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The Power of Phone Outreach: Why Conversations Still Win in B2B Sales

In our previous post, The State of B2B Sales Email in 2025, we explored how to improve email deliverability, bypass spam filters, keep messages concise and relatable, and leverage email opens to establish trust. That work is essential. But when it comes to starting meaningful conversations that capture the attention of executives, nothing beats the human voice.

For B2B companies with complex sales, particularly those targeting the C-suite, phone outreach remains a cornerstone of intelligent outbound sales. In this follow-up, we explore how combining improved email deliverability with expert phone work can dramatically improve connection, trust, and deal flow.

We’ll cover:

  • How phone outreach enhances one-way dialogue strategies,
  • Why voicemail is becoming the “new email,”
  • Why preparation for C-suite prospecting calls is non-negotiable, and
  • How many organizations are already seeing measurable gains (including MarketLauncher clients who rely on our team’s ability to engage senior executives on their behalf).

Why Phone Outreach Still Matters in 2025

With inboxes overflowing and digital noise rising, the phone call has become your most underused sales advantage.

Phone outreach isn’t obsolete; it’s essential. It creates opportunities for dialogue, instant feedback, and authentic connection in ways that email cannot. It’s a defining part of ML's omni-channel sales approach to intelligent outbound, and clients often tell us it’s this expertise that sets us apart.

“MarketLauncher has a great multi-pronged approach. They're doing emails, phone calls, and continual follow-up. We just don't have the bandwidth to be doing that type of outreach at the frequency and volume that’s needed.” COO, Healthcare Technology

Seasoned sales professionals are the differentiator. They understand how to craft messages that cut through the noise, personalize outreach that resonates with the C-suite, and lead buyers on a journey toward genuine engagement.

Lara Sales Concierge-1

Related Content:  Best Practices for B2B Appointment Setting with Busy Executives

From One-Way Dialogue to Two-Way Conversation

At ML, our outbound approach often starts as a one-way dialogue: sending personalized, value-driven emails, content, or voicemails, knowing we may not hear back immediately. But silence doesn’t mean disinterest.

Related Content: The One-Way Dialogue in Outreach Marketing

Our experience proves that the one-way dialogue often leads to powerful results:

Example: Several years ago, our team met with a CEO who chose not to engage our firm at that time. We kept him on our quarterly content list, nurturing and keeping our brand in front of him. Ten years later, he reached out with a new initiative and quickly signed on as a client. That’s the long-term power of consistent, value-based outreach.

Key takeaway: In B2B sales, it often takes 6–12 touchpoints before a qualified conversation begins. Intelligent outbound is about patience, precision, and persistence.

Did you know? Studies show that combining multiple channels (email, phone, and texting) increases connection rates by up to 5×. McKinsey reports that 94% of decision-makers say omni-channel sales is as effective or more effective than single-channel outreach.

ML Persistence

Voicemail as the “New Email

Thanks to mobile voicemail transcription, your message is now being read as text. That means your voicemail needs to be crafted with the same clarity and intent as an email.

ML’s Director of Business Development, Terri-Lynne Anderson, has learned this first-hand and considers it an invaluable new addition to her sales toolbelt.

“I treat my voicemail like another small email,” says Terri-Lynne. “In about 20 seconds, I aim to connect with a specific challenge our prospect is facing. Even when they don’t call back, I often see replies via email or text referencing the voicemail.”

Because many prospects see the voicemail transcript, clarity and relevance matter as much as tone.

ML’s CEO Lara Triozzi confirms that busy executives do read their phone transcripts. Lara says, “I rarely have time to listen to voicemails in full, and I’m even less likely to read every sales email that comes my way. But I do skim voicemail transcripts. When someone leaves a concise, relevant message that quickly tells me who they are and why they’re reaching out, it stands out. It’s often the difference between me deleting it or actually taking the next step to learn more.”

Best Practices for Voicemail Success:

  • Keep it brief: 20 seconds or less.
  • Lead with value: Reference something specific, such as company news relevant to the individual’s role, or a challenge our research has uncovered that they may be experiencing.
  • Be conversational: Aim for conveying curiosity, not a scripted sales pitch.
  • Set expectations: Mention you’ll follow up via email or text.

Preparation: The Key to Confidence and Connection

Many sales execs struggle with calling into the C-suite. It certainly requires a different approach. Gatekeepers, tight schedules, and high expectations mean preparation equals credibility.

If you are asking, “How can I reach the C-suite by phone?” here’s what it takes:

  1. Research the company and the executive
  2. Tailor your messaging
    • Lead with relevance.
    • State how you’ve helped similar organizations or industries that they will recognize.
    • Use AI-assisted messaging tools (sometimes called “company research agents”) to accelerate your messaging, but to truly stand out, you need the human touch — nuance, judgment, and a voice that feels authentic.

      Related Content: AI, Intent, and Relevance Are Elevating B2B Outbound Success
  3. Respect gatekeepers
    • Be transparent and polite. They’re influencers, not obstacles.
  4. Use multi-touch cadence.
    • Email → Voicemail → Follow-up call.
    • Add value in each step, not repetition.

Pro Tip: The best B2B phone outreach combines data, relevance, and preparation. When your message is specific, you’ll never sound “cold.”

Combining Email and Phone for Intelligent Outbound Success

Power of Phone Blog Chart

Related Podcast: Selling to the C-suite

Why the Phone Still Wins in the Digital World

In a world of automation, the human connection is the competitive edge.

ML’s COO, Mary White, has noticed an important change. She says, "In the last 30 days, we’re seeing more callbacks from messages than we have in years. That tells us something powerful: when outreach feels genuine and human, people respond. Amid all the automation, that meaningful touchpoint, the chance to actually talk to someone, is what’s standing out right now."

As AI-generated messages flood inboxes, the ability to hold a meaningful, real-time conversation becomes a differentiator. ML's almost 25 years of intelligent outbound success prove that email opens the door, but phone conversations welcome your prospect on their buying journey. The companies that blend automation with authenticity will be the ones that win C-suite attention.

Related Content: Supercharging Strategy Without Losing the Human Touch

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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MarketLauncher Team
MarketLauncher Team
Our vision is to be the first choice of CEOs looking to build a predictable growth model. We’ve got the know-how to strategically apply a consultative approach to lead prospecting that accelerates growth for B2B companies even as buyer behavior changes.

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