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Cold Call vs Warm Lead Discovery

Sales Call Playbook

Turn conversations
into clients

Cold calls and warm lead discovery scripts for Soda Spoon Marketing's sales team.

Paid Ads SEO & Content Email Marketing Full-Service Strategy Local & Service Businesses B2B E-commerce / DTC

Call Type Overview

Know which call you're on

The goal and depth of each call type is fundamentally different. Match your energy to the situation.

Cold Call

5–7 min
Prospect is a stranger
Qualification-focused
Surface-level pain points only
Brief value prop — earn curiosity
Goal: Book the free audit call

Warm Lead Discovery

15–20 min
Prospect already knows Soda Spoon
Deep discovery and exploration
Full pain, goals, and timeline
Tailored solution presentation
Goal: Close to retainer or firm next action
Cold Call Script

You're earning the next conversation

Don't sell the service. Sell the audit. Keep it under 7 minutes. Qualify fast, uncover one pain, get the meeting.

1
Opening 15 seconds
Say "Hi [Name], this is [Your Name] from Soda Spoon Marketing. Is now a good time for a 2-minute chat?"
Context "We work with [local service businesses / e-commerce brands / B2B companies] to grow revenue through paid ads, SEO, and email — without long-term contracts."
2
Quick Qualification 2 minutes

Ask 3–4 questions max. Listen more than you talk.

  • "What does your business do and roughly where are you at revenue-wise right now?"
  • "Are you running any paid ads or marketing campaigns currently?"
  • "What's the biggest marketing challenge you're running into?"
  • "Do you have budget set aside for marketing, or is that something you're still figuring out?"
3
Surface Pain Points 2 minutes

Listen for one of these three

  • Revenue stuck or declining — they don't know why
  • Wasting money on ads with no clear return
  • Doing all marketing themselves and burning out
  • "How long have you been at this revenue level?"
  • "Have you tried agencies or consultants before? How did that go?"
  • "What's your current cost per lead or ROAS if you're tracking it?"
4
Brief Value Proposition 1 minute

Hit the three differentiators. Keep it short — you're earning curiosity, not closing.

Flat Retainer "We charge a flat monthly retainer — no percentage of ad spend, no surprises. You always know exactly what you're paying."
Senior Team "Your account is managed by experienced strategists, not junior staff learning on your budget."
No Lock-In "No long-term contracts. Month to month. You stay because it's working."
5
Offer the Audit 30 seconds
Say "I'd like to offer you a complimentary 15-minute audit. We'll look at your current setup — ads, SEO, email — and tell you exactly what we'd do differently. No cost, no obligation."
Schedule "Does [Day] or [Day] work for you?"
6
Handle Objections
Objection Response
"I need to think about it" "Totally fair. What specifically would you need to think through? Happy to answer anything now so you're not waiting."
"We're happy with our current setup" "That's great to hear. If that changes or you want a second opinion, keep us in mind — the audit is always free."
"Too expensive" "Our retainer is a flat rate — you're not paying a percentage of ad spend on top. What are you paying now, all-in?"
"Too busy right now" "We handle the execution — ads, content, email. You're looking at 1–2 hours a week on approvals. That's it."
"We do it in-house" "A lot of our clients had in-house teams before us. Are you happy with the results, or is there a gap you're trying to close?"
7
Close or Exit Gracefully
If Booking "Perfect. I'll send a calendar invite and a quick overview of what we'll cover. Talk [Day]."
If Not Ready "No problem at all. I'll send a short email you can refer back to. And if timing changes, the audit offer stands."

Log in CRM immediately. Send follow-up email within the hour either way.

Warm Lead Discovery Call

Convert interest into commitment

They already know Soda Spoon. Skip the intro. Go deep, present a tailored solution, and close or set a firm next action.

1
Opening 30 seconds
Acknowledge "Hi [Name], thanks for booking this. I saw you [downloaded our SEO guide / filled out the audit form / attended our webinar] — appreciate you taking the time."
Set Agenda "I've got 15–20 minutes blocked. I want to understand your business, see if we're a genuine fit, and answer any questions you have. Does that work?"
2
Context Review 1 minute
  • "From your form, I see you're doing around [$X] monthly. Is that still current?"
  • "What prompted you to reach out now — was there a specific trigger?"
  • "Any context I should know before we get into it?"
3
Deep Business Dive 5 minutes

This is the heart of the call. Take real notes. What you learn here shapes your entire pitch.

Revenue & Growth

  • "Walk me through your revenue over the last 6 months — growing, flat, or declining?"
  • "What are you selling and what do your margins look like?"

Current Marketing

  • "What's actually working in your marketing right now?"
  • "What's not working — where are you losing money or time?"

Team & History

  • "Have you worked with agencies before? What happened?"
  • "Are you handling marketing yourself, or do you have someone on it?"
4
Pain Point Exploration 3 minutes

Go deeper. Pain drives urgency. Urgency drives decisions.

Magic Wand "If you could fix one thing about your marketing tomorrow, what would it be?"
Business Impact "How is that affecting your business right now — revenue, team bandwidth, stress?"
Cost of Waiting "What happens if this is still broken 3–6 months from now?"
5
Goals & Timeline 2 minutes
  • "Where do you want to be revenue-wise in 90 days? Six months from now?"
  • "What would make working together a real win — how would you know it's working?"
  • "Are you thinking about getting started this month, next month, or are you still in exploration mode?"
6
Tailored Value Proposition 4 minutes

Everything you say should connect directly to what they told you. Use their language.

Open With Their Problem "Based on what you've told me, here's exactly how we'd approach this..."
On Flat Retainer "You mentioned unpredictable costs. Our flat retainer means you know exactly what you're paying every month — no percentage of ad spend stacked on top."
On Senior Team "You mentioned your last agency handed you off to juniors. At Soda Spoon, you get experienced strategists from day one — people who've done this across dozens of accounts."
On Results Timeline "Most clients start seeing measurable improvement in 6–10 weeks. Revenue impact typically shows clearly by 90 days."
On Services "Depending on where your biggest gap is, we'd lead with [paid ads / SEO / email / a full-service approach] — but we build around your specific situation, not a template."
7
Qualification & Fit Check 2 minutes

Be direct. Wasted next steps cost everyone time.

  • "To be transparent, our retainers typically start at [$X] per month, inclusive of strategy and execution. Does that fit where your budget is?"
  • "Are you the decision maker on this, or does someone else need to be part of the conversation?"
  • "Can you commit to 60–90 days to actually prove the model? That's what it takes to see real results."
8
Open Q&A 3 minutes
Open Floor "What questions do you have for me?"
Note Answer directly and honestly. Don't oversell. If something isn't a fit, say so — it builds trust.
9
Close & Next Steps 2 minutes
✓ Qualified & Ready

"Based on everything we've talked through, I think we're a strong fit. I'll send the service agreement today — if it looks right, we kick off this week. Any concerns about moving forward?"

~ Needs More Time

"What would you need to feel comfortable moving forward? Is there someone else who should be part of this? When should we reconnect — I'll put it on the calendar now."

✕ Not a Fit

"Based on what you've shared, I don't think we're the right fit right now — here's why. Here's what I'd focus on instead. Once you've [hit milestone], reach back out."

10
Follow-Up Within 1 hour
  1. Send recap email summarizing key points from the call
  2. If moving forward: include service agreement, pricing, and relevant case studies
  3. If needs time: set calendar reminder and note their specific hesitation
  4. Log detailed conversation notes in CRM — pain points, goals, objections, decision timeline
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