What is the key characteristic of cold calling?

The key characteristic of cold calling is contacting potential customers with no prior interest. Cold calling is a sales technique where representatives reach out to individuals or businesses that have not previously interacted with them or expressed interest in their products or services. This method is often used to generate leads, promote new offerings, or explore potential sales opportunities from a cold start, hence the term "cold."

In contrast, reaching out to past customers for feedback or following up with interested leads involves prior interactions and a level of engagement that cold calling specifically seeks to avoid. Similarly, contacting potential customers who have shown prior interest indicates some level of established connection, which differs fundamentally from the approach of cold calling.