To a large degree, sales is a numbers game – the more prospects you present to, the more sales you will close. Cold calling is also a numbers game. However, cold calling has the lowest success rate (if we define a success as booking a sales appointment) of any other prospecting method which you can use. Executives and decision makers don't want to be interrupted in their busy day by a cold caller with a sales pitch. Cold callers get tuned out.

With that said, I have compiled a list of ways to get more sales appointments without cold calling:

• Network with your existing client base to get referrals. If you call an existing client, it is not a cold call; it is a warm call because you already have a business relationship. Don't be afraid to call an existing client, especially one that is pleased with your services, to ask for referrals. It is easier to book a sales appointment with a prospect that has been referred rather than to do so with a prospect that was not met through a business referral.
• Use websites that provide free sales leads and free advertising. This way prospects will find you. Booking a sales appointment should be easy and our sales closing ratio should be higher when the prospect makes the initial contact as this means that he already knows that he has a need for your services. Trade-pals.com provides free B2B and B2C sales leads without cold calling. Craigslist.org provides free advertising via online classified ads. These are just two of the sites that you should try.
• Visit trade shows that your prospect base would go to. This way you can not only meet prospects in person in a social atmosphere but you can also collect their marketing material if they have it available at their booths. That way when you book a sales appointment, you will have material to research their firm ahead of time.
• Instead of giving people one business card, give them five. That way they can freely distribute your business card if they refer a colleague to you. If they didn’t have cards available, they may otherwise not remember to refer prospects to you.

Of course, there are dozens of other prospecting techniques that you can utilize to book sales appointments. Top salespeople always push themselves to book more appointments, close more sales, and sell more.