In a world flooded with cold emails and ignored mobile calls, identifying decision-makers—especially founders—requires more than luck.
Here’s how top-performing Sales teams are getting past the gatekeepers and straight to the source, even without a direct dial:
1. Leverage the Underestimated Landline
Despite being old-school, landlines are making a surprising comeback in outbound strategy. Especially in Southeast Asia, founders and key decision-makers of small businesses are often the ones answering these calls directly. They may not have a receptionist, and their landline often serves as the catch-all point of contact. Here’s why landlines are outperforming mobile dials in response rates →
2. Ask for help at the reception
In larger firms where landlines route to reception, asking for a company general helpline can work wonders. The frontdesk (customer support team) typically acts as the founder’s eyes and ears and often holds the power to schedule new meetings. Be clear, be human, and articulate what value you bring that’s worth their boss’s time.
3. Use Company Registries to Map Ownership
When the direct dial is missing, your next best bet is identifying the founder’s registered businesses. Tools like The Grid allow you to trace corporate directorships, which can uncover alternate entities and their contact channels—sometimes even a landline that the founder still picks up.
4. Follow the Signals on LinkedIn (Then Go Indirect)
Founders are often active on LinkedIn but avoid public contact info. Instead of sliding into their DMs cold, use shared connections or engage meaningfully with their content. If that’s a dead end, try reaching out through someone in their second-degree network—like a co-founder, past colleague, or even an investor who’s tagged in their posts.
Final Thought
Direct dials might be gold, but don’t treat them as the only route in. With the right data and a little creativity, even “obsolete” channels like the landline can lead to powerful conversations. Our most successful customers consistently report that cold calling company landlines remain their highest-ROI outbound channel.
Want better founder signals and B2B data? Visit The Grid.
