Key Takeaways
- New ValueSelling research shows sellers rate every human-led prospecting tactic above every automated one, with cold calling trailing only client referrals.
- The real barrier isn’t the method; 46% of leaders say reps give up too easily and 39% fear picking up the phone, pointing to a skills gap that training can close.
Human-to-human cold calling ranks as the most effective method for reaching new prospects behind only client referrals. Yet new research findings released Sept. 1 by ValueSelling Associates finds that 46% of sellers give up too easily with cold calling and 39% fear picking up the phone and making calls.
To understand how the rapid evolution of B2B buying behavior and the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) are changing sales prospecting, the research examines which tactics earn time on a decision-maker’s calendar, how sales teams are using AI, and where AI is—and isn’t—delivering value. By revisiting questions from a similar 2018 study, the research revealed the true impact of years of aggressive sales tech adoption and AI’s integration into the sales process.
The authors of the report found that fear is the real bottleneck to cold calling as 40% point to handling objections as the barrier .
Why Human Cold Calling Still Beats AI-Written Emails
The report’s findings led Julie Thomas, President and CEO of ValueSelling Associates to declare that “cold calling isn’t dead.”
“In the age of AI, a human voice on the phone remains one of the most effective ways to reach new prospects,” said Thomas in a statement. “In fact, our research found that salespeople rate every human-led tactic above every automated one.”
How Sales Prospecting Changed From 2018
Despite all the AI and technological advances in the last eight years, the human connection still wins. In 2018, the most effective way to reach a prospect was a client referral (77%), then a cold call from a rep (46%). In 2026, it’s a client referral was down three percentage point while cold call from a rep rose a percentage point.
The same psychological barriers loom large for sales leaders, getting their teams to prospect effectively over the same time period. In 2026, 46% of sales leaders said their reps give up too easily when cold calling and 39% are afraid to pick up the phone compared to 53% and 48%, respectively, eight years later. Other findings from the report include
- 19% of sales leaders rate their reps as “excellent” or “very good”
- 31% rate their reps as “good”
- 49% rate their reps as “fair” or “poor”
“Cold calling is under threat, although it remains one of the most effective ways to reach buyers,” said Thomas. “Our research suggests the issue isn’t the method—it’s the skill. The solution is to instill seller confidence through sales training, rebuilding the capability to make cold calls and do it well.”
The ValueSelling Associates research-backed e-book, “Cutting Through the Noise: Prospecting in the AI Era,” is available for download.
