Demand Gen Report: ValueSelling Report Finds Cold Calling Beats AI-Written Emails 6 to 1

New research from ValueSelling Associates finds that human-led prospecting continues to outperform automated approaches, with cold calling ranking second only to client referrals for reaching new prospects. In 2026, 74% of respondents rated referrals effective, while 47% selected cold calls, compared with just 8% for AI-written personalized emails. Despite cold calling’s effectiveness, sellers continue to struggle with execution. Forty-six percent of sales leaders say representatives give up too easily, 40% cite difficulty handling objections, and 39% report that sellers are afraid to pick up the phone. Comparing the findings with similar 2018 research shows that years of sales technology adoption have done little to change which prospecting methods work best or eliminate sellers’ psychological barriers. The findings suggest that the challenge is not cold calling itself but seller skill and confidence. Organizations can address this gap through sales training that strengthens prospecting capabilities, objection handling, persistence, and confidence.