Sales Intelligence You Can Put to Work.
Explore original sales research, industry-specific playbooks, practical tools, and real-world strategies from the people building sales pipelines every day.
Popular:Cold callingOutsourcing SDRsSDR costReaching decision-makers
Dials it takes to set one appointment
By vertical, from our SDRs' own calls. Fewer is easier.
Show the numbers as a table
| Vertical | Dials per appointment |
|---|---|
| Commercial Fire Protection | 78 |
| Concrete/Asphalt Services | 86 |
| Landscape Services | 88 |
| Power Washing | 95 |
| Commercial Electric | 96 |
| HVAC | 98 |
| Pest Control | 101 |
| Painting | 115 |
| Commercial Flooring | 122 |
| Commercial Roofing | 140 |
| Commercial Cleaning | 142 |
| Solar | 161 |
| IT/Cyber Security/MSP | 162 |
| Physical Security | 164 |
| LED Lighting | 169 |
| All 15 verticals | 125 |
Start with what you need to fix.
- 3 reports · 3,140,107 callsResearch and benchmarks
Dials per appointment, proposal and win rates by vertical, title and size, from our own sales floor. Method and limits on every page.
Explore the research → - 47 industry playbooksIndustry playbooks
Who to call in each industry, what they control, the triggers that open a conversation and what a qualified meeting looks like.
Find your industry → - 296 guides and articlesSales development strategies
Building outbound, in-house or outsourced: SDR teams, cold calling, appointment setting and qualification.
Start with the strategy hub → - 5 calculators and toolsCalculators and tools
Price an in-house SDR, turn a revenue goal into meetings, check your territory, build a call script.
Use the tools → - 73 guides and templatesGuides and templates
Buyer guides, long-form guide series, PDF playbooks, checklists and worksheets.
Browse guides → - 31 videos · podcastVideos and podcasts
Short lessons from the people who run the floor, and The Grow Show with full transcripts.
Watch or listen → - 6 rebuilt case studiesClient success stories
Named clients, the program they ran and what it produced, plus testimonial videos and reviews.
Read the results → - 5 resourcesEnterprise sales development
Fortune 1000 outbound, account-based sales development and buying committees.
See enterprise resources →
What 3,140,107 sales calls say about booking B2B meetings.
Our SDRs log every dial, appointment, proposal and win. Here is what that record shows, with the method and the limits written next to every number.
- 125dials per appointment set, on average, across 15 commercial service verticals.
- 78 to 169the range by vertical: Commercial Fire Protection books fastest, LED Lighting slowest.
- 12 of 13verticals where the fastest title to book is a facilities, maintenance, engineering or property role; presidents, CEOs and owners took a median 2.4 times as many dials.
- Benchmarks report · updated 2026-10B2B prospecting benchmarks by vertical, title and size
3,140,107 calls, 25,151 appointments set. Sortable tables, definitions, sample sizes and limitations.
- Annual report · calendar 2025The state of outbound lead generation: 2025
Year-over-year results across Abstrakt's outbound client programs: dials, qualified appointments, connect and pitch-to-meeting rates.
- Market comparisonOutsourced SDR companies compared
Compared from each company's own website: published prices, contract terms, SDR location and channels, with sources.
Benchmarks: Abstrakt sales center, Performance Intelligence, cumulative program history through October 2026 (no start date in the export). Appointments are appointments set, not held. Annual report figures are for calendar 2025 across all outbound client programs, so the two are not directly comparable: see how the datasets differ.
What are you trying to grow?
Three questions, and we'll pull the research, playbooks and tools that fit.
Pick what fits, and we'll pull the right resources.
Choose an industry, a challenge or both. Results come only from what we have published: research from our sales floor, industry playbooks, guides, tools and articles.
A growth playbook for your industry.
Each one is a full web page you can read online: the accounts to target, the decision-makers and what they control, buying triggers, objections and what a qualified meeting looks like, with our sales-floor numbers where we have them.
HVAC and Mechanical growth playbookRead onlineGet the HVAC and Mechanical guide
Commercial Construction growth playbookRead onlineGet the Commercial Construction guide
Commercial Roofing growth playbookRead onlineGet the Commercial Roofing guide
Fire Protection growth playbookRead onlineGet the Fire Protection guide
Paving and Asphalt growth playbookRead onlineGet the Paving and Asphalt guide
Commercial Landscaping growth playbookRead onlineGet the Commercial Landscaping guide
Commercial Electrical growth playbookRead onlineGet the Commercial Electrical guide
Commercial Cleaning growth playbookRead onlineGet the Commercial Cleaning guide
Commercial Flooring growth playbookRead onlineGet the Commercial Flooring guide
Commercial Painting growth playbookRead onlineGet the Commercial Painting guide Buyer guides for the decisions that cost the most.
Written for owners and sales leaders deciding how to build pipeline: what a qualified meeting is, what it costs, how to reach the people who sign, and how to judge an outsourced partner.
- Buyer guideWhat Is a Qualified Sales Appointment?
What makes a sales appointment qualified: the Right Company, Right Contact, Right Timing standard, how it varies by trade, handoff notes and what never counts.
Read the buyer guide - Buyer guideHow to Choose an Appointment Setting Company
A buyer's guide to choosing an appointment setting company: the criteria to compare, red flags, questions for the sales call and a scorecard to use.
Read the buyer guide - Buyer guideHow to Reach Facility Managers and Get Meetings
How to reach facility managers and get meetings: what they control, when they pick up, what to say, who else to involve and angles by building type and trade.
Read the buyer guide - Buyer guideProperty Manager Leads: How to Get Appointments
How to get appointments with property managers: how they buy, the budget cycle, regional vs. site managers, becoming an approved vendor and common objections.
Read the buyer guide - Buyer guideContract-Cycle Selling: Win Accounts at Renewal
Contract-cycle selling: why not now is usually a timing answer, how to learn renewal dates ethically, what to record and when to follow up, trade by trade.
Read the buyer guide - Buyer guideHow to Get Commercial Maintenance Contracts
How contractors win commercial maintenance contracts and service agreements: who buys, the renewal-month play, first-call questions and follow-up after a no.
Read the buyer guide - Guide series · 9 chaptersGuide to Appointment Setting Lead Generation: Your Roadmap to a Stronger Sales Pipeline
Master appointment setting lead generation with proven strategies, metrics, and tools. Learn how to build pipelines, book meetings, and grow.
Start the guide series - Guide series · 9 chaptersAI-Powered Pipeline: The New Era of Lead Generation
Explore how AI transforms lead generation with smarter targeting, automation, and better insights. Learn strategies, tools, and trends.
Start the guide series
Run the numbers before you decide.
Every assumption is shown and editable. None of them promise an outcome: they show the activity and cost a pipeline takes.
- CalculatorSDR cost calculator
What one in-house SDR costs in year one (pay, commission, taxes, tools, recruiting and manager time), monthly and per meeting, next to an outsourced program. Every assumption is editable.
Price an in-house SDR - CalculatorGrowth calculator
Turn a revenue goal into the qualified meetings and dials you need each month, using our national dials-per-appointment benchmark for your trade.
Calculate my meetings - ToolIs my market open?
Pick a trade and a metro: the buildings, the competition and whether a program is still open there. One client per trade per territory.
Check my market - ToolSample calls by industry
Dramatized appointment-setting calls for each industry, written from our talk tracks and voiced by AI, with every line tagged by its step in the ENGAGE Sales Process. Not recordings of real calls.
Hear the sample calls
52 free PDF guides from our sales floor
Cold calling, building an SDR team, lead generation, sales strategy and inbound. Each page says what is inside, and every PDF is free.
Workbook · 7 pages · PDF2027 Growth Planning WorkbookA 7-page workbook that turns a 2027 revenue goal into the qualified meetings, pitches and dials it takes each month and quarter, with a 12-month tracker.
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Guide · 14 pages · PDF7 Ways Abstrakt Helps Sales Teams Reduce CostsSeven hidden costs of building pipeline in-house, how an outsourced program changes each, BLS-based SDR costs and a side-by-side worksheet.
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Guide · 13 pages · PDFA Beginner's Guide to Building an Effective B2B Sales StrategySix decisions that make a B2B sales strategy, from goal and territory to message, channels and team, with fill-in pages and a 90-day plan.
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White paper · 14 pages · PDFCalculating the Cost of Customer AcquisitionHow to calculate customer acquisition cost by channel, cost per qualified meeting, payback and lifetime value, with worksheets and BLS-based SDR costs.
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Templates · 23 pages · PDFCold Call Talk Tracks With TemplatesFill-in cold call talk tracks for every call, from first dial to voicemail, plus follow-up emails, a pushback guide and five full sample calls.
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Guide · 16 pages · PDFCold Calling Best Practices for Sales TeamsCold calling best practices for B2B teams: preparation, openers, gatekeepers, reasons for the call, pushback, the close and voicemail, with sample calls.
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Report · 15 pages · PDFCold Calling in 2026: What Still Works, What Doesn't, and What's NextWhat our own dialing data says about cold calling in 2026: what still works, what stopped working, list fatigue, qualification and state calling rules.
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Guide · 14 pages · PDFComparing Lead Generation ServicesSix kinds of lead generation service compared: what you get, how they charge, cost per qualified meeting, questions to ask and a scorecard.
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Guide · 15 pages · PDFEssential Sales Lead Generation Best PracticesLead handling best practices: definitions, speed to lead, routing, scoring, multi-channel follow-up, data hygiene, attribution and reporting.
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Checklist · 11 pages · PDFHow to Choose a B2B Marketing Partner40 questions to ask before you hire a B2B marketing partner, what a good answer sounds like, red flags, and a scorecard to compare finalists.
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Guide · 15 pages · PDFHow to Revive Old Leads: A Sales PlaybookWhere forgotten opportunities hide in your CRM, how to sort them, and the calls, emails and timing that bring old B2B leads back.
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Guide · 14 pages · PDFKey Players of an Outsourced Sales Development TeamWho does what on an outsourced sales development team, from setup to the monthly results meeting, and what to ask about each role.
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Guide · 14 pages · PDFLead Generation vs. Appointment Setting: Which Is Best for Your Company?Lead generation vs. appointment setting: what each delivers, the hidden work between them, when each fits and how to run both together.
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Templates · 19 pages · PDFLead Nurturing Email Templates24 fill-in lead nurturing emails for B2B buyers who said "not now," timed to calls, meetings, renewals, budgets and seasons, with the rules that work.
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Checklist · 10 pages · PDFMaximizing Your ROI With Appointment Setting32 checks that decide whether appointment setting pays off: setup, qualifiers, meeting quality, your follow-up and the ROI math.
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Guide · 14 pages · PDFOutbound Sales Strategies for Rapid GrowthFive outbound sales strategies for commercial and B2B growth, how to choose, and the cadence, data, team model and numbers to run them.
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Guide · 19 pages · PDFProspecting Plans: Filling the Gap in Sales Engagement StrategyTurn a revenue target into a daily prospecting plan: coverage math, rep capacity, conversion benchmarks, account tiers, cadences and a fill-in plan.
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Checklist · 11 pages · PDFSteps to Efficiently Managing Your Sales Pipeline30 checks for a sales pipeline you can forecast from: stage exit tests, qualification, hygiene, a weekly review, coverage math and warning signs.
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Guide · 13 pages · PDFStop Wasting Leads: How to Structure Your SDR Distribution for Better Close RatesHow to route SDR meetings to closers: five distribution models compared, hybrids, the hand-off brief, speed rules and measuring close rates fairly.
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Playbook · 23 pages · PDFThe B2B Appointment Setting PlaybookAn 11-chapter playbook for booking qualified B2B meetings, from pipeline math and target accounts to the call, qualification, nurture and handoff.
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Workbook · 17 pages · PDFThe B2B Sales Strategy Development WorkbookA ten-session workbook that takes your team from your best customers to a written B2B sales strategy, with examples and fill-in pages.
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Prospecting kit · 37 pages · PDFThe commercial cleaning prospecting kitJanitorial call scripts, a six-touch email sequence, LinkedIn messages and objection answers for booking walkthroughs with facility and property managers.
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Prospecting kit · 36 pages · PDFThe commercial electrical prospecting kitElectrical contractor call scripts, a six-touch email sequence, LinkedIn messages and objection answers for winning the service seat in commercial buildings.
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Playbook · 20 pages · PDFThe commercial electrical service-agreement playbookHow to sell electrical maintenance agreements: who signs, the survey as a first job, the electrical room walk, proposals, shutdown planning and project upsell.
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Prospecting kit · 34 pages · PDFThe commercial flooring prospecting kitCommercial flooring call scripts, a six-touch email sequence, LinkedIn messages and objection answers for finding renovations and turnovers before they open.
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Prospecting kit · 40 pages · PDFThe commercial HVAC prospecting kitCall scripts, a six-touch email sequence, LinkedIn messages and objection answers for selling HVAC maintenance agreements to facility teams.
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Playbook · 22 pages · PDFThe commercial HVAC service-agreement playbookHow to sell and renew commercial HVAC maintenance agreements: who signs, when budgets are set, the site walk, proposal structure, objections and upsell.
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Prospecting kit · 34 pages · PDFThe commercial landscaping prospecting kitLandscape contractor call scripts, a six-touch email sequence, LinkedIn messages and objection answers for getting on the bid list before the rebid.
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Prospecting kit · 34 pages · PDFThe commercial painting prospecting kitCommercial painting call scripts, a six-touch email sequence, LinkedIn messages and objection answers for getting repaints into the budget before the bid.
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Prospecting kit · 34 pages · PDFThe commercial paving prospecting kitPaving and sealcoating call scripts, a six-touch email sequence, LinkedIn messages and objection answers for getting lot walks before the budget is set.
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Playbook · 22 pages · PDFThe commercial roof maintenance program playbookHow to sell commercial roof maintenance programs: who approves spend, the inspection checklist, condition-report proposals, objections, storms and renewals.
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Prospecting kit · 39 pages · PDFThe commercial roofing prospecting kitRoofing call scripts, storm follow-up, a six-touch email sequence and objection answers for booking commercial roof inspections with owners and managers.
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Guide · 14 pages · PDFThe Custom Website Design Process for B2B CompaniesThe custom B2B website process, from discovery and sitemap to content, design, build, launch and redirects, with a checklist for each stage.
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Guide · 14 pages · PDFThe Essential Guide to Sales Outsourcing ROIHow to measure outsourced sales development ROI honestly: full cost, attribution, lifetime value, timing, the in-house comparison and pitfalls.
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Guide · 15 pages · PDFThe Essential Guide to the B2B Sales ProcessSeven stages of the B2B sales process with buyer-confirmed exit tests, discovery questions, site walks, proposals and proposal and win rate benchmarks.
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Playbook · 22 pages · PDFThe fire protection inspection contract playbookHow to win sprinkler and alarm inspection contracts: who signs, the report review, a six-part proposal, objections, deficiency repairs and consolidating systems.
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Prospecting kit · 36 pages · PDFThe fire protection prospecting kitFire protection call scripts, a six-touch email sequence, LinkedIn messages and objection answers for winning sprinkler and alarm inspection contracts.
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Prospecting kit · 32 pages · PDFThe general contractor prospecting kitCommercial GC call scripts, a six-touch email sequence, LinkedIn messages and objection answers for reaching owners before projects hit the plan room.
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Playbook · 20 pages · PDFThe grounds maintenance contract playbookHow to win and keep commercial landscape maintenance contracts: who awards, the pre-bid site walk, a six-part bid, objections, snow and enhancements.
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Playbook · 21 pages · PDFThe janitorial contract playbookHow to win and keep commercial cleaning contracts: who signs, the walkthrough checklist, a six-part proposal, objections, transitions and renewals.
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Guide · 14 pages · PDFThe LinkedIn Guide to Growing Your Sales FunnelHow B2B sellers use LinkedIn to find decision-makers, warm up calls and stay in front of buyers, with profile, request and message templates.
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Checklist · 11 pages · PDFThe Local SEO Checklist for Commercial Service CompaniesA 36-step local SEO checklist for commercial service companies: Google Business Profile, listings, location and service pages, links and AI answers.
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Guide · 13 pages · PDFThe Most Impactful B2B Lead Generation StrategiesTwelve B2B lead generation strategies, how each works, when it fits and what it costs, with a matrix to pick your three and a 90-day test plan.
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Prospecting kit · 38 pages · PDFThe MSP prospecting kitCall scripts, a six-touch email sequence, LinkedIn messages and objection answers for managed service providers selling to owners, controllers and IT leads.
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Guide · 13 pages · PDFThe Only Guide You Need for B2B Telemarketing and Cold Calling SuccessHow to plan, staff, run and measure a B2B telemarketing program, with 2025 benchmarks and the federal and state calling rules for business calls.
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Playbook · 20 pages · PDFThe parking lot maintenance agreement playbookHow to sell multi-year parking lot maintenance plans: who approves, the lot walk checklist, a six-part plan, objections and growing across a portfolio.
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Guide · 22 pages · PDFThe Right Marketing Collateral: How to Choose for Each Stage of the Buyer's JourneySixteen kinds of B2B sales collateral, what each is for, what to put in it and when to use it across the buyer journey, with a collateral audit.
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Guide · 16 pages · PDFThe Ultimate Guide to Building an SDR TeamHow to build an SDR team: roles, hiring, pay with BLS data, a 30-60-90 ramp, tools, coaching from recordings and the benchmarks to manage.
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Guide · 13 pages · PDFThe Ultimate Guide to Content Marketing Best PracticesContent marketing for commercial trades and B2B companies: buyer questions, pillars, formats, a calendar, writing, distribution and AI search.
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Report · 12 pages · PDFWhat a B2B Appointment Really Costs: 2026 ReportA 12-page report on cost per appointment: in-house SDR year-one cost in 98 metros, dials per appointment by vertical, published outsourced prices and a worksheet.
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Guide · 14 pages · PDFWhy Your Sales Development Strategy Is Failing, and How to Build One That Drives RevenueSix reasons sales development produces activity instead of pipeline, the fix for each, a ten-question diagnostic and a 90-day rebuild plan.
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Checklist · 12 pages · PDFYour B2B Digital Marketing Strategy ChecklistA 42-point B2B digital marketing checklist, with why each item matters: goals, website, search, content, social, email, paid ads and the sales handoff.
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Rather watch or listen?
Every number here comes out of Abstrakt Intelligence.
Our SDRs work in one platform: territory sizing, target lists, the dialer, follow-up and the appointment record. That is why we can publish dials per appointment by title and building size, and why every client sees the same record in their Results Portal.
- Territories sized and lists reviewed before anyone dials
- Every call, appointment and outcome logged against the account
- Benchmarks refreshed from the same record
New on the blog
Commercial buildings have a recurring plumbing calendar. Almost none have seen it written down. Six items, and the two that sell themselves.
The roof is the only part of the project owned by somebody who is not your customer. Five questions to ask on the first visit.
Two documents made on site turn a three-day proposal into an hour, and stop the scope argument six months later.
The sales intelligence brief, once a month
Practical prospecting insights, original benchmarks, industry trends and tools to help build a stronger sales pipeline. See past issues.
Photos on this page: Photos on Pexels (Pexels License): José Andrés Pacheco Cortes, Sergei Starostin, Bulat843, Loc Ho, SHOX ART, Lee Salem, ranjeet ., Caleb Oquendo, Craftsman Concrete Floors, Arda Kaykısız; Cover photos are credited on each guide's page and inside each guide.

