Definition
Contacting prospects who have no prior relationship with you, through channels like email, LinkedIn, or phone, with the aim of starting a relevant sales conversation.
Cold outreach is channel-agnostic: cold email and LinkedIn outreach are both forms of it. What makes it work is the same everywhere: a narrow list, a reason to contact this person now, and an opening that earns curiosity in the first few seconds instead of leading with a pitch.
Where this comes from
Read the related term: The 3-Second Rule