Best Time to Cold Call: Data-Backed Insights for More Conversations

Like a good joke, timing in cold calling is everything, and for sales teams, it can mean the difference between a connection and a missed opportunity.

Frequently cited research from MIT/InsideSales (2007-2008) found that calls made in the late afternoon (4-6 p.m.) were 114% more effective at reaching prospects than those made in mid-morning, the lowest-performing block at the time of the study. That early data helped establish how much timing influences connect rates and laid the groundwork for a decade of follow-up research.

As work patterns and technology evolved, so did calling behavior. Gong’s 2017 study of 100,000 connected B2B sales calls found the highest connection rates in both late morning (10-11 a.m.) and late afternoon (4-5 p.m.), while CallHippo’s 2019 analysis of aggregated outbound data identified similar patterns: 8-9 a.m. and 4-5 p.m. as the most productive hours, and Wednesday and Thursday as the best days.

Although these studies are several years old, they remain valuable for showing consistent trends that people tend to answer early or late in their day, not during midday lulls. But today’s environment looks very different: mobile work, call filtering technology, spam labeling, and AI-powered dialing have changed when and how prospects respond.

For sales leaders managing high-volume outbound teams, the takeaway is clear: While exact “best times” will continue to evolve, timing still drives results, and modern teams use data and technology to continuously refine it. Understanding timing differences can help to strategize call cadences, allocate agents, and ultimately drive more revenue.

Best times to cold call at a glance

• Best hours: Late morning (10-11 a.m.) and late afternoon (4-5 p.m.) deliver the highest connection rates.

• Best days: Midweek, especially Wednesday and Thursday.

• Worst times: Lunch hour (12-1 p.m.), Monday mornings, and Friday afternoons.

• Pro tip: Always align calls to the prospect’s local time zone to maximize results and avoid compliance risks.

Read this article to learn how to structure your calling windows to make the most of prospect engagement and improve your team’s ROI.

Best time to cold call

Studies consistently highlight two golden windows: late morning and late afternoon.

• Mid-morning (8:00-10:00 a.m)

  • CallHippo found calls between 8:00-9:00 a.m. produced significantly higher connection rates. Prospects have cleared urgent emails but aren’t yet buried in tasks.

• Late morning (10:00-11:00 a.m)

  • Gong’s analysis of millions of sales calls shows this is one of the strongest times to reach decision-makers before lunch and mid-day meetings.

• Late afternoon (4:00-5:00 p.m)

  • Frequently cited MIT/InsideSales research found that calls made in this window were effective.

• Early afternoon (1:00-2:00 p.m.)

  • Results vary, but some prospects use this window to catch up on calls after lunch. Worth testing in your industry.

While these patterns are valuable, they shouldn’t be treated as universal rules. Factors like industry, region, and lead type can shift results dramatically. That’s why leading outbound teams rely on data-driven platforms to monitor connect rates in real time and automatically adapt call timing for each campaign.

Pro Tip: Use your outbound dialer’s analytics to track your own best windows. While averages apply broadly, your audience may show unique patterns.

Avoid calling numbers on the national Do Not Call list. Get started with this article: How to Develop a DNC Compliance Policy for Your Call Center

Worst time to cold call

Certain time slots consistently underperform or even create compliance risk.

• Before 8:00 a.m.

  • Decision-makers are tackling urgent morning priorities or are not yet at their desks. Often seen as intrusive.

• Lunch hour (12:00-1:00 p.m.)

  • Velocify found that this is the single worst time to call, with the lowest contact rates of the day.

• Evenings (after 5:30 p.m)

  • Risky from a compliance standpoint. The Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) prohibits calling residences before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m. local time. Some companies have faced multimillion-dollar settlements for violating these rules. Learn how to protect your team by following a strong Do Not Call (DNC) compliance policy.

• Monday mornings (before 10:00 a.m)

  • Prospects are catching up on weekend backlog and standing meetings.

• Friday afternoons (after 3:00 p.m.)

  • Engagement drops sharply as people mentally check out for the weekend.

In short, it’s not just about avoiding inconvenient hours; it’s about optimizing for availability while staying compliant.

Avoid costly fines and lawsuits by knowing when your campaigns can call consumers in every state. Download our Guide to Navigating State Calling Restrictions 

Best day to cold call

Not all weekdays are created equal. Here’s what research says about each day:

Monday

Mixed performance. Early mornings are poor, but late morning (10:00-11:00 a.m.) or early afternoon (2:00-4:00 p.m.) can work once the Monday rush subsides.

Tuesday

One of the strongest days. RingDNA found Tuesday produced consistently strong connection and conversion rates. Prospects are in their weekly rhythm and open to new conversations.

Wednesday

Often ranked as the best day to cold call. Gong’s analysis shows Wednesday mid-morning yields the highest success rates, combining availability with receptiveness.

Thursday

Nearly as effective as Wednesday. CallHippo found that Thursday mornings (9:00-11:00 a.m.) deliver excellent results. Prospects are finalizing weekly tasks and are open to solutions that help them close strong.

Friday

Overall weaker, but Friday mornings (8:00-10:00 a.m.) can work. Competition is lower as some teams reduce activity on Fridays. By afternoon, engagement drops sharply.

Midweek remains the sweet spot, but what matters most is how your team balances volume and timing across the week. Tools that analyze call center performance by day (and by hour!) can uncover hidden patterns unique to your leads.

Worst day to cold call

• Friday afternoons - the lowest response rates of the week. Even successful connections rarely turn into meaningful conversations.

• Monday mornings - plagued by backlog and standing meetings.

• Weekends and holidays - ineffective and often non-compliant under TCPA and state laws. Read more in our compliance resources.

• Day before major holidays - similar to Fridays, prospects are distracted and less willing to engage.

Why timing still matters and how to act on it

Do time and day really matter in cold calling?  The data is clear: yes.

Earlier research from MIT/InsideSales first quantified these differences, showing that the best time to call was 114% more effective than the worst.

More recent datasets continue to confirm the same directional trend. Gong’s 2017 study and CallHippo’s 2019 analysis both show higher connection rates in late morning and late afternoon, with midday outreach performing the worst.

These consistent patterns over time demonstrate that while exact “best times” evolve, the advantage of strategic timing remains undeniable.

But timing data alone won’t transform performance. The real impact comes when teams operationalize this insight:

1. Use your analytics. Review your own connect rates by time of day and day of week.

2. Automate scheduling. Let your dialer optimize timing based on live performance trends.

3. Prioritize compliance. Avoid after-hours calls that risk penalties. Use built-in DNC and TCPA safeguards, including call time restrictions.

4. Continuously test. Revisit timing strategies quarterly; seasonality and lead sources shift.

Ultimately, volume without strategy wastes energy. Timing transforms the same number of dials into more productive conversations and a pipeline.

Why there’s been no major new study and what’s changing now

If the most-cited research on call timing dates back several years, you might wonder why there hasn’t been a newer large-scale study. The answer comes down to how sales operations and data itself have evolved.

1. Timing data is now proprietary.

Unlike the 2000s and early 2010s, when sales platforms published aggregated findings for industry education, today most timing and connect-rate data lives inside private CRMs, dialers, and AI analytics tools. These systems continuously optimize outreach patterns in real time, making static “best time to call” studies less useful and less likely to be publicly released.

2. The shift to remote and hybrid work changed calling behavior.

Since 2020, prospects aren’t tethered to office desks. Calendars, focus blocks, and mobile flexibility vary widely across industries. This variability means that a single, universal “best time” is harder to define but easier to discover dynamically inside each team’s data.

3. AI now personalizes timing automatically.

Modern outbound platforms use AI to detect and adapt to connect-rate trends automatically, learning from each call outcome. Rather than relying on averages from external research, teams can now generate their own live insights.

For sales organizations using platforms like Convoso, this shift is an advantage. Intelligent dialers and analytics dashboards surface timing patterns unique to your leads, helping you call when your prospects are most likely to answer, not when an outdated study says they will.

With smarter data and technology, outbound leaders can make timing optimization an always-on advantage rather than a one-time adjustment.

Want to see how the right dialer can transform connection rates? Convoso’s intelligent contact center platform helps teams maximize performance with smart dialing, compliance automation, and real-time analytics so you can make every call count.

Learn how to maximize connection rates with Convoso Ignite.

FAQs

What is the absolute best time to cold call?

Research suggests 4:00-5:00 p.m. is the strongest window, followed closely by late morning (10:00-11:00 a.m.).

Which day of the week is best for cold calling?

Wednesday consistently performs best, with Thursday close behind.

Should I avoid calling on Mondays?

Not entirely, but avoid Monday mornings. Late morning or early afternoon works better.

Does calling early in the morning ever work

Generally, no, unless your industry has unique patterns. Most decision-makers are focused on urgent priorities before 9:00 a.m.

Do time zones matter?

Yes. Always align with the prospect’s local time zone, both to maximize receptiveness and to avoid TCPA violations.

Does timing matter if my team just needs to maximize volume?

Yes. More dials in the wrong windows won’t improve connection rates. Calling smarter beats calling more.