No one enjoys making cold calls, whether on the telephone or in person. Nevertheless, they are effective. Focus on a target market and prepare a sales pitch. An effective pitch is not recited prose that everyone instinctively tunes out. An effective pitch is simply a few concise, direct sentences that will communicate your service or product.
Whether you call a potential client on the phone or go into their office, etiquette will get you much further than pushiness in most cases. Leave a business card, and then follow up with a phone call. Some sales literature and a nice trinket with your logo make good leave behinds. For example, go into an office and ask the receptionist for the name of the person you need to speak with. “Could you tell me who I should talk with about your copy machine service?” You can ask if that person is available, or you can take their name and phone number, then leave your sales packet. The next day, call to see if your packet was received and try to schedule an appointment for a formal sales call.
For telephone cold calls, sincerity is still important, but you must memorize answers to the most commonly asked questions in order to sound polished and professional. Time is valuable. If you are eloquent and direct during a phone conversation with a potential client, they can be confident that you will respect their time should they choose to do business with you. Consider the questions you are most often asked about your product or service, and record your answers writing. Memorize the answers to use later. This practice is invaluable.