I agree with your observation about respect, but as for the challenge of the value of cold calling, I assure you that it's not going to be effective in targeting most IT professionals.

I've done a lot of technology consulting, and so there is some value to me in taking cold calls every now and then, but the vast majority of my peers -- both managers and individual contributors -- would sooner shoot a sales professional than speak to them. Calling lists of people and hoping that five in a hundred is aligned in terms of problems that you can solve, is not a winning strategy. This why many sales folks target the C-Suite and hope that the pressure from above is sufficient to pressure the techs into a phone call or meeting.

When a tech person has a problem, then they will go in search of a solution. This is more than just an issue of convincing or persuading vs bullying. It's the annoyance of even having to entertain them as they trying to find out if there is any synergy in the first place. It's the fact that sales is seen as adversarial to the interests of those managing technology -- both inside and outside the company. Sales is constantly seen as the source of products and solutions that purport to do much, but simply cause a burden to the tech teams. There is nothing about cold calling improves that relationship or changing that narrative.

Sales is forever trying to scratch an itch that tech is not trying to have scratched. What I mentioned before is not just about marketing -- it's about being passive until I need you, and not a moment before. No sales person is going to like that, but no sales person will be respected until they do understand that -- as it pertains to technology folks.