A proven cold call framework from Datadog AE and former Oracle SDR Manager Connor Murray that helps reps take control, book more meetings, and scale results fast.
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Most cold call advice online is either outdated, overcomplicated, or taught by people who haven’t picked up the phone in years. This post breaks that cycle.
Connor Murray, former number one SDR and SDR Manager at Oracle (now an Enterprise AE at Datadog), shares the exact cold call framework he used to train hundreds of reps and consistently outperform the competition. Whether you're an SDR or AE, this will sharpen your pitch, increase your connect-to-meeting rate, and finally make cold calling feel like a weapon instead of a chore.
Cold calling is not dead. Lazy cold calling is. With inboxes more saturated than ever and LinkedIn becoming a spam zone, being able to pick up the phone and generate pipeline on demand is a massive edge. Yet many tech reps go years into their careers without ever learning how to cold call properly.
As Connor puts it, “Cold calling is a sales superpower. If you know how to do it well, you can generate pipeline at will.” This post consolidates the framework he used to teach reps at Oracle, coach founders, and now lead the Cold Call Mastery program.
Most sales enablement programs overcomplicate cold calls and overwhelm new reps. They use buzzword-heavy frameworks like “rightward questions” and teach elaborate openers that only work if you already have deep experience.
Instead of teaching reps how to confidently book a meeting in 30 seconds, they fill their heads with theory that falls apart the moment someone says, “Not interested.”
If you're new or struggling, the last thing you need is a PhD in sales linguistics. You need a repeatable, efficient, and effective system that helps you:
Every cold call should answer three questions quickly:
Here’s the structure Connor uses and teaches inside Cold Call Mastery:
Keep it simple. Use downward inflection. Be polite but confident.
“Hey Eric, this is Connor Murray calling from [Company]. How are you?”
The goal is to elicit a formality. You want them to say “Good” so you can move on.
“I’m part of the strategic retail team that supports companies like XYZ with back-office financial applications. We work on priorities like strategic planning, budget forecasting, and scenario modeling, typically by eliminating spreadsheets and consolidating siloed data.”
“I know I called you out of the blue, but I was actually just hoping to set up 15 to 20 minutes this week to introduce ourselves and align with your team’s priorities. Does Thursday afternoon work?”
This structure:
"Hey Eric, this is Connor Murray calling from [Company]. How are you?
I’m part of the strategic retail team that supports companies like XYZ with back-office financial applications. We work on priorities like strategic planning, budget forecasting, and scenario modeling, typically by eliminating spreadsheets and consolidating siloed data.
I know I called you out of the blue, but I was actually just hoping to set up 15 to 20 minutes this week to introduce ourselves and align with your team’s priorities. Does Thursday afternoon work?"
This framework applies across industries. Here are condensed versions of real scripts Connor used. The Opener and What You Want stays the EXACT same. The only thing that changes is 'Why you're calling.
So for example, you'd open a call with the same framework, and then transition to your industry (examples below)
"Hey Eric, this is Connor Murray calling from [Company]. How are you?
I’m part of the strategic retail team that supports companies like XYZ with back-office financial applications. We (see below)"
“We work on strategic planning, forecasting, and scenario modeling by reducing spreadsheet use and automating monthly financial reports.”
“We help with claims analysis, fraud detection, and risk assessment. Usually this involves giving teams real-time dashboards and customer segmentation tools.”
“We support HR teams with talent management, recruiting, and workforce planning by automating onboarding and creating a single data model.”
“We work with retailers to reduce turnover and seasonal staffing issues using AI forecasting and real-time feedback analytics.”
From there transition to what you want:
“I know I called you out of the blue, but I was actually just hoping to set up 15 to 20 minutes this week to introduce ourselves and align with your team’s priorities. Does Thursday afternoon work?”
Same framework. Different details. Connor built over 80 versions of these by persona and industry.
When you get an objection like “We already use [competitor],” don’t shift into qualification mode. Double down and re-sell the time:
“Totally get that. That’s actually why I’m reaching out. We work with customers of [competitor] all the time. I think it still makes sense to get you introduced to our team in case priorities shift down the line. Does Thursday work?”
Only if they continue to engage should you open up the conversation with a qualifying question:
“How many systems is your finance team using to manage your monthly close process? I ask because we work with teams who have at least five or six systems and are trying to consolidate.”
Structure your questions with a simple format:
Ask the question, then explain why you’re asking.
Booking a meeting is only half the battle. Here's how to improve your show rates:
Even if your show rate is 70 percent, that is a quality problem. As Connor says, “I’d rather book 10 and have 7 show than grind out to maybe get 3 people to even show up with. 4 times the effort.”
Q: What is the Value Statement Framework?
A: It’s a three-part cold call structure that answers who you are, why you're calling, and what you want. The whole thing takes under 35 seconds.
Q: What’s the best way to open a cold call?
A: Use a simple opener with polite, downward inflection. Example: “Hey, this is Connor Murray calling from [Company]. How are you?”
Q: How should I handle the “we already use [competitor]” objection?
A: Acknowledge it, then re-sell the value of meeting anyway. Do not disqualify yourself too early.
Q: How do I make more cold calls efficiently?
A: Build large persona-specific lists. Prepare value statements and objection responses ahead of time so you eliminate research between dials.
Q: How do I reduce cold call no-shows?
A: Send clear agendas, confirm delivery of invites on the call, and schedule the meeting within the same week.
→ Want to learn this framework directly from Connor? Join Cold Call Mastery to get full access to live coaching, scripts by industry, and real-time feedback. This is the only program built by a former top SDR Manager at Oracle who still makes cold calls today.
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