I'll cold call for you.

Try me out for £1,000.

30-50 conversations with your target market.

I'll provide the list, mobile numbers, and reporting.

All I need to know is the problems you solve, who you solve them for, and why they'd be motivated to solve them.

If it goes well, we keep working together.

If not, you walk away.

Mark Bangs

“Just pick up the phone to grow your business.”

It’s ok advice, but it misses most of what actually makes outbound work.

Before a single dial happens, you need to:

- Build a quality list without Sales Nav sprinkling in Yoga Instructors and Chemistry Professors

- Find reliable data that isn't full of wrong numbers

- Set up a CRM so you can stay on top of tasks

- Choose and configure a dialler so you're not manually calling everything

- Write and refine messaging that doesn't make you sound like a call centre in Bangalore

- Track follow ups (it takes us 4.2 dial attempts on avg to get a conversation with someone)

- Work the list consistently

That’s a big ask for a founder who’s already wearing five hats.

What usually happens is this:

A few good sessions, a few missed ones, and that non-negotiable “prospecting time” ends up being quietly removed from the calendar.

At that point, most revert back to relying on referrals or inbound,  neither of which are scaleable or consistent.

The truth is, cold calling works.

But it only works when it’s done systematically, every day, at volume, by people who live and breathe it.

That’s why founders outsource it.

Not because they can’t do it but because it's a ballache.

I book qualified meetings for founders and MDs 📞

Spoke with a company recently who said they don’t cold call as they know everyone in their market. 

Yet I routinely see their MD twerking on every teenager's post to get their super secret AI prompt or n8n workflow for lead gen.

Maybe he just didn't like me.

Or he’d spoken with Céan.

That’s more likely.

🚨 Comment "BRO" to boost my reach. 🚨

If your outbound sales efforts aren’t landing, it might not be your pitch or your people.

It might be your list.

If you’re calling people who don’t feel the pain you solve, or who aren’t motivated to fix it, you’re probably wasting time and money.

Before you invest in outsourcing or hiring salespeople, make sure you know your target market inside and out.

If you don’t, that’s fine.

Just recognise that your goal shifts from selling to learning.

Use outbound to validate your assumptions.

Every “no,” “maybe,” and “tell me more” gives you clues about your market.

The wrong list makes sales impossible.

The right list allows you to learn exactly what matters to your ICP, what questions/objections they're likely to raise, and ultimately what will motivate them to spend money with you.

LinkedIn engagement ≠ quality service

Instead of paying someone to do your outbound sales because their posts get loads of likes and comments, think about:

1. What are their clients saying about them?
(If anything)

2. How many will actually vouch for them?
(We can point to several)

3. What is their overall retention rate?
(Ours is 92.3%)

The "fractional SDR" space is getting more popular as people realise they can just post selfies on LinkedIn and work for themselves.

It's important to vet these people and ask what kind of results their clients are seeing.

If you've got monkeys dialling for you, don't be surprised if it ends up being a banana skin for your business (yeah I know, terrible...)

🙈

The list is the foundation of any outbound campaign.

If the list isn't right, everything else falls apart.

You can have great messaging delivered expertly, but it's all for nought you’re not speaking to the right people.

By “the right people,” I mean those who actually have the problem you solve, and who are motivated to solve it.

This is why clarity on your ICP isn’t optional.

If you’re not clear on who you help and why, you’re probably not ready to hire an outsourced sales agency.

And hiring internally could be disastrous.

That said, outbound can still play a role in finding that clarity.

If you have a working hypothesis of who your ICP is and what your value proposition might be, cold calling is the fastest way to test it.

Every conversation is a data point.

Every objection, question, or nugget of feedback helps you refine your message and/or targeting

By having live conversations you’ll very quickly know whether to pivot or double down.

I'd never do "brand partnership" posts.

Mainly cos I never get asked.

Researching prospects before cold calling can be a waste of time.

Hypothetical A:

+ 6 hours of dialling time
+ 5 mins of research per call
+ 2 min avg. call duration
= 51 dials (assuming you don't eat, drink, or pee)

15% connect rate = 8 connects
80% connect to conversation rate = 6 conversations

Hypothetical B:

+ 6 hours of dialling time
+ 2 min avg. call duration
= 180 dials

15% connect rate = 27 connects
65% connect to conversation rate = 18 conversations

So for all you hyper-personalisation "warm call" advocates, a genuine question:

Is the quality of your 6 conversations higher enough than my 18 conversations to justify having 1/3 as many?

Could it make more sense to build a list and go after it with a relevant message?

University of Stirling

As the lead for pre-accelerator programming within the Enterprise Programme and Scotland’s International Environment Centre (SIEC), I designed and delivered an intensive seven-week skills training bootcamp to equip aspiring founders with the tools to launch and grow sustainable businesses. This programme combined workshops, peer learning, and individual mentoring, to guide participants through early-stage business development.

I also lead on the start-up experience at The Hive, the University of Stirling’s business incubator, where I manage the co-working space and provide wrap-around support to enable responsible enterprises of all kinds to launch and grow.

Beyond the pre-accelerator, I assist in the planning and delivery of a wide range of enterprise support activities, including practical workshops, training sessions, and start-up competitions, building strong external networks with industry bodies, funding agencies, local business associations, and professional service providers.

Enterprise Programme Officer (SIEC)

Scotland's International Development Alliance

As the Digital Communications and Events Coordinator for Scotland's International Development Alliance, I was responsible for managing the online presence of our organisation. I oversaw our social media channels and website, sharing relevant news, updates, and opportunities for our members and the wider public. This included creating engaging and informative digital marketing materials, such as newsletters, flyers, and videos, and managing website content to promote our organisation's vision, mission, and values.

I also helped to coordinate and facilitate various events throughout the year, including webinars, workshops, and our bi-annual conferences, to showcase the work and impact of SIDA's members and their partners.

Digital Communications and Events Coordinator

Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce

As Marketing and Events Executive, my role included organising the marketing activities for the Chamber, researching and writing the Chamber’s monthly newsletter and articles for a local business magazine, and engaging with our Members to raise their profile and promote their businesses. In addition to this, I managed the content on the Chamber's website. Throughout the Pandemic, I also managed the Chamber’s in-house Track & Trace app, allowing local companies to implement test and tracing protocols in their premises. 

I was also responsible for planning, coordinating, and running the Chamber’s diverse events programme, both online and in-person, from the popular Let’s Network and Hub Club Series, to exclusive ‘Behind the Scenes’ events, Workshops, and Charity Lunches. 

My role later expanded to include assisting in the planning and delivery of our Chamber's International Trade Missions as part of Scottish Chambers’ International Trade Partnership (ITP2) programme. During these missions, my responsibilities included assisting in the creation of the marketing plans for the missions, developing the itineraries, exporting product samples abroad, and facilitating online meetings between the delegates and speakers.

Marketing and Events Executive

Marketing and Events Graduate

Stirling University Innovation Park Ltd

In conjunction with my role at Forth Valley Chamber of Commerce, I also supported the Operations Team at Stirling University Innovation Park. 

My responsibilities included:
- Assisting Innovation Park Tenants and Visitors with any queries
- Controlling all incoming and outgoing mail for the Innovation Park
- Planning, organising, and running conferences and events within the Innovation Park
- Assisting with onsite maintenance duties

Operations and Administration Support

Asda

As an Ambient Nights Colleague, I was responsible for stock replenishment and inventory management. My role as an Ambient Nights Colleague developed my team-working and time management skills, balancing a nightshift role with my full-time studies at University. 

Working in this role gave me invaluable insights into the practicalities of supply chains, logistics, and visual merchandising in the retail sector which informed my research throughout my undergraduate studies at University.

Ambient Nights Colleague

From one person start-ups to global organisations, I’ve supported hundreds of businesses and INGOs across Scotland and beyond, spanning diverse sectors ranging from Manufacturing and IT, to Pharmaceuticals and International Development.

Driven by a genuine passion for continuous learning, I’m always seeking further avenues for professional growth and skills development. In addition to completing my Master’s in International Conflict and Cooperation, I have undertaken a Modern Apprenticeship in Digital Marketing, earned a Micro-credential exploring Intercultural Interactions, and hold a Marketing degree from the University of Stirling

Project Management | Enterprise Education | Events Delivery | Marketing | International Development

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The Battle

Mark Bangs

David Cunningham

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The Battle

Mark Bangs

David Cunningham

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Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Mark Bangs's LinkedIn Performance

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