Cold Call Desk Card
Companion to the Cold Calling & Outbound Master Playbook. Keep this open during every call. Scan in 2 seconds. Deep dives are in the master playbook.
1. The 6-Block Framework
| Block | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Opener | Permission or pattern interrupt; buy yourself 27 seconds |
| Reason | Why you called them specifically |
| Credibility | One peer proof stat or data point |
| Discovery | 1-2 questions about their situation; then listen |
| Value | Outcome-focused, not feature-focused |
| Ask | Specific, low-friction CTA (15 min meeting or send one-pager) |
2. Primary Opener by Vertical
| Vertical | Opener |
|---|---|
| Attorney | ”I know this is a cold call; do you have 27 seconds so I can explain why I called you specifically?” Then: ABA Rule 1.6(c) reasonable efforts for client data. |
| Foundation | ”This is Dmitri Sunshine from Solanasis. I’m reaching out to [Foundation Name] specifically; do you have a quick moment?” |
| CPA | ”I know this is a cold call; do you have 27 seconds so I can explain why I called you specifically?” Then: WISP + FTC Safeguards Rule compliance. |
| SMB | ”I know this is a cold call; do you have 27 seconds so I can explain why I’m calling?” Then: systems resilience, real restore testing. |
3. Top 3 Objections
| Objection | Response |
|---|---|
| ”We already have an IT person/MSP." | "We’re the specialist, not the GP. MSPs keep lights on; we test whether you’re actually resilient if something breaks." |
| "Not in the budget." | "The assessment runs 19.5K depending on size. Most clients find it pays for itself in the first issue it catches. Want to see what we’ve found at other companies?" |
| "Send me an email." | "Absolutely. Quick question before I go: what’s the one thing about your IT setup that keeps you up at night? I want the email to be relevant.” |
4. ORB Pricing (Resilience Checkup)
| Users | Price | 50% Upfront |
|---|---|---|
| 1-10 | $5,000 | $2,500 |
| 11-50 | $7,500 | $3,750 |
| 51-150 | $12,500 | $6,250 |
| 151-500 | $19,500 | $9,750 |
Complexity add-ons: Hybrid/on-prem +15% | M&A/multi-tenant +25% | Compliance-grade docs +35% Hourly rate: 200 (technical), 4-hr minimum. Full menu in Call Pricing Cheat Sheet.
5. Key Stats (Top 5)
| Stat | Use When |
|---|---|
| Blackbaud breach: 13,000 nonprofits, $56M settlements | Foundation calls, “we’re too small” |
| $3.31M average breach cost for companies under 500 employees | SMB calls, budget objections |
| 80% of cyber incidents hit companies under 1,000 employees | ”We’re too small to be a target” |
| 66% of law firms lack a formal incident response plan | Attorney calls |
| 427/min cost of downtime for SMBs | Making the math tangible |
6. Referral Ask (When “Not Interested”)
“No problem at all; I appreciate your time. Quick question before I let you go: is there anyone in your network, maybe another [attorney / ED / business owner], who might find this relevant? We have a referral program if it turns into something.”
Referral payout: 10% of engagement fee, capped at $1,500. Or donated to a nonprofit of their choice.
7. Emergency Recovery (Caught Off Guard)
“Hi, sorry, I was expecting to leave a voicemail! This is Dmitri from Solanasis. Do you have a quick second?”
Then: take a breath, smile, start the Opener block. You do NOT need to be fully prepped. The Opener and Reason blocks are enough to start.
8. Blount’s LDA Objection Technique
When you hear ANY objection, run this 3-step sequence:
| Step | What to Say | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Ledge | ”That makes sense.” / “I figured you might say that.” | Pause phrase. Gives your brain a quarter-second to recover. |
| Disrupt | AGREE with them (they expect you to argue) | Breaks their expected pattern. Opens a window. |
| Ask | Immediately propose a specific time | ”How about Thursday at 2?” |
Never say “I understand” (sounds insincere). Always say “That makes sense.”
9. Blount’s 5-Step (Fast Version)
For a tighter, no-pause delivery:
- “Hi [Name].”
- “This is Dmitri Sunshine with Solanasis.”
- “The reason I’m calling is…”
- “…because [trigger/relevance].”
- “How about [specific day] at [specific time]?”
Then SHUT UP. Let silence work.
10. Never Say These (Gong Data)
| Phrase | Impact |
|---|---|
| ”Did I catch you at a bad time?” | -40% meeting rate |
| ”Is now a good time?” | Same; gives permission to hang up |
| ”I’d like to tell you about…” | Signals a pitch |
| ”I understand” | Sounds insincere (Blount) |
Deep dives: Cold Call Script Cheat Sheets