Podcast Summary: Digital Social Hour - Peter Roth: Why Cold Calling Is Stronger Than Ever in 2025 (DSH #1650)

Date: December 1, 2025
Host: Sean Kelly
Guest: Peter Roth (Call Center Owner & Sales Expert)

Episode Overview

In this dynamic episode of Digital Social Hour, Sean Kelly sits down with Peter Roth, a veteran entrepreneur and call center owner. Together, they dive deep into the present and future of cold calling and sales outreach, confronting misconceptions, regulatory changes, the impact of AI, and the timeless value of relationships in business. The episode is laced with candid stories, actionable insights for entrepreneurs, and reflections on risk and resilience in sales and investment.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Value of Relationships and Value-based Selling

• Relationships as a Core Business Principle

  • Peter repeatedly emphasizes relationships:

    "Relationships are number one. If you go through life where the relationship is the most important thing, the money will always follow suit." (00:59, 11:01)

  • Providing value that exceeds price is the underpinning of any successful sale.
  • When you can make a client more than you charge them, your business becomes indispensable.

• Selling Ethically and Successfully

  • Sean and Peter agree that overcomplicating sales is a common pitfall, especially for younger entrepreneurs who may be "chasing money":

    "A sale is like, if value exceeds price, a sale is made." - Peter (01:17, 11:43)
    "Because your numbers will talk for themselves, your history will speak. But people focus on the wrong things, I think." - Sean (01:22, 11:48)

The State of Cold Calling in 2025

• AI-Driven Landscape & Regulation

  • Regulatory bodies (TCPA, FCC) banned AI for cold calling in early 2024, reserving its use only for opt-in situations:

    "TCPA banned that in February of 2024. Wow. You can't use AI for cold calling." - Peter (02:43)

  • Roth points out the ban has actually revitalized human cold calling by filtering out automated "junk" calls, making real outreach more effective:

    "It's actually stronger than ever now... AI actually kind of solidified a place in the world for cold calling." - Peter (04:00)

• Strategic, Targeted Outreach Is Essential

  • High-volume cold calling (up to 100,000 calls/day) is only cost-effective when approached "surgically"—targeting the right prospects, not spam-blasting the masses.
  • Data, good leads, skilled agents, and the right software are critical.

    "You should always take the surgical approach… If you’re a roofer or whatever business you’re in, think, or talk to ChatGPT." - Peter (05:40–06:21)

• Cold Email: Still Thriving and Cost-Effective

  • Sean shares personal success generating six figures a month through cold emails (using tools like Instantly, Apollo, and ListKit IO):

    “I could go to any major city and get 500 people in a room. No paid ads, all cold email.” - Sean (07:47)

  • Roth agrees on the importance of combining channels and high-quality data.

The Evolution of Lead Generation and Sales

• Back to Basics: The Comeback of "Old School" Tactics
  • As digital marketing becomes saturated and distrusted, there's a strong resurgence in traditional media (TV, radio, mailers) and direct outreach:

    "That's why mailers are now working again. People are like, ‘Oh, I haven't received a mailer in a long time…’" - Peter (15:38)

• Call Centers Remain Resilient
  • Despite digital trends and naysayers, call centers persist due to their ability to build trust and enable high-value conversations.

    "I totally disagree… [call centers are] a huge opportunity, I think, for companies." - Peter (16:17)

Home Services & Industry Insights

• Home Services ("Boring" Businesses) Are AI-Resistant
  • Sectors like HVAC, roofing, and plumbing are relatively safe from automation and AI disruption because they require skilled, in-person labor:

    "Home services are about as shielded as I suppose any industry can be." - Peter (22:25)

• Repeat Revenue Models vs. One-and-Done
  • HVAC enjoys repeat business due to ongoing servicing needs, but Roth warns this can lead to complacency.
  • Compare to roofing/solar, where “hustler” mentality is necessary due to one-off sales.
• Fundraising and Charities as a New Avenue for Cold Outreach
  • Roth spots growing opportunities in helping nonprofits and charities with professional cold calling, leveraging their strong lead lists and operational discipline.

Personal Stories, Investments, and Resilience

• Business Wisdom: Stay Focused, Say No

  • Roth shares how, with maturity, he has become more selective and laser-focused on ventures with real seven-figure potential.
  • He turns down attractive offers to stay aligned with core strengths.

• Investment Philosophy

  • Roth and Sean warn against chasing quick wins in investing (‘home runs’), highlighting lessons from personal losses in crypto and sports cards.
  • Best returns come from investing in yourself and your business:

    "You're never going to get a better return on your investment than... Think of you." - Peter (41:02) "Just keep putting money into you." - Sean (41:17)

• Failure as a Rite of Passage

  • Both recount significant failures (Sean’s crypto and sports cards crashes, Peter’s “catastrophic” business loss), crediting them as pivotal to later success.

    "I came back 10 times more successful from that one event." - Peter (47:36) "I've never met an entrepreneur that didn't have some similar story…" - Sean (48:31)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On AI and Cold Calling:
  "If they were to legalize [AI cold calling], your phone... cell phone tires will be on fire. You know, there'd be so many calls coming." - Peter Roth (03:30)
• On Modern Marketing:
  "Now we're seeing a big resurgence in traditional media coming back… Because that's what happens when you ignore something for a long time." - Peter Roth (15:07)
• On Resilience:
  "I had that realization and I’m super thankful. And I came back, I came back 10 times more successful from that one event than I ever would have." - Peter Roth (47:36)
• On Where to Invest:
  "Nothing will ever out produce yourself… Focus on yourself as your primary source of income, and then everything else is just wealth preservation." - Peter Roth (43:00)

Timestamps of Important Segments

• 00:59 / 11:01 / 11:37 – The primacy of relationships and core sales philosophy
• 02:43 / 04:00 / 04:12 – Legislation banning AI cold calls and its impact on the industry
• 05:40 – The importance of strategic, targeted outreach ("surgical" vs. "shotgun" approach)
• 07:47–08:30 – Cold email strategies; building events and podcast guest lists without ads
• 13:18–16:03 – Solar’s reputation problem; rebirth of traditional marketing channels
• 16:17 – Defense of call centers as an outreach method
• 17:42–20:35 – Client retention vs. one-time sales in home services
• 22:25 – AI disruption in various industries; home services as a stronghold
• 41:00–43:15 – Best ROI: investing in yourself and your business
• 44:00–46:11 – Stories of losing money in risky asset classes and the importance of learning from loss
• 47:36 – Rebounding from catastrophic business failure
• 49:09 / 49:57–51:10 – Lessons from starting a business during recessions; cycles of economic challenge

Final Takeaways & Practical Advice

• For Entrepreneurs: Focus on relationships and real value; avoid shiny object syndrome; prioritize selectivity with collaborations and investments.
• For Sales Pros: Cold calling is alive and thriving as long as it is targeted and offers real value. Combine cold calls with emails and leverage high-quality data.
• For Investors: Never gamble with what you can't afford to lose. Your best investment will always be in personal growth and your own ventures.
• For Business Owners: Prepare for economic downturns by playing the "long game," continually investing in yourself, and rooting your business in resilient, "boring" fundamentals.

Where to Find Peter Roth

Peter helps companies in home services and beyond build effective call centers and sales outreach. To learn more or work with Peter, reach him via [his Instagram as linked in the show notes].

A candid, motivating episode showing that old-school approaches—done right—are not only relevant but essential in today's crowded, AI-infused business landscape.