In this video, we break down an example of a cold call for a free trial. The salesperson in this clip does a solid job overall, and we’ll highlight what worked well—as well as one simple change that could make the approach even more effective.

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✅ What Went Well on the Cold Call for a Free Trial

One thing this salesperson did well was close for the next step—a product demo—instead of trying to close the sale right away. Here’s what he said:

I wanted to see if you had 20 minutes sometime today to have a quick walk-through of the platform to show you some features we don’t show on that free trial.

This is a great move. Most salespeople make the mistake of trying to close for the purchase on the cold call. That approach rarely works. Instead, this rep wisely tried to advance the conversation by proposing a demo—a much more appropriate goal at this stage.

Another thing he did well was ask thoughtful, open-ended questions after the prospect hesitated to move forward:

  • Are you all doing any outreach right now? Any lead generation currently?
  • How do you go about growing the business there?
  • Email campaigns or word of mouth there?
  • Where do you get emails for those email campaigns?
  • Have you thought about doing any outreach in the future, or soon?

These are great examples of current state questions—a smart way to pivot when facing the “not interested” objection. By exploring how the prospect currently operates, the rep opens the door for a more relevant and tailored pitch.

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🔧 What Could Have Been Better on the Cold Call for a Free Trial

There’s one simple improvement that could dramatically boost this rep’s results when calling free trial leads:
Start with questions instead of jumping straight to a demo ask.

Let’s not forget—this is a cold call to someone who already signed up for a free trial. That’s a meaningful signal, and it deserves to be explored before proposing the next step. A better opening might include questions like:

  • Did you get a chance to use the free trial?
  • How did it go?
  • Was there anything you liked—or didn’t like?
  • Do you mind if I ask what motivated you to sign up?

Starting with these types of questions shows empathy, builds rapport, and gives the salesperson valuable context. From the answers, the rep can better decide the right next move. For example:

  • If the prospect hasn’t used the trial yet, maybe the best step is extending access or guiding them to key features.
  • If the trial went well, the rep might skip the demo and move straight into closing the deal.

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Final Thoughts

Cold calls to free trial leads are a unique opportunity. The prospect has already shown interest—now it’s about building on that momentum the right way.

This example highlights how a few simple shifts—like asking the right questions up front—can turn a good cold call into a great one.

🎥 Watch the video for the full example and breakdown.
📌 And if you’re looking to sharpen your own cold calling skills, especially for free trials, subscribe to our channel for more real-world examples and tips.