The Cold Calling Advantage in 2025

In 2025, biotech and pharmaceutical companies are more data-driven and digitally saturated than ever—but one channel continues to outperform in generating qualified, high-value opportunities: direct, personalized cold calling.

While digital campaigns and automated outreach still have their place, cold calling enables deeper engagement, better qualification, and real conversations with the people who matter most—scientific decision-makers, procurement leaders, and commercial stakeholders inside the world’s most ambitious biotech companies.

A client of ours, a mid-sized CDMO, launched a dedicated cold call campaign targeting emerging biopharma companies preparing for clinical scale-up. Within 90 days, they booked 27 meetings, 15 of which turned into active project discussions, and closed three new accounts worth over six figures combined.

Why Cold Calling Still Works in Biotech and Pharma

Unlike other industries, biotech and pharma buyers don’t spend their days browsing vendor websites or replying to unsolicited email sequences. Their calendars are full, their inboxes are overflowing, and their needs are highly specific. What cuts through? A smart, informed, respectful phone call that speaks directly to their business.

We've seen consistent results across client campaigns when cold calling is done right—using structured outreach plans, scientific context, and industry timing.

For example, a client of ours in bioinformatics services wanted to connect with oncology-focused CROs. Cold outreach referencing recent trial announcements and funding rounds yielded 14 discovery calls in three weeks, with multiple RFPs requested by week four.

What Makes Cold Outreach Effective in 2025

1. Timing the Call to Business EventsWe use funding milestones, IND submissions, conference activity, or clinical trial launches to trigger outreach. One client secured eight qualified meetings in under two weeks by calling biotechs two days after a funding announcement, using a relevant, respectful approach.

2. Scientific and Strategic ContextOur teams are trained to speak the language of the life sciences industry. We don’t open with “Can I have a moment?”—we open with, “I saw you’ve just closed your Series A for your immunotherapy platform. Are you still considering scale-up partners for your CMC program?”

3. Multichannel Support—but Phone FirstWe complement calls with follow-up emails and social touchpoints, but the call is always the catalyst. It’s where objections surface and meaningful qualification happens.

4. Personalization That Goes Beyond a ScriptA client of ours targeting rare disease biotechs used tailored messaging referencing company pipelines and trial registries. They reached a 42% call-to-meeting rate—compared to 12% from LinkedIn alone.

Results We’ve Seen From Cold Calling in This Sector

Across dozens of cold outreach campaigns for CDMOs, CROs, and advanced platform tech providers, here’s what we’ve consistently delivered:

• 10–25 meetings booked per campaign cycle (avg. 4–6 weeks) targeting early-stage biopharma
• Up to 40% call-to-meeting conversion when personalization includes recent fundraising or trial milestones
• Up to 3x higher qualification rates vs inbound-only leads
• 18–30% of booked meetings progressing to second calls or proposal discussions
• Shorter sales cycles when human contact happens early

One platform drug discovery company, previously reliant on inbound SEO and digital marketing, saw their first enterprise pharma engagement close within 90 days—driven solely by a cold call campaign targeting oncology teams post-ASCO.

Where Marketing Still Plays a Supporting Role

We do encourage clients to have a strong digital presence, not because it drives leads, but because prospects often check your credibility after the call. A polished website, technical content, or recent news shows you’re real—but it’s not what gets you in the room.

As MIT Sloan Management Review highlights, AI and predictive analytics are increasingly used to prioritize prospects. We use these tools internally to target the right companies at the right time—but we close with conversation, not clicks.

Final Thoughts

If you're serious about growing your biotech or pharma pipeline, it's time to stop relying solely on webinars, ads, and hoping the right person visits your booth.

Real engagement still happens over the phone—with the right message, to the right person, at the right moment.

Our clients repeatedly see results from structured cold outreach: more qualified meetings, faster funnel movement, and better conversions. Let us show you how this approach can plug into your existing BD workflow and become your highest-performing channel in 2025.

Let us know if you'd like a sample results sheet or to discuss a campaign tailored to your pipeline focus.