If you spend your days chasing down prospects on the phone, you know the pain: endless voicemails, awkward cold calls, and that nagging feeling you’re just burning time. You also know that the script you use makes or breaks your connect rate. This guide is for sales reps, SDRs, and anyone using Phonereadyleads who’s tired of “plug-and-play” scripts that sound like robots wrote them. Let’s talk about building custom call scripts that actually help you get people on the phone—and keep them there.
Why your call script probably sucks (and what to do instead)
Most “proven” sales scripts floating around online are either too generic or too pushy. They get ignored, or worse, instantly flagged as another sales call. The truth is, the best scripts aren’t scripts at all—they’re frameworks with a few clear, human lines that fit you and your audience.
Here’s what doesn’t work: - Reading a script word-for-word (everyone can tell) - Overly formal intros (“Good afternoon, may I speak with Mr. Smith?”) - Going straight for the pitch - Filling airtime with fluff (“How are you doing on this fine Tuesday?”)
Here’s what does: - Sounding like a real person - Getting to the point quickly - Acknowledging you’re interrupting (because you are) - Tailoring your intro to the person and company
Phonereadyleads gives you the tech to reach more real people, but if your opening line is weak, even the best dialer can’t save you. So, let’s build a script that works for your style and your prospects.
Step 1: Know who you’re calling (and why)
Before you even think about writing a script, get clear on: - Who are you calling? (Industry, role, company size) - Why are you calling them? (Not why you want the sale, but why they might care) - What’s the real reason they should stay on the line?
You don’t need a novel—just a couple bullet points. Jot these down for each call block or campaign.
Pro tip: If you don’t know your prospect’s pain points, you’re not ready to script. Get with your team, listen to a few recorded calls, or do some LinkedIn snooping.
Step 2: Outline your call flow (don’t write a script yet)
Think in beats, not paragraphs. A good call script is more like a jazz chart than a symphony—give yourself room to improvise.
Your basic call flow: 1. Intro (Who you are, quick reason for the call) 2. Permission to continue (Acknowledge the interruption) 3. The hook (Why they might care—quick and relevant) 4. Engagement question (Something open-ended, not “yes/no”) 5. Next step (If they’re interested, what’s the ask?)
Write out each beat as a single sentence or phrase. Don’t fill in the exact words yet.
Example: - Intro: “Hi, this is Alex from Acme — quick call, is now a bad time?” - Hook: “We work with [prospect’s industry] teams to help with [specific pain point].” - Engagement: “Curious, how are you handling [problem] today?”
Step 3: Write your script—keep it human
Now, fill in the blanks from your outline. The trick: write like you talk. If you wouldn’t say it to a friend, don’t say it to a prospect.
Tips for writing real-sounding scripts: - Use contractions (“I’m,” “you’re,” “we’ve”) - Keep sentences short - Avoid jargon—even if you’re calling VPs - Use their company name and, if possible, their name - Don’t pitch in the first 15 seconds
Sample intro lines to try: - “Hey [Name], this is [Your Name] with [Your Company]. I know this call’s out of the blue—mind if I take 30 seconds to explain why I’m calling?” - “Hi [Name], this is [Your Name]. I’ll be quick — is now a bad time?”
What to skip: - “How are you today?” (They know you don’t care) - “I wanted to reach out to discuss…” (It’s a phone call, not an email) - Long company descriptions
Step 4: Load your script into Phonereadyleads
Once you’ve got a script or call framework you like, bring it into Phonereadyleads. Their interface lets you create, edit, and assign scripts to call campaigns.
How to do it: 1. Log in and go to your campaign dashboard. 2. Find the script editor (usually under “Scripts” or “Call Settings”). 3. Paste your script or outline—format it so it’s easy to follow on a call. 4. Test it. Make a few calls to yourself or a teammate to see how it feels. Tweak anything that sounds awkward out loud. 5. Save and assign the script to your campaign.
Pro tip: Use the notes section to remind yourself of key talking points—not to write a novel.
Step 5: Test, tweak, repeat
No script is perfect out of the gate. The best callers treat scripts like living documents. After a few dozen calls, you’ll know what’s working (and what’s getting you hung up on).
What to track: - Connect rate: How many calls actually reach a human? - Talk time: Are you keeping people on the line? - Objection handling: Which questions or lines get you stuck? - Call outcomes: Are you getting next steps, or just “send me an email”?
Don’t be afraid to scrap lines that flop, even if the “experts” swear by them.
Ignore these common myths: - You need a different script for every persona (one solid framework, lightly adapted, usually works) - The perfect script will make cold calling easy (it won’t—but it can make it less painful) - Reading a script is “unprofessional” (not if you use it as a guide, not a crutch)
Step 6: Go beyond the script—listen and adapt
Scripts are a starting point, but real conversations go off-script. The reps who get the best results are the ones who listen more than they talk.
During the call: - Use your script to open, then listen for buying signals or objections. - Don’t be afraid to go off-script if the conversation shifts. - Take notes on what responses you get—these are gold for your next script update.
After the call: - Jot down what worked and what felt clunky. - Share good lines or comebacks with your team. - Update your script regularly—Phonereadyleads makes this easy, so use it.
Keep it simple—and don’t overthink it
The more complicated your script, the less likely you’ll use it. Start with a basic, honest framework. Get feedback, make small tweaks, and don’t be afraid to throw out what isn’t working. Cold calling is tough enough—no need to make it harder with a script that sounds like it was written by a marketing committee.
Use Phonereadyleads for what it’s good at: helping you reach real people. The rest is up to you—so write like you talk, keep it short, and tweak as you go. That’s how you actually improve your connect rate.