Business Outreach Strategies

Cold calling was a popular strategy for businesses to reach out to potential customers in the distant past. It was an effective way to build relationships and generate leads - real person-to-person contact.

Then came automation and the internet - people could now call on behalf of your company from some god-forsaken village who-knows-where, to offer your products or services to an even larger segment of the planet. We should have known that this was the beginning of the end. We knew that the person on the other end of the line wasn't really employed by company X but only pretending to be. It honestly boggles the mind that this continues to be big business - but I digress…

However, with the advent of technology and the rise of social media platforms like LinkedIn, cold calling has gone AI. The sophistication of the technology allows us the ability to masquerade as “real people” offering “one-on-one” contact. In this article, we'll examine the effect of AI on personal relationships in this new era of cold calling.

Creepy Crawlies

Firstly, let's talk about bots crawling LinkedIn specifically. Many businesses are using AI-powered bots to crawl through LinkedIn profiles and send out messages to potential customers. These bots are designed to send out personalized messages that are tailored to each recipient (yeah right!). They can also track responses and follow up with additional messages if necessary.

Granted that some automation tools contain a bit of both - AI and human. A sort of collaboration to make short-time of tedious work. Always keep in mind that even though these bots are designed to mimic human behavior, they are ultimately driven by code and algorithms. They can only do what they have been programmed to do. They can effectively generate leads and start conversations with potential customers, with the operative word being “starting” conversations. At some stage of the sales process, your customer will want to talk to a real person. Why? We are herd animals - we cherish human interaction.

Now, let's talk about what has happened to relationships in this new era of cold calling. In the past, cold calling was about building relationships with potential customers. It was a way to connect with people and understand their needs and pain points. However, with the rise of AI-powered bots, the focus has shifted to generating leads and making sales. Your customer, who is a human being, becomes a 0 or a 1 in a string of code.

This has resulted in a loss of the personal touch that was once a hallmark of cold calling. While AI-powered bots can send out personalized messages, they can't replace the human touch that is necessary for building strong relationships. Many people find these types of messages impersonal and spammy. As a result, businesses that rely solely on AI-powered bots for cold calling may find that they are not generating the same level of engagement and interest that they once did.

The series finale (I guess not)

The speed at which things change doesn’t leave us any guarantees. Cold calling has gone AI, and bots crawling our online business platforms are a common sight. While these bots can be effective at generating leads and starting conversations with potential customers, they can't replace the personal touch that is necessary for building strong relationships. Businesses that want to succeed in this new era of cold calling will need to find a balance between automation and the personal touch that is needed to build lasting relationships with their customers.

From Cold Calls to Warm Connections 📞

Cold calling had its moment—real voices, real rapport. But today, building trust means more than dialing in. Let’s explore how to channel that same human touch into modern strategies that spark genuine engagement.

✨ Ready to upgrade your outreach? Let’s make it personal.

Need help. Contact me today.

Compiled by Lauren Erasmus