Every few years, someone writes its obituary. The market moves. Budgets tighten. A new technology promises shortcuts. And yet, outbound keeps delivering.
It happened in 2020, when remote work and shifting priorities made cold outreach feel tone-deaf. It happened again in 2023, when leaders were told to do more with less. And now, in 2025, AI is the latest silver bullet pointed at SDR teams, hailed as the cheaper, faster, smarter alternative.
Each time, the same story plays out: outbound gets cut first, then rebuilt later. Because when the pipeline slows, every business rediscovers the same truth: you can’t grow predictably without outbound.
Why outbound keeps coming back
On a spreadsheet, cutting SDRs looks tidy. In the real world, it creates a different cost: the cost of silence. Inbound puts you in front of buyers who are already looking. Outbound gets you in front of the ones who should be.
Creates net-new conversations with accounts that aren’t coming inbound yet.
Brings timeliness – you don’t wait for intent signals; you create them.
Builds reach across buying groups where deals are won (or quietly lost).
The problem isn’t outbound – it’s bad outbound
Much of what gets labelled “outbound” is just mass automation. That isn’t strategy, it’s noise. Effective teams treat outbound as a craft.
Precise ICP & segmentation over spray-and-pray lists.
Human talk tracks that show understanding, not just personalisation tokens.
Consistency and coaching that compound into pipeline, not just activity.
AI won’t replace SDRs – it’ll expose weak ones
AI will sharpen research, trigger detection and message drafting. Useful. But the decisive moment is still human: a relevant opener, control of the conversation, confident qualification.
Reality check: Buyers don’t buy the model. They buy the person who makes the problem feel solvable.
What high-performing outbound looks like in 2025
Clean, segmented data with role and timing context.
Tight talk tracks focused on pain, impact and next step.
Phone-first discipline supported by email, social and paid, not replaced by them.
Outcome metrics: meetings, opportunities, revenue, not just dials and opens.
Bottom line: Outbound isn’t dying, it’s evolving. Pair disciplined SDRs with smart data and pragmatic coaching, and you get the one thing the board cares about most: predictable pipeline.
Final thought
Every few years, someone will try to retire outbound. The businesses that keep growing don’t argue, they execute. They modernise the function, back their people, and keep the phone ringing.
Opinion piece by Gracie-May Bryan, Client Strategy Manager at Air Marketing
Sales teams are under pressure to deliver predictable revenue. Yet in many organisations, results still hinge on individuals rather than systems. If momentum is carrying you further than method, it may be time to assess whether your sales process is built for the market you sell to today.
Here are ten triggers to help you self-qualify whether a sales process review should be on your agenda.
Deals are taking longer to close
Sales cycles are stretching out even though your opportunity mix hasn’t changed. That often points to unclear qualification, poor deal control or weak next-step management – all process issues.
Forecasts feel more like guesswork than strategy
If you’re relying on gut feel or last-minute spreadsheet updates, your pipeline data isn’t giving reliable visibility. A clear, consistent process drives forecasting accuracy and decision-making confidence.
Your new hires take too long to ramp up
When success depends on individual experience rather than a repeatable framework, onboarding becomes slow and inconsistent. A well-defined structure helps new reps perform faster and more predictably.
Sales and marketing aren’t telling the same story
If outbound says one thing, your website says another, and content doesn’t match either, prospects get confused and conversion suffers. Misalignment is usually a process gap, not a comms problem.
Your CRM is full of noise
Duplicates, deals with no next step, or opportunities marked “open” for months are classic red flags. When reps stop trusting the data, the system stops being useful – and leadership loses visibility.
You’re hearing “no decision” more than “no thanks”
Quiet prospects often signal a process that doesn’t guide clear next steps or reinforce urgency. Strong processes create momentum; weak ones stall it.
Top performers succeed despite the process
If results come from individual brilliance, not team-wide consistency, your system isn’t doing enough of the heavy lifting. A strong process should elevate everyone.
You’ve added more tools… but things haven’t got faster
When your stack feels more like a to-do list than a time-saver, tech and process are misaligned. Tools add value when they serve the system – not when they replace it.
You can’t easily explain what “good” looks like
If definitions of success vary between reps or managers, your process isn’t clear enough to drive consistent performance or meaningful coaching.
You’re relying on experience, not evidence
If decisions about pipeline, messaging or performance still lean on “what’s always worked”, your process hasn’t evolved with your market. Modern buyers expect modern systems.
Where to start
Reviewing your sales process doesn’t mean starting from scratch. It means identifying what works, where friction lives, and how to create clarity and control across every stage of the buyer journey.
That’s exactly what our Sales Consultancy delivers – auditing your current approach, aligning people, process and technology, and building a framework that improves forecasting, performance management and pipeline visibility.
Is Telemarketing Still Effective for B2B Lead Generation?
With digital channels dominating the marketing mix, it’s easy to assume telemarketing has had its day. Yet in B2B, where buying cycles are long and decisions are complex, the phone still creates conversations that matter. So, in a world of automation and AI, does telemarketing still work? Short answer: yes – when it’s done properly.
Done well, telemarketing brings intent clarity you won’t get from impressions or clicks. It reveals timing, context and political nuance inside accounts – the qualitative intel that accelerates deals. When combined with modern data sources and a tight proposition, outbound calling doesn’t replace digital – it activates it.
A short history of telemarketing (and why it still matters)
Telemarketing’s roots are more human – and more inventive – than the stereotypes suggest. Early adopters used the telephone to turn local networks into commercial opportunity, testing conversation styles, refining offers and learning what resonated. That spirit of iterative conversation is exactly what gives the channel its edge today: rather than guessing, you speak to the market and evolve in real time.
Modern telemarketing is about consultative, human conversation supported by data, technology and a clear proposition. Used alongside email, social and paid media, it turns passive awareness into active dialogue and qualified demand. It’s especially valuable where multiple stakeholders, risk sensitivity and longer cycles make trust the deciding factor.
Builds trust and rapport faster than asynchronous channels.
Generates real-time feedback on objections, priorities and buying context.
Qualifies interest at the point of contact, improving lead quality and cycle speed.
Amplifies email, paid and social by converting awareness into dialogue.
Why telemarketing still delivers
There’s a reason experienced teams continue to invest in outbound calling – it consistently converts indecision into momentum. The value isn’t in volume; it’s in precision: the right account, the right contact, the right moment, the right message.
Direct access to decision-makers – you reach real people, not just personas.
Quality over quantity – fewer, better-matched conversations equal stronger opportunities.
Predictable pipeline – disciplined outbound creates a controllable flow of qualified demand.
Data-driven targeting – clean, segmented data makes calling smarter and measurable.
How the craft evolved – and what we can borrow
The pioneers of telemarketing didn’t have intent platforms or diallers. They had a telephone, a list and the discipline to test and learn. That mindset holds up: keep the conversation human, log what lands, then iterate. Replace scripts with structured talk tracks. Replace big blasts with tight segments. Replace activity goals with outcome goals (meetings, opportunities, revenue).
It’s an approach that scales with technology: today you can layer in buying signals, role intelligence and compliance-safe contact data – but the core advantage is the same as it was then: real conversation that reduces guesswork.
Want more backstory and a few surprises? Read our history of telemarketing to see how early innovators shaped the techniques we still refine today.
The pitfalls of traditional telemarketing
When poorly executed, telemarketing can do more harm than good. Avoid these common mistakes:
Poor or outdated data leading to wasted effort and compliance risk.
Generic scripts that lack empathy or commercial value.
Volume over outcome – prioritising dials instead of results.
Lack of integration with the wider marketing mix.
Putting it into practice (what high-performing teams do)
Turn calling into a learning loop. Define a crisp ICP; build tight lists; run short, hypothesis-led call blocks; capture outcomes; adjust talk tracks; repeat. Keep the tech stack light but insightful: CRM history, job role context, relevant triggers and clean contact data. Report on meetings, opportunities and revenue, not just dials or talk time.
Most importantly, invest in the people. Coaching beats scripts, and call reviews beat dashboards. Give SDRs the tools and the time to practice; make objection handling a team sport; and celebrate qualified “no’s” as much as wins – because they tidy the pipeline and speed real deals.
Verdict: Telemarketing remains one of the most proven, controllable and scalable ways to generate qualified B2B leads – but only when it evolves with the buyer. It’s not about cold calls; it’s about warm insight delivered through confident, skilled human conversation. When paired with data intelligence and aligned to marketing, it doesn’t just create meetings – it builds momentum, pipeline and revenue predictability.
Leaders who thrive with telemarketing in 2025 do four things consistently: they define a clear ICP and stick to it; they keep data hygiene non-negotiable; they coach for quality conversations over call volume; and they integrate calling with email, social and paid – so every touch compounds the last.
The great cold call debate is a tale as old as time. LinkedIn warriors take to their keyboards to proclaim “COLD CALLING IS DEAD!” – and then usually promote a tool that can generate 2x your pipeline in four weeks without ever speaking to a prospect.
But the question remains – is cold calling really dead? Have we stopped valuing real human conversation?
We can’t deny that digital tools and AI are brilliant co-workers when it comes to efficiency. But our Business Development Executive, Joel Pugh, is living proof that we can’t afford to lose our voice in the sales journey.
Over the past quarter, Joel’s median target achievement has reached 264%+ across five separate client campaigns. He hasn’t missed a single target – in fact, he’s exceeded every one by a considerable margin.
Joel joined Air just over a year ago, fresh out of college, with no prior sales experience but a genuine thirst to learn the art of prospecting.
“I came to Air knowing I wanted to get into sales. I’ve always had a clear drive and goal to work in business, and the BDE role was the entry point for me to start that journey. I wanted to learn the basics and gain experience so I can progress in the future.”
Over the past year, Joel has become a consistent top performer and now works closely with his teammates to help them achieve similar results. But how exactly does he do it? We sat down with him – and a cup of tea – to find out how he continues to excel in a market that’s telling SDRs to avoid the phone…
What’s something you’ve learnt from your peers that helps you to succeed?
“Don’t say sorry for doing your job – that’s something a lot of people do when they start in sales because they feel like a nuisance. But my peers helped me see that it’s our job, and we’re here to help. Don’t apologise for that.”
If you were a BDE starting from scratch, what would your top tip be?
“Get used to rejection – embrace it. That was probably one of the first things I realised in this job. You can’t let rejection stop you. You’ve got to be OK with it.”
What traits make a good salesperson?
“Competitiveness. I’m a competitive person – not in a nasty way – but that competitive edge is needed in sales. I enjoy the banter with my mates; it helps us push harder.”
When you’re facing a tough day or week as a BDE, how do you turn it around?
“I make promises to myself. I was having a bad week recently, and my Team Manager asked if the workload was getting too much. I said, ‘No mate, I want to be doing all this work.’ I told myself that tomorrow would be make or break – either I’d have a great day or I’d be finished, retired!
I ended up getting seven fresh leads the next day and won the all-in-day incentive. It’s about not dwelling too much on the day before. That’s important. No dwelling on the past – it’s a marathon, not a sprint.”
Is cold calling dead?
“Cold calling is king – and I think it always will be. One of the reasons I got into sales is because I don’t fear AI replacing my job. People want to be taught and spoken to by people, not computers or robots. They want to hear a human voice – someone who’s confident and skilled. That’s always going to win.”
So, the answer to the great cold call debate? It’s simple – cold calling isn’t dead. It just takes grit.
There’s no shortcut to pipeline generation. Be like Joel: dedicated to your craft, resilient in the face of adversity, and confident in the power of real human connection.
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