,447
Cost per booked meeting$518.75$241.17
Cost per held meeting$691.67$289.40
Cost per qualified opportunity$1,383$723.50

How to use the comparison on your own numbers

Put your own spend and counts into the cost per meeting calculator for one month on each channel. Then decide with your data, not ours.

  • Count people time at what that time costs you, even when no invoice arrives.
  • Use held meetings, not booked meetings, as the headline figure, since a no-show is spend with no meeting.
  • Run each channel for at least a full month before comparing, so one good or bad week does not decide it.
  • Keep the channels separate in your tracking: a prospect who gets a call and an email belongs to both lists, so note the first touch.

Sources and corrections

Spot something wrong or out of date? Write to hello@coldmeetings.com and we will review it.

Questions

Can ColdMeetings place calls?
No. ColdMeetings runs email only. A calling program needs its own dialer and process.
Do the example costs show which channel is cheaper?
No. They show how to compute the comparison. The inputs are made up, and your own spend and counts decide the result.

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Put it to work

Pages in the product and the tools that go with this guide.

Sources

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