We ran a real experiment with one of our commercial cleaning clients. Same client, same market, same list of prospects, two different outreach methods. Half the list got cold emails. The other half got cold calls. Both campaigns ran for exactly 30 days.
Here's the complete breakdown with the actual numbers, the actual templates we used, and the actual results.
TL;DR: Both channels work. Cold email generated 14 qualified leads → 7 walkthroughs → 2 closed contracts. Cold calling generated 11 qualified leads → 4 walkthroughs → 1 closed contract plus 1 pending. Lead quality was comparable. Cold email had better economics and scalability. Cold calling had faster real-time engagement. If you can only pick one, start with cold email.
The setup
We work exclusively with commercial cleaning companies doing $200K to $15M per year across the US, Canada, and Australia. This client was in active growth mode and wanted consistent walkthroughs every month.
For the test, the only thing that varied between the two campaigns was the channel. List, market, ICP, offer, and timeline were identical.
Building the list
We use three tools for every cleaning company we work with:
-
Apollo.io for decision-maker contact data (with verified emails). The titles we target are owner, CEO, founder, co-founder, director of facilities, facility management director, general manager, COO, facility manager, facility director, and director of operations.
-
Outscraper.com for Google Maps data. Useful for vertical-specific targeting like dentists, doctors, clinics, or any local business with a Google profile in your service area.
-
LeadList Verifier for cleaning the list. This is the step most operators skip. It verifies catch-all emails (which most software labels "unknown" and you don't know whether to send to), and separates contacts by email service provider so you can route Outlook contacts and Google contacts through different sending infrastructure.
Both campaigns excluded other commercial cleaning and janitorial companies. They're not the buyer.
After cleaning, we split the list exactly in half. Same industries, same titles. List A got cold email. List B got cold calling.
Cold email campaign
Infrastructure
You can't send cold email from your main business domain. If you do, you'll destroy your domain reputation and your regular business emails will start landing in spam.
For this client we used Elevate Inboxes, our own private email infrastructure. $100 for 100 Outlook inboxes. We set up multiple sending domains with multiple inboxes per domain, each sending controlled volume per day to stay under spam filters.
The email we sent
Subject: Quick question about [company name] cleaning
Hey [first name], notice you manage [ABC company]. Most facility managers we work with deal with inconsistent cleaners or last-minute schedule changes. We specialize in commercial cleaning for the automotive niche. Would you be open to us sending a quote?
[Name, company name]
Four lines. No pitch deck. No long preamble. Just asking if they'd like a quote.
Follow-up sequence
- 2 days later: another short email
- 3 days later: short follow-up mentioning a specific pain point cleaning operators commonly face
- ~2 weeks later: social proof email mentioning other companies we work with in the area
- ~3 weeks later: final check-in
Each email short. Each one giving them an easy way to respond. We sent 500 to 2,500 emails per day depending on how many inboxes were loaded.
Cold email results
- 12,035 emails sent
- 313 total responses
- 14 positive leads (facility managers asking for a quote or walkthrough)
- 7 walkthroughs booked
- 2 contracts closed
The replies were real and specific:
"Yes, I would like a quote on cleaning my studio in the Naples Art District."
"Yes, we would be interested in a quote." (from a church)
"We would be open to receiving a quote. I am available next Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday between 10 and 3."
These are real decision-makers managing real facilities. They're responding because they either have an issue with their current cleaner or they've been with them long enough they want to see what else is out there.
Cold calling campaign
Infrastructure
We used one of our in-house callers. 7 hours per day, 5 days per week, trained on our scripts, managed by our cold calling manager. We took the same verified lead list, enriched it for phone numbers, and loaded it into our dialing system.
Our callers make around 300 dials per day. That's not conversations. That's actual dials. Most go to voicemails. Some hit gatekeepers. Some get through to actual decision-makers.
The script
Opening:
"Hey, my name is Jeremy. I was just looking to see if I could speak to the person in charge of your commercial cleaning or janitorial services."
If transferred:
"Hey [Bob], I'm calling because we specialize in commercial cleaning for your industry. Would you be open to us coming out and giving you a quote?"
Same messaging as the email. No long pitch. Just asking if they're open to getting a quote.
If yes, the caller collects basic info (square footage if they know it, current provider, any pain points) and sends the lead to the client with the call recording so the client can listen before calling back.
Cold calling results
- ~6,500 dials (300 per day across 21.5 working days)
- 25% became actual conversations (~1,625)
- 11 positive leads
- 4 walkthroughs booked
- 1 contract closed, 1 pending
Side-by-side comparison
| Metric | Cold Email | Cold Calling |
|---|---|---|
| Daily volume | 500-2,500 emails | 300 dials |
| 30-day total volume | 12,035 emails | ~6,500 dials |
| Positive leads | 14 | 11 |
| Walkthroughs | 7 | 4 |
| Contracts closed | 2 | 1 + 1 pending |
| Speed to first reply | Hours | Real-time only |
| Effort to run | Automated | Active dialing |
| Scalability | Add inboxes + domains | Hire + train more callers |
| Infrastructure cost | ~$1/inbox/month at scale | Caller salary + commission |
What this tells us
Both work. That's the first takeaway. Both channels generate qualified leads for commercial cleaning companies. The numbers are comparable. The lead quality is comparable.
Cold email has slightly better economics. You reach more people for less money, the process is automated, and you don't need to hire and manage staff.
Cold calling builds a different kind of rapport. Some facility managers and owners prefer phone. It's more personal, you can answer objections in real-time, and some people just don't check email regularly.
Quality is about the same. Both channels produce qualified leads who genuinely want a quote.
The variable nobody talks about: speed to lead
This is the part that doesn't show up in most outbound debates.
Our clients who get the best results are in touch with new leads within 5 to 10 minutes.
Our clients who end up cancelling reach out 3 days later and then wonder why the lead has gone cold.
The outreach channel generates the lead. The speed of follow-up determines whether you close it. If you're not set up to respond within minutes, neither cold email nor cold calling will work for you. Fix this before you spend a dollar on outbound.
The honest answer
If you're a commercial cleaning company doing $200K to $15M a year and you want consistent walkthroughs every month, run both channels. Use email for volume. Use calling for direct engagement. There are facility managers who won't respond to a cold email and facility managers who won't pick up a cold call. Running both catches both.
If you're only going to pick one, start with email. It's easier to set up, faster to scale, and you reach more decision-makers per dollar.
If you want us to run cold email or cold calling for your cleaning company the way we ran this campaign, book a call. We work with one client per market. If your area is open, we can start immediately.