By the numbers
Cold calling and prospect research statistics for 2026
Last updated: Published by Tim Kilroy
Published 2026 data puts the average cold call connect rate at roughly 2% to 3%, while 93% of conversions happen after 6+ follow-ups.
Agency Call Intelligence collects the published statistics that matter most to agencies reviewing sales calls and researching prospects. Every figure is quoted as its source published it, with its full range. None of these numbers are Tim Kilroy's own results.
Question
What is a good cold call success rate in 2026?
Leads at Scale reports a 2.3% industry average success rate, with companies that leverage data, AI tools, and persistence achieving success rates as high as 6% to 15%. Salesgenie reports that top-performing SDR teams can reach 5% to 8% meeting rates.
Note that sources define connect rates differently. Salesgenie reports both a roughly 2% to 3% average cold call connect rate and average connect rates in the 15% to 28% range, so check each definition before comparing.
Sales calls
Cold calling statistics
| Figure | Statement as published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 2% to 3% | The average cold call connect rate is roughly 2% to 3%. | Salesgenie, Top 25 Cold Calling Statistics Sales Reps Must Know in 2026 |
| 15% to 28% | Average connect rates typically land in the 15% to 28% range. | Salesgenie, Top 25 Cold Calling Statistics Sales Reps Must Know in 2026 |
| 5% to 8% | Top-performing SDR teams can reach 5% to 8% meeting rates. | Salesgenie, Top 25 Cold Calling Statistics Sales Reps Must Know in 2026 |
| Up to 40% | Verified direct-dial numbers increase connection rates by up to 40%. | Salesgenie, Top 25 Cold Calling Statistics Sales Reps Must Know in 2026 |
| 82% and 57% | 82% of buyers are open to meetings from cold calls and 57% of executives prefer phone contact. | Leads at Scale, Is Cold Calling Still Effective in 2026? The Data Says Yes |
| 2.3% vs 6% to 15% | Despite a 2.3% industry average success rate, companies that leverage data, AI tools, and persistence are achieving success rates as high as 6% to 15%. | Leads at Scale, Is Cold Calling Still Effective in 2026? The Data Says Yes |
| 13.3% | Verified contact databases increase answer rates to 13.3%, close to warm lead levels. | Leads at Scale, Is Cold Calling Still Effective in 2026? The Data Says Yes |
| 93% | 93% of conversions happen after 6+ follow-ups, yet most reps quit after 1 or 2 attempts. | Leads at Scale, Is Cold Calling Still Effective in 2026? The Data Says Yes |
Prospect research
Prospect research benchmarks (nonprofit sector)
These benchmarks come from nonprofit prospect development, where research is a formal role. They are useful context on what organizations spend on research staffing and prospect research tools.
| Figure | Statement as published | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 0.75 FTE | Among participating organizations, the median research staffing is 0.75 FTE, with a median annual research spend of $50,000. | Kindsight, 2026 North American Prospect Development Benchmark Study |
| $17,500 | Tool and technology expenditures sit at a median of $17,500. | Kindsight, 2026 North American Prospect Development Benchmark Study |
| 12.5% / 17.0% / 14.5% | Median rates among respondents who track them: Qualified-to-Assigned at 12.5% (n=500), Assigned-to-Solicited at 17.0% (n=386), and Solicited-to-Closed at 14.5% (n=352). | Kindsight, 2026 North American Prospect Development Benchmark Study |
| 23% and 30% | 23% of respondents do not track solicitation rates, and 30% do not track close rates. | Kindsight, 2026 North American Prospect Development Benchmark Study |
| Nearly 39% | Nearly 39% operate as micro shops: less than half a research FTE and one to two gift officers. | Giving Institute, What 500 organizations taught us about the state of prospect development in 2026 |
What it means
What should an agency do with these numbers?
Two patterns stand out. First, persistence matters: if most conversions come after six or more follow-ups, the follow-up after a discovery call is part of the sale, not an afterthought. Second, better data improves results: verified contacts and research-backed outreach outperform guessing.
Tim Kilroy’s tools map to both: Discovery Lab for research before a call, and the Call Lab tiers for reviewing what happened on it. See the full directory of call intelligence for agencies.
FAQ
Common questions
- What is call intelligence for agencies?
- Call intelligence for agencies is the practice of reviewing sales and discovery calls to learn what is working, then using that insight to improve the next conversation. Tim Kilroy offers it through the Call Lab tools: Call Lab Instant analyzes a recorded pitch, Call Lab reviews a pasted transcript, and Call Lab Pro adds methodology scoring and progress tracking.
- Why do prospects go dark after a discovery call?
- Usually because the call was a pitch with a question stapled to the end. Tim Kilroy sees agencies pivot to telling the prospect what they do before understanding the business, so they give a generic version that sounds like every other agency. The proposal goes out and the prospect goes quiet.
- What should I fix first if my close rate is low?
- Fix one constraint at a time. Tim Kilroy’s pipeline math works backward from revenue: goal divided by deal size gives deals needed, divided by close rate gives proposals, divided by proposal rate gives conversations. If conversations are plentiful but deals are not, review your calls with Call Lab to find where they break.
- What is Discovery Lab?
- Discovery Lab is a free prospect research tool. It researches any prospect in about 60 seconds and returns a brief with a company overview, recent news, conversation starters, and smart questions to ask. It is designed so you walk into a discovery call already understanding the prospect’s business.
- How do you qualify a prospect on a discovery call?
- Learn what is broken in their business, how big the problem is, what they have tried, how they make decisions, and whether you can genuinely help. In Tim Kilroy’s sales funnel, a prospect counts as qualified only when both sides agree out loud that there is a real problem, it is worth money, and they decide.
Want help turning better calls into more qualified clients?
Tim Kilroy coaches established marketing and PR agencies that have outgrown referrals. Reach out to talk about positioning, lead generation, and a repeatable way to win clients.