A senior executive gives you a few seconds and expects you to be brief, specific and ready to be told no. The goal of the first call is not to explain your product. It is to earn a short, scheduled conversation, or to learn who is the right person to speak to.
This guide gives you a 25-second opener, two example scripts, replies to the five things executives say most often, and a routine for practising until the words come out calmly. Names in the examples are fictional.
What an executive listens for
Executives are usually interrupted all day. In the first ten seconds they decide three things:
- Is this relevant to something I own? Name a business problem in their world, not a feature of your product.
- Is this person respectful of my time? Say how long you need and keep to it.
- Is this person confident without being pushy? A steady pace and short sentences signal that.
Because of that, drop the warm-up questions ("How are you today?") and the long introduction of your company. One sentence on who you are is enough.
A 25-second opener
Use four parts, in this order: name, reason, relevance, permission.
"Good morning, Ms Kovac, this is Alex Hart from Northwind Ltd. I'm calling about month-end close at firms with several sites, which can be slow to coordinate. I have one question about how you handle it. Is now a poor moment, or can I take thirty seconds?"
Why it works:
- Name and company first. The executive knows who is speaking before judging the content.
- A reason that sounds like their problem. Keep it a general observation, not a claim about their firm. Do not state a statistic you cannot source.
- A promise of one question. It signals brevity.
- Real permission. Asking "is now a poor moment?" makes a refusal easy, and that tends to reduce irritation.
Two example scripts
Script A: you do not know the executive well
You: "Good morning, Mr Lindqvist, this is Priya Rao from Fabrikam Ltd, a fictional supplier of warehouse scheduling software. I'll be brief. Operations leaders are often juggling late deliveries and overtime at the same time. Does that sound familiar at your site?"
Executive: "It happens. What's this about?"
You: "I'd like fifteen minutes next week to ask how you plan shifts today and see whether a short conversation makes sense. Would Tuesday or Thursday morning be easier?"
The ask is small (fifteen minutes), specific (a topic) and has two time options, which is easier to answer than "when are you free?".
Script B: you were referred
You: "Good afternoon, Ms Adeyemi, this is Daniel Brooks from Contoso Ltd. Tom Reilly in your procurement team suggested I call you about supplier onboarding. Do you have a minute, or should I send two lines and call back at a time that suits you?"
Only use this if the referral is real and the referrer agreed to be named. Never invent or stretch a referral.
Five replies you will hear, and what to say
| The executive says | A calm reply | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| "What is this about?" | "Short version: how your team handles [one topic]. I have one question, and then you can decide if it is worth more time." | A long product description |
| "Send me an email." | "Happy to. So it lands in the right place, which problem would you like me to address in it?" | Pushing for a meeting after a clear no |
| "I'm in a meeting." | "Understood. When is a better time today or tomorrow? I will keep it under two minutes." | Pretending you did not hear |
| "Talk to [name] in operations." | "Thank you. May I say you suggested I call? And what is the best way to reach them?" | Calling the person and implying an instruction that was not given |
| "We're not interested." | "Understood, thank you for being direct. May I ask, is it timing or is this not something you look at?" Then stop if the answer is no. | Arguing or repeating the pitch |
More on the last row: what to say to "not interested" and how to answer "send me an email".
If a gatekeeper answers
An assistant protects the executive's time, so treat them as a colleague, not an obstacle. Give your name, company and one sentence of reason. Ask what is the best way to reach the executive rather than demanding to be put through. The full approach is in how to get past the gatekeeper on a cold call.
Voice and pace
- Speak slightly slower than you think you should. Nervous callers speed up.
- Finish your sentences with a downward tone. A rising tone at the end of a statement sounds like a question and signals doubt.
- Stop talking after your ask. Silence for three or four seconds is normal while the executive decides.
- Do not read. Know the four parts of the opener and say them in your own words. For more: sound confident on sales calls.
Practise it in ten minutes
- Write the opener above for your own offer. Keep it under 60 words.
- Say it aloud three times, timing it. Cut words until it is under 25 seconds.
- Run it against a blunt, time-poor buyer. In DIRI AI the short cold call with a dominant executive scenario is built for this: the goal is to secure agreement to a short consultation and a specific time.
- Read the report or your own notes. Change one sentence and run it again.
You can also rehearse with a colleague: ask them to interrupt you after ten seconds with "What is this about?" and see whether your answer is short.
What to do after the call
Whatever the outcome, note the date, what was said and the agreed next step. If the executive asked you not to call again, record that and respect it. A short, polite call that ends with a clear no is better than a long one that annoys.
FAQ
How long should a first call to an executive be?
Aim for under two minutes. Your opener should take about 25 seconds, and the call should end with either a scheduled conversation or a clear no.
Should I ask for a meeting on the first call?
Usually yes, but a small one: fifteen minutes with a stated topic. If the executive hesitates, offer to send two lines by e-mail and agree when you will follow up.
What if the executive is rude?
Stay calm, thank them and end the call. You do not need to win the exchange. See how to handle a rude prospect.
Related: Book a meeting on a cold call, Thirty-second phone pitch, Cold call openers tool.