As a journalist, cold calling people is part of the job, as well as answering calls from unknown numbers. So, as a veteran of the cold-call art, let me give you my simple, polite tip: Just say, "Is ...

There’s still nothing quite like a voice on the other end of the line. A well-timed call can eliminate ambiguity, reduce tension or open the door to collaboration in a way that emails, texts and video ...