Cold calling is going extinct. Buyers have evolved, and blasting through 100 calls a day isn’t cutting it anymore. Rejection rates are high, budgets are tight, and the cost of this fossilized method is just too steep. The future? Smarter, relationship-driven outreach.
Enter the Go-to-Network (GTN) approach. Instead of cold, impersonal pitches, GTN taps into networks of people who already know and trust you—customers, partners, employees, and advisors. It’s efficient, effective, and built for today’s environment where relationships rule the sales landscape.
In this guide, we’ll cover seven modern alternatives to cold calling. From warm introductions to social selling, customer advocacy, and beyond—discover how to fill your pipeline with high-quality, warm leads while leaving the cold calls in the Jurassic past. Ready to evolve? Let’s get started. 🦕
The problem with cold calling
Buyers are bombarded with unsolicited outreach, and many have become experts at ignoring it. High rejection rates plague cold calling efforts, with sales reps often making hundreds of calls just to book a single meeting. This inefficiency results in wasted time and resources, making it a costly strategy that rarely delivers the desired ROI. Buyers are more informed than ever, and they expect personalized, relationship-driven interactions, not generic cold pitches.
When compared to cold leads, referrals offer a 3.6-20x higher conversion rate because they come with built-in trust and credibility. Buyers are resistant to engaging with strangers, but they’re far more receptive when introduced through someone they know. The inefficiency of managing large-scale cold call campaigns is clear: why gamble on low-percentage tactics when warm introductions, based on existing relationships, can deliver faster, smoother, and more profitable results?
“Predictable revenue is broken. It’s pointless to optimize something that doesn’t work. Switching from GTM to GTN is the epitome of work smarter, not harder. The GTN model isn’t new—it’s bringing the Rolodex into the modern age.” - Eric Iannenllo, Head of GTN Sales at Commsor
Mindset shift: from cold to network-driven sales
If you want your sales team to succeed, a people-first mentality is essential. Traditional cold calling treats prospects as numbers in a sequence, but today's buyers demand authenticity and trust. Instead of relying on impersonal, high-volume tactics, focus on building relationships through your network of colleagues, customers, investors, and partners. This network-driven approach requires empathy, patience, and genuine value. By prioritizing human connections, you transform sales from a transactional process into a collaborative, trust-based journey.
Shifting from cold outreach to network activation is a long-term strategy for sustainable growth. Networks are dynamic ecosystems of real people with real relationships, and they hold the keys to your next deal. Tactics come and go, but a well-nurtured network provides warm introductions and new opportunities indefinitely. As we like to say at Commsor, “Tactics are temporary, but your network is forever.” By investing in relationships today, you create a resilient foundation for future success. So, ditch the outdated playbook. Evolve your mindset and let your network become your most powerful sales engine.
Top 7 cold calling alternatives
Cold calling is certainly not the best way to drive pipeline. These strategies are far more effective and enjoyable.
1. Warm introductions
Warm introductions are the lifeblood of the Go-to-Network approach. Instead of chasing cold leads, you tap into the networks of people who already know and trust you, including investors, teammates, and former colleagues. Warm intros bypass the skepticism and friction that come with cold outreach.
Companies with referral programs exeprience 86% more revenue growth than peers without. Referred deals close 69% faster and offer 10% higher customer lifetime value.
How to leverage warm introductions:
- Identify your network’s strengths: Use tools like Commsor to map out your extended network and uncover hidden connections.
- Request warm intros: Craft personalized, compelling requests for introductions. A simple template:
"Hey [Name], I recently joined [Company], where we’re helping [target buyer role] solve [specific pain point]. I noticed you’re connected with [prospect]. Do you think they’d be interested in learning more? I’d really appreciate an intro!" - Automate the process: Platforms like Commsor streamline network outreach by automating the identification of warm paths to prospects and tracking intro requests.
- Tap into your team: Don’t forget your employees! Each person on your team, from sales to leadership, has valuable connections that can help grow your pipeline.
2. Social selling
Social selling is about building authentic connections with prospects on platforms like LinkedIn. It’s all about engaging, offering value, and nurturing relationships that lead to sales.
On average, the combined following of all employees on LinkedIn is 12X larger than the company’s profile, meaning you can reach a lot more people. Social selling also allows you to research and personalize messages, increasing your chances of a response.
- Engage meaningfully: Comment thoughtfully on your target audience’s posts, share insights, and add value to the conversation.
- Use Darren McKee’s 5x3x1 method: Target 5 companies, 3 buyers per company, and 1 message for each buyer.
- Send personalized DMs: Avoid generic messages. Invest 10 minutes per prospect to craft a message that addresses their unique pain points.
- Post valuable content: Share posts that resonate with your audience like behind-the-scenes insights, hot takes, or practical tips.
3. Customer advocacy
Your happiest customers can be your most powerful salesforce. Encourage satisfied clients to refer their peers, endorse your brand, and advocate on your behalf. When customers become advocates, they not only boost your credibility but also create a ripple effect of trust and authenticity. A genuine recommendation from someone who has experienced your product’s value firsthand is far more persuasive than any marketing pitch.
How to activate customer advocates:
- Ask at the right moments: After a positive experience, a successful implementation, or a glowing review is the perfect time to ask for a referral. Timing is everything, so leverage these moments when satisfaction is highest.
- Make it easy: Provide templates or prompts to make introductions seamless. A quick, personalized message they can forward to potential customers ensures minimal effort on their part. Check out our warm intro email guide for templates.
- Create a referral program: Incentivize referrals with rewards like discounts, gift cards, or exclusive perks. A structured program can encourage ongoing advocacy. You can also make a bounty board with Commsor to make it easy for customers to get paid for helping you book meetings with people they know.
- Give them content to share on social media: Provide shareable resources like case studies, blog posts, or success stories that showcase how your product solves key problems. Make sure this content is easily digestible and valuable to their network.
- Promote customer stories: Highlight customer success stories through testimonials, blog features, and social media shoutouts. Showcasing their wins not only validates your solution but also makes customers feel valued and proud to be associated with your brand.
4. Events and community engagement
In-person and virtual events remain one of the best ways to build genuine relationships with prospects. Whether it’s a tradeshow, a private dinner, or a webinar, face-to-face interactions foster trust.
Events work because they are connection-driven. People buy from those they know. Events give you direct access to decision-makers and allow you to create real-life memories together.
With the right strategy, events can yield a high return on investment and fill your pipeline with warm leads.
How to leverage events:
- Choose wisely: Use GTN data to identify events where your target accounts will be present.
- Host your own: Organize dinners, roundtables, or workshops around major industry events.
- Create content: Capture photos, videos, and key takeaways to share online and extend the reach of your event efforts.
5. Partner co-selling
Collaboration is key. Partnering with tech companies, service providers, or ecosystem partners allows you to access new audiences and shared trust. 84% of companies say that partner ecosystems are essential to their sales strategy. In companies with mature partnerships, 28% of overall revenue comes from co-selling.
How to co-sell effectively:
- Identify the right partners: Find partners who serve the same audience but offer complementary solutions.
- Create joint value propositions: Develop a “better together” story that highlights how your joint offering solves customer problems.
- Leverage partner intros: Ask partners for introductions to key decision-makers in their network.
“The first question I ask myself is, who’s already sold to the target customers? If I find one company that’s already got sixty of those accounts as a customer, it’s like boom—that’s a partnership. What can I give them? Do I have customers I can give them? Is there a story we can bring to market together? That’s when we start playing around with it. There should be commitments from both sides, but the exchange doesn’t have to be perfectly equal.” - Alex Buckles, CEO of Forecastable
6. Influencer relationships
Influencers aren’t just for B2C brands. In the B2B world, industry thought leaders can lend credibility, generate awareness, and even help close deals. 53% of B2B buyers engage with influencers during the awareness/discovery stage. Influencers have built-in trust with their audiences, making their endorsements powerful.
How to work with influencers:
- Involve them in the sales process: Have influencers join sales calls or demos to build trust and provide first-hand product insights.
- Leverage content: Partner with influencers to create blog posts, podcasts, or webinars.
- Warm intros: Use influencers to facilitate introductions to prospects within their network. You can also use your personal network to get warm introductions to the most popular influencers in your industry.
7. Content-driven outreach
You don’t have to completely through cold outbound out the window. Instead, you can try cold emailing and cold LinkedIn messages but with high-value resources. The right resources can position you as a trusted advisor, not just a seller. Cold messages are more effective when paired with relevant, insightful content.
How to use content for outreach
- Create educational resources: Develop blog posts, whitepapers, and reports that address your buyers’ pain points.
- Personalize your outreach: Share content that’s tailored to each prospect’s needs. For example: "Hi [Name], I noticed you’re focused on [pain point]. Here’s a guide we created on [relevant solution] — hope it helps!"
- Mix content formats: Use videos, memes, polls, and carousels to keep your outreach engaging and diverse.
“A lot of initial messaging is like, ‘Hey, we can help you with this. We can make this better.’ Telling you all the things that are wrong with you is a terrible way to start a relationship. So instead, I try to always give data that will be helpful to them.” - Christina Brady, Co-founder and CEO of Luster
What’s next
Cold calling is outdated. To thrive, embrace relationship-driven strategies that prioritize authenticity and trust. The Go-to-Network (GTN) approach helps you fill your pipeline with high-quality leads by leveraging warm introductions, ensuring efficiency and stronger connections. Ready to transform your outreach? Start exploring your networks, requesting warm intros, and adopting smarter sales tactics.
With Commsor, you can operationalize warm introductions seamlessly:
- Automatically map your extended network: Uncover hidden connections effortlessly.
- Find intros worth asking for: Identify valuable opportunities quickly.
- Write an intro for the connector and get approval: Make the process easy for connectors.
- Track sent intros and measure results: Monitor progress and optimize your efforts.
All of the other strategies mentioned above work in tandem with warm intros, so that you’re continuously growing your network through events, social media, partnerships and more.
