Cold Call Script — Local Business Web Design
The goal of the first call is not to sell a website. It's to get a 15-minute discovery call booked OR to get permission to send the live demo link. That's it.
Pre-call: 60-second prep
Before dialing, have these tabs open:
- Their Google Business Profile (read recent reviews, note their hours, see if they have a website link)
- Their Facebook page (if any) — note what they post about, last post date
- A demo of your work (this site, or a generic preview) ready to text/email
- Your CRM row for them with a notes field open
- A glass of water. Not joking.
You're calling a person, not a "lead." Have one specific compliment or observation ready.
The structure (90 seconds, max)
[Opener] (10s) → [Pattern interrupt] (5s) → [Permission] (10s)
→ [Specific reason for call] (20s) → [The hook] (15s)
→ [Soft ask] (10s) → [Book or send] (20s)
The script
1. Opener (sound like a human, not a robot)
"Hey — is this [Owner First Name]?"
Wait for "yes" or for them to identify.
"Hey [name], my name is [Your First Name], I'm calling from [Your Agency] here in [their state or nearby city]. I know I'm calling out of the blue — do you have 30 seconds for me to tell you why, and you can tell me to get lost?"
Why this works: "30 seconds" is non-threatening. Asking permission triggers reciprocity. Self-deprecation ("tell me to get lost") disarms them.
If they say "no, busy" → see Objection: Busy.
If they say "okay, what?" → continue.
2. The specific reason (this is the make-or-break)
"I help [their type of business] in [their area] put up websites that actually bring people in the door. I was looking at [business name] because [specific reason — pick ONE]:
- "...you've got 364 five-star reviews and no website that I can find."
- "...your Facebook page is great but it doesn't show up when people search '[their city] + [what they sell].'"
- "...your current site loads in like 8 seconds on my phone and I bet that's costing you walk-ins."
- "...I checked five competitors in [their city] and none of them have a real site either, so this is a wide-open lane."
Why this works: Specificity proves it's not a robocall. They can tell when you've actually looked at their business.
3. The hook — "I already built it"
"So I actually went ahead and built you a draft website to show you what we'd put together. It's not finished — your real photos and your real menu would replace what I have — but it gives you the idea. Can I text you the link so you can take a look on your own time?"
Why this works: This is the move. You're not asking them to buy. You're not asking them to meet. You're asking permission to show them something they already own in their head. The mental ownership flips the conversation.
If they say yes → see The send-and-followup play.
If they say what's it cost or how does this work → see The pivot to discovery.
If they say no thanks → see Objection: Not interested.
The send-and-followup play
"Perfect. What's the best mobile number to text it to? I'll send it right now while we're on, and I'll follow up in a couple days to see what you thought — sound fair?"
During the call: literally text the link while they're on the line. They see it pop up on their screen. Now there's commitment.
"Cool, you should have it. Take a look when you're not busy. One quick thing — if you like what you see, we offer it as a flat $197/month subscription with no setup fee, and I can put real photos and menu in within a week. Worst case you hate it, no harm done. Sound okay?"
Set the followup:
"I'll give you a call Thursday around this time to hear what you thought. If you'd rather text, just shoot me a thumbs up or thumbs down whenever. Cool?"
End on a friendly note. No hard close on the first call.
The pivot to discovery
If they ask "what's it cost?" or "tell me more":
"Great question — I don't want to ramble at you on the phone. I do a 15-minute call where I show you the demo, walk you through what's included, and give you the pricing. Are you free [two specific time slots over the next 48 hours]?"
Always offer two specific times. "When are you free?" loses 30%.
Objection handling
Busy
"Totally get it. Real quick — when's a better time to call back? Tomorrow morning or afternoon?"
If they push back hard: "Got it. I'll text you instead so you can read it when you've got a minute. Cool?"
Not interested
"I was afraid you'd say that. I actually already built you a draft of what your site could look like. Can I send you the link anyway? If you hate it, throw it away. If it gives you ideas, even better."
(This is the rebuttal that flips ~30% of "not interested" calls into a send.)
If they still say no: "Totally fair. Mind if I check back in 6 months to see if anything's changed?" — this gets you a yes ~80% of the time.
We have a website
"Right on, I figured. Mind if I ask — when was it last redone, and is it bringing you actual leads, or is it more of a digital business card?"
Listen. If they say "it's old" / "doesn't really do much" → "That's exactly what I help with. Our subscription replaces the rebuild + the maintenance + the SEO, all for $197/month. Want me to show you what we'd build instead?"
If they say "yeah it's working" → "That's great, honestly. Mind if I take a look and let you know if I think you're leaving money on the table? Worst case I just say 'looks great, carry on.'"
My nephew/cousin/employee built it
"That's awesome — saves you a lot. Quick question: when something needs updating, like new hours or a new menu item, how does that go? Most folks I talk to say it sits for weeks because they don't want to bother whoever built it. We handle that in 48 hours flat — included."
This sidesteps the awkwardness without trash-talking the nephew.
How much?
"Three tiers — $97, $197, $397 a month. Most local spots are on the $197 plan. No setup fee, no contract. I can show you exactly what's in each on a 15-minute call — when's good for you?"
Don't price-discuss for more than 30 seconds on a cold call. Pivot to the demo / call.
I need to think about it
"Totally — what's the part you want to think about? Is it whether you need a site at all, or whether we're the right ones to build it?"
Diagnose, don't push. If they need to think, they need to think. End with: "Cool. I'll send you the link to look at on your own time, and I'll check in Friday — sound fair?"
Send me an email instead
"Will do. I'll send you the demo link right now. What's the best email — is it the one on your Google profile?"
Then: "I'll also follow up Thursday by phone. Best time?"
Are you in [my city / state]?
"I'm based in [your city]. We work fully remote — your site lives on a global server so it's fast everywhere — but I'm a phone call or text away whenever you need a change."
If they want local-only: "Totally fair, I get it. Best of luck — if anything changes, my number's [your phone]."
What NOT to say
- ❌ "Do you have a website?" (You should already know.)
- ❌ "How's business?" (Generic, sounds like every other call.)
- ❌ "Is the owner there?" (Use a name. Even if you guess.)
- ❌ "We're a digital marketing agency..." (Sounds expensive and slimy.)
- ❌ "I help businesses scale to 7 figures..." (You'll be hung up on.)
- ❌ Long technical explanations. Save it for the discovery call.
Tone & pacing
- Talk slower than feels natural. Cold calls feel rushed because you're nervous.
- Smile while talking. They can hear it.
- Pause after questions. Don't fill silence.
- Match their energy. If they're chill, be chill. If they're terse, be terse.
Right after the call (always, every call)
Within 5 minutes of hanging up:
- Send a follow-up text or email with the demo link (even if you sent on the call). Subject: "Demo for [Business Name] — as promised"
- Log the call in your CRM with: outcome, what they said, next-touch date, any personal details (kid going to college, just opened second location, etc.)
- Set a reminder for the follow-up — exact time, in your calendar.
Conversion rate goes from ~3% to ~12% when you do the same-day touch. Skip it and you might as well not have called.
Numbers to expect (be honest with yourself)
| Metric | Realistic for a beginner |
|---|---|
| Dials per hour | 25–40 (with break) |
| Connect rate (live human) | 20–30% |
| Demo-link sends per 100 dials | 8–15 |
| Booked calls per 100 dials | 3–6 |
| Closed deals per 100 dials | 1–3 |
So at 100 dials/week and $197 MRR/close → **$200–600 new MRR per week** as a beginner. After 6 months that's $5K–$15K MRR if you're consistent. After a year with referrals: meaningfully more.
The number that matters isn't dials. It's same-day follow-ups completed. That's the lever.
The mindset
You're not interrupting them. You're offering them a real, working solution to a problem they probably already know they have. You've done the work — you built the demo. You're in service mode, not sales mode.
If you walk into every call thinking "how do I help this business?" instead of "how do I close this person?", your numbers go up and you sleep better.