How Snowflake, ZoomInfo, Allego & Others Built Big With Cold Calls
+ Former NFL QB Andrew Luck cold-calls Stanford fans to renew season tickets
Have you ever gone through an experience that changed everything for you? It was uncomfortable and unexpected, but you endured, and now you are on the other side with a whole different perspective.
No one can tell you that it doesn’t work or that you didn't experience what you did.
That is how I feel about cold calling at this stage of my career. Now, I know that just because one person has an experience with something, that does not mean everyone will have the same experience or outcome, even if they do the same thing. Factors like timing, environment, and resources play a big part.
The point is that cold calling works and is still alive and well today. I had someone DM me a few days ago asking for my metrics regarding cold calls. It seemed like he was a skeptic. He shared with me that he has been in a hunting role his entire career and only cold-called as a last resort. We had an interesting dialogue.
I know that some of you reading this right now are believers, and others are skeptics. In today’s post, I’m going to highlight four companies that have cold calling as a major pillar of their go-to-market strategy and have found success with it, and why.
Here's how they did it.
The Data Precision Play
1. Snowflake
Account Intelligence Before Volume: Emphasized precise account targeting based on technographics (e.g. AWS usage, Hadoop stack) rather than blanketing entire industries.
Cold Calling as an Executive Touchpoint: SDRs were trained to reach VPs and C-level executives with value-heavy pitches that solved specific pain points (like slow analytics or rising storage costs).
Data + Human Touch: They integrated signals from outbound platforms with internal product usage indicators, even in the early stages of product-led motion.
Why Precision Beats Volume
Snowflake's SDRs weren't making 200 dials a day to random prospects. They were making 50 calls to VPs who were already using AWS and struggling with slow analytics. They knew exactly who to call and why that person would care.
Their reps could walk into any conversation knowing the prospect's tech stack, pain points, and budget cycle. When you call a VP of Engineering and open with "I see you're running Hadoop clusters that are costing you $40K monthly in compute," you don’t get hung up on; you likely get meetings.
The lesson here isn't just about research. It's about turning your CRM into a weapon. Snowflake integrated their product usage data with outbound platforms, so even their coldest calls had warm intel behind them.
The Volume + Relevance Formula
2. Zoominfo
Using Their Own Product: ZoomInfo reps used ZoomInfo’s platform to build laser-targeted cold calling lists enriched with contact intent data.
High Call Volume + Relevance: SDRs made 75+ dials/day, but each call was customized using real-time firmographics and buying signals.
Outbound-First Culture: Cold calling wasn't a channel; it was the foundation of the company’s sales DNA. Reps were coached, and top performers were celebrated, building culture.
High Volume Meets High Intelligence
ZoomInfo reps were dialing 75+ prospects daily, but they were using their own platform to build those lists. Every call was backed by real-time buying signals, recent funding announcements, and hiring trends. They weren't just calling companies; they were calling companies that were actively looking for what they sold.
But the real secret was cultural. Cold calling wasn't something their reps had to do, it was something that was expected. Top dialers were celebrated.
Coaching sessions. Public celebration of wins. When your best sellers are bragging about their dial-to-meeting conversion numbers, it makes a huge impact.
The Multi-Touch Storytelling Method
3. Allego
Teach-by-Example Outbound: Allego reps sent personalized videos and then followed up with cold calls referencing the video and adding a tailored pitch.
Sales Coaching for SDRs: Cold callers received microlearning and live feedback via Allego’s own platform, turning every cold call into a training moment.
Narrative Selling via Phone: They built call scripts that told stories about real customer wins, making them feel consultative rather than salesy.
Video and Teaching While You're Selling
Allego figured out something brilliant: instead of just cold calling, they'd send a quick personalized video first, then follow up with a call referencing that video.
Their "cold" calls weren't so cold anymore. The prospect had already seen their face and heard their voice.
But here's where it gets interesting. Their SDRs were using Allego's own sales enablement platform to get real-time coaching on every call. Every conversation became a learning opportunity, which meant every rep got better with every call.
The Blue-Collar Blueprint
4. Service Titan
Empathy-Driven Scripts: ServiceTitan emphasizes the use of call scripts tailored to non-desk decision-makers, such as contractors and business owners, focusing on plain language and relevance over technical jargon.
Data-Driven Coaching: They utilize call recordings to review and refine scripts, providing sellers with coaching that highlights both strengths and areas for improvement.
Performance Metrics: By tracking key performance indicators like call booking rates and average call length, they ensure continuous improvement and alignment with company goals.
Talking Human to Humans
ServiceTitan was selling to HVAC contractors and plumbers, people who don't sit at desks all day and definitely don't want to hear about fancy, complicated tech. So their reps learned to talk like normal humans.
No buzzwords. No corporate speak. Just one business owner talking to another about real problems. Their secret weapon was local intelligence.
Final Thoughts
These companies didn't just train their reps to make calls, they built entire systems around making cold calling work. They invested in data, coaching, and culture. They treated outbound like a science, not a numbers game.
They invested in their sellers’ skills and cultivated an environment of cold calling and celebrated their results.
The common thread? They all understood that cold calling isn't about convincing strangers to buy. It's about having the right conversation with the right person at the right time.
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Until next time,
Tajh
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Great Points! We also looked into some of the reasons you do not need cold calling. There is a lot of great information here as well. Would love your thoughts?
https://open.substack.com/pub/engsales/p/tft-cold-calls-why-you-dont-need?r=jhbvp&utm_medium=ios