Few sales methods evoke such strong emotions as cold calls. Some consider them completely obsolete in a modern world of email, LinkedIn, and automated workflows. Others argue that the phone is still the fastest way to reach the right person. So who’s right?
Have cold calls really started to die out, or has the method simply evolved? Let’s take a closer look.
The Playing Field Has Changed
Cold calls aren’t extinct; rather, they’ve evolved and taken on a new form. What’s disappeared is the old style of unprepared, mass telemarketing. What lives on is a more structured, well-thought-out, and analytics-driven craft. According to Cognism’s 2025 State of Cold Calling report, based on over 204,000 calls, 82% of buyers still agree to meetings with salespeople who reach out at least occasionally.
In other words, the use of the telephone is far from on the decline.
What do the statistics say about cold calling?
The numbers paint a nuanced picture. The average success rate for a cold call leading to a scheduled meeting is around 2.3%, but in the European market, the average is closer to 6%, and well-organized teams achieve significantly higher rates. It generally takes about three attempts to actually reach a prospect; by the third attempt, 93% of the calls have already taken place.
Is cold calling allowed in Sweden?
A common question is whether cold calling is allowed in Sweden. For B2B, the answer is yes. Contacting other companies for sales purposes is fully permitted, and the NIX registry—which protects private individuals—does not apply to legal entities. Therefore, you do not need to check the NIX registry when calling a limited liability company. However, there are important exceptions to be aware of. Sole proprietors are considered natural persons, which means the NIX registry may apply to them. If, however, the sole proprietor is registered for VAT, registered as an employer, or approved for F-tax, you may still call, as long as the offer relates to the person’s role as a business owner. Regardless of the recipient, the GDPR always applies: personal data must be handled correctly, calls must be relevant, and a refusal to continue contact must always be respected.
B2B cold calling is about quality, not volume
This is where the image of “the dying method” comes from. When B2B cold calling is reduced to sheer volume—scripts without research, the wrong target audience, and no clear value proposition—the results suffer. The modern version looks different. It’s based on a clear ideal customer profile (ICP), thorough prospecting, and a conversation grounded in the recipient’s actual challenges. The difference is immediately apparent in the numbers. Cold lists typically convert at a rate of just a few percent, while qualified and well-researched contacts perform several times better. It’s about making the right call, with the right message, at the right time.
How to Schedule a Meeting That Actually Happens
Scheduling a meeting isn’t the same as filling your calendar with names that have no connection to your business. A meeting that leads somewhere requires that the right person has agreed to meet for the right reason. That’s why qualification is at least as important as the booking itself: does the prospect match your target audience, is there a need, and is the person ready for a conversation?
A haphazardly scheduled meeting ultimately costs more in wasted sales time than it’s worth. This is also why many Nordic B2B companies choose to outsource their meeting scheduling to specialists rather than building an in-house team.
At Eztablisher, we combine a high volume of calls with our own quality team that reviews every booking before it reaches the client’s calendar—a factor that contributed to a 79% show-up rate in 2025. The result is meetings that actually take place, with decision-makers who are worth the salesperson’s time. So, is cold calling a dead sales method? No. What’s dead is the unprepared, impersonal mass dialing. Cold calling as a craft—built on research, relevance, and the right target audience—is still one of the most direct ways to reach decision-makers and book qualified meetings. The phone hasn’t gone silent. It’s just started placing higher demands on the caller.