Don't insult your prospect
Introduction
Make your own calls
Don't insult your prospect
Be prepared and speak clearly
Know your customer
It's a two-way conversation
I've noticed a growing trend of poorly trained salespeople who think they know everything about marketing and that their company is the perfect fit for every marketer on the planet. Confidence is admirable, but telling a prospect that you know more than they do about what is right for their business is ridiculous. If this is your approach, read: "How to Win Friends and Influence People" by Dale Carnegie before picking up the phone ever again.
Along these same lines, don't ask to speak with the CMO or CEO if you don't like the response you receive from your prospect. Remember, you're trying to enter into a business relationship not talk to customer service to get a credit on your cellphone bill. More than a dozen times in the last year, I've had a salesperson leave a voice mail for our CEO because I made the decision not to do business with their company. This tactic will completely eliminate any chance of doing business with your prospect's company. The same holds true for running to the client directly after their agency says "no" and visa versa.
The key is that "no" often means "not now," but insulting your prospect will result in "no" meaning "never in a million years."
Next: Be prepared and speak clearly