Thinking about cold calling makes most people a little anxious, but it doesn’t have to be a mess of spreadsheets, sticky notes, and missed leads. If you’ve signed up for Quackdials, or you’re just considering it, this guide will walk you through setting up your first campaign—without any vague “growth hacking” promises or pointless busywork.
This is for sales reps, founders, or anyone who’s tired of wondering where to start. Let’s keep it simple and get you dialing.
Step 1: Get Your Quackdials Account Ready
Before you do anything, make sure you actually have a Quackdials account. (Yes, it sounds obvious, but you’d be surprised.) Go through the signup process, confirm your email, and log in.
Pro tip:
Don’t skip the onboarding walkthrough. It’s not just for decoration; it might save you a headache later.
What matters:
- Use a real business email. Generic addresses (like Gmail or Yahoo) can cause issues with caller ID and spam filters.
- Double-check your phone number. Some platforms block virtual numbers for compliance.
If you’re setting up a team, get everyone on board now. Quackdials charges per seat, so only invite people who’ll actually use it.
Step 2: Add or Import Your Leads
You can’t call anyone if you don’t have their info. Quackdials gives you a couple of ways to add leads:
Option A: Manual Entry
Great if you have a short list or you’re just testing.
- Go to "Leads" and click “Add Lead.”
- Fill out the basic fields: name, company, phone, and any notes.
Option B: CSV Import
If you already have a list, this is faster—and less error-prone.
- Click “Import” and upload your CSV file.
- Map your columns to Quackdials’ fields. Double-check phone number formatting (country codes, no weird characters).
- Run a quick scan: Does everyone have a phone number? Duplicates? Junk data?
What to skip:
Don’t bother filling in every little detail (like “Favorite Ice Cream Flavor”) unless it really matters to your pitch.
Step 3: Set Up Your Caller ID & Dialer Settings
Getting flagged as spam is the fastest way to kill your campaign. Here’s what to do:
- Register a real phone number through Quackdials, or connect your business line.
- Set your caller ID to something clear and professional. “Unknown” or “Spam Risk” won’t get you callbacks.
- If Quackdials offers “number rotation” or “local presence,” turn it on. This makes your number look local to the person you’re calling—helps a bit with pickup rates.
What matters:
- Test your number. Call your own cell and see how it shows up.
- Don’t use personal cell numbers. You’ll regret it when callbacks start hitting your voicemail at all hours.
Step 4: Build Your First Campaign
This is where most people overthink things. You don’t need to set up 12 different lists and 9 scripts. Start basic.
- Go to “Campaigns” and hit “Create Campaign.”
- Name it something you’ll recognize in a month (“June SaaS Prospects,” not “Test123”).
- Assign your leads—either pick a list or add them one by one.
- Set a schedule. Start with a reasonable window during business hours—don’t call people at 7 AM or 9 PM unless you like angry voicemails.
Pro tip:
If you’re working on a team, assign leads so nobody steps on each other’s toes.
Step 5: Write a Simple Call Script (But Don’t Sound Like a Robot)
Quackdials lets you load scripts or call notes. Don’t treat this as gospel. The idea is to stay on track, not to recite a monologue.
Keep it simple: - Greeting (“Hi, is this [Name]?”) - One-sentence reason for calling (“I saw you’re with [Company] and thought you might be interested in…”) - An open-ended question (“Is this something you’re looking at right now?”)
What to skip:
Don’t write a 2-page script. You’ll sound fake, and people can smell it a mile away.
Honest take:
The script is just scaffolding. The real work is listening and having a real conversation. If you trip over your own words, that’s fine—just don’t panic.
Step 6: Set Up Call Dispositions & Follow-Ups
After every call, you need to mark what happened. This is called a “disposition.” Quackdials has built-in options like:
- No Answer
- Left Voicemail
- Interested – Call Back
- Not Interested
- Wrong Number
Why bother? - It keeps you organized. Otherwise, you’ll call the same person five times or forget hot leads. - You can build smart follow-up lists (like “Call Backs for Friday”).
What matters:
Keep disposition options simple. If your team needs to scroll through 20 choices, they’ll just pick whatever’s first.
Step 7: Do a Test Run
Don’t go live with a big list before you know everything works.
- Load up a test list (yourself, your coworkers, or even a couple of friends).
- Make a few calls. Check if the dialer connects smoothly, and if calls show up with the right caller ID.
- Leave yourself a voicemail to check audio quality.
Pro tip:
Watch for delays or dropped calls. If you run into tech issues, don’t push through—fix them before you burn real leads.
Step 8: Launch and Track Your Campaign
Now you’re ready to actually start calling.
- Hit “Start Campaign” and begin dialing.
- Use your script as a guide, but don’t be afraid to adapt.
- After each call, mark the disposition and add any quick notes.
What matters:
- Don’t try to do 100 calls on day one. Pace yourself so you can actually learn from what’s working.
- Keep a notebook (digital or paper) for things that surprise you—objections, common questions, weird responses.
Step 9: Review Results and Tweak
After a day or a week, check your metrics in Quackdials:
- Pickup rate (how many people actually answered)
- Talk time (are you getting real conversations?)
- Conversion rate (however you define it—meetings set, deals closed, etc.)
What to ignore:
Don’t obsess over vanity metrics like “calls per hour” if nobody’s picking up or you’re getting hung up on right away.
Where to improve:
- Change your script if you’re hitting a wall.
- Adjust your call times—maybe your prospects pick up later in the day.
- Clean up your lead list if it’s full of bad numbers.
Step 10: Keep It Simple and Iterate
Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Your first campaign probably won’t be a home run, but you’ll learn fast if you pay attention.
- Start small, review, and make tweaks.
- Don’t chase every new feature or plugin unless it actually solves a real problem.
- Automate just enough to save time—not so much that you lose track of actual conversations.
Final honest take:
Cold calling is never “set it and forget it.” Let your process evolve, and don’t get sucked into the hype of “AI-powered” magic or endless analytics. The basics—good lists, clear calls, and real follow-up—still work best.
You’ve got everything you need to get started. Pick up the phone, keep it human, and improve as you go.