What distinguishes a cold call from a warm call?

A cold call is defined as a sales call made to a potential customer that has had no prior contact with the salesperson or the company. This means that the recipient of the call is not expecting the call and may have little to no knowledge about the product or service being offered. This element of making contact without previous interaction is what sets cold calls apart from warm calls, which are typically made to individuals who have already shown some interest in the product or service, or who have been introduced to the salesperson in some manner.

In this context, options that suggest a cold call involves any form of prior contact or engagement do not accurately capture the definition of a cold call. Moreover, while some might argue about the effectiveness of warm vs. cold calls, the primary distinction lies in the presence or absence of prior contact. Cold calls can sometimes be more challenging due to this lack of familiarity, but this is more about the effectiveness of the approach rather than the fundamental difference between the two types of calls.