The verdict in three sentences
For a London provider of hosted telephony and VoIP systems targeting SMEs and law firms in the City, LinkedIn and cold email end up with a similar cost per signed contract, roughly 250 to 750 GBP as a 2026 ballpark. LinkedIn costs more per month (500 to 1,300 GBP) but earns 3 to 8 percent replies, against 1 to 4 percent for cold email (350 to 1,000 GBP a month). The 2027 switch off of the UK copper telephone network gives both channels a strong, time bound reason to talk to firms still on legacy lines.
The two channels month by month
A hosted telephony contract for a firm with 10 to 40 users is worth about 1,300 to 5,000 GBP a year, often on 24 to 36 month terms. Even a 750 GBP acquisition cost pays back quickly if churn stays low.
| Metric | Outsourced LinkedIn prospecting | Cold email with dedicated domains |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost (2026 market ballpark) | 500 to 1,300 GBP | 350 to 1,000 GBP |
| Contacts per month | 200 to 400 personalised messages | 1,500 to 3,000 emails |
| Reply rate | 3 to 8 percent | 1 to 4 percent |
| Ramp up | 1 to 2 weeks | 3 to 4 weeks of domain warm up |
| Best suited to | Practice managers, COOs, IT leads at law firms | Owners of small firms and multi site retailers |
| Main risk | Account restrictions if volumes are too high | Domain reputation and spam filtering |
| Cost per signed contract | 250 to 750 GBP | 250 to 750 GBP |
Cost per contract: a worked calculation
| Step | LinkedIn (example) | Cold email (example) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly budget | 800 GBP | 700 GBP |
| Contacts reached | 300 | 2,000 |
| Replies | 6 percent, so 18 | 2 percent, so 40 |
| Meetings | 40 percent of replies, so 7 | 25 percent of replies, so 10 |
| Contracts signed | 30 percent of meetings, so 2 | 20 percent of meetings, so 2 |
| Cost per contract | 400 GBP | 350 GBP |
Cold email looks slightly cheaper here, but only with sharp targeting and close deliverability monitoring. LinkedIn yields fewer but better conversations, which saves sales time on meetings that go nowhere.
Three year comparison
| Criterion | Outsourced LinkedIn | Cold email |
|---|---|---|
| 36 month cost (example) | 800 x 36 = 28,800 GBP | 700 x 36 = 25,200 GBP, plus about 1,500 GBP of tools and domains |
| Contracts over 36 months (assumption) | 72 | 72 |
| Time to first contract | 4 to 8 weeks | 6 to 10 weeks |
| Dependence on the provider | Medium, conversations stay on your profile | High if domains and lists belong to the provider |
| Scalability | Capped by platform limits | High, by adding domains carefully |
| Compliance | Personal messages, low exposure | PECR and UK GDPR rules to apply strictly |
On the legal side, PECR lets you send B2B marketing email to corporate subscribers, such as limited companies and LLPs, without prior consent, provided you identify yourself and offer a simple opt out. Sole traders and some partnerships count as individual subscribers and need consent, which matters when prospecting small law practices. UK GDPR still applies to any named contact data, so document your legitimate interest assessment.
Recommendation by profile
| Provider profile | Recommended channel | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Targets law firms with 10 to 50 staff | Named decision makers, shorter cycle | |
| Targets small firms across London in volume | Cold email | Low cost per contact, simple message |
| Sales team of 1 or 2 people | Fewer, better qualified meetings | |
| Fixed price switch off migration bundle | Cold email | Clear offer, fast conversion |
| Budget under 700 GBP a month | One channel, done well | Splitting raises cost per contract |
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Illustrative example: Daniel, founder of a fictional 20 person VoIP provider in London, tests both channels for 3 months with 800 GBP on LinkedIn and 700 GBP on cold email. Under these assumptions he signs 7 contracts via LinkedIn at an average 3,000 GBP a year and 6 via email at 2,000 GBP a year. Cost per contract: 2,400 / 7 = 343 GBP on LinkedIn, 2,100 / 6 = 350 GBP by email.
Contract value tells a different story: 7 x 3,000 = 21,000 GBP a year against 6 x 2,000 = 12,000 GBP. Daniel keeps LinkedIn as the main channel for law firms and uses cold email for a fixed price copper switch off bundle aimed at small firms.
FAQ
Which channel costs less per contract?
As a 2026 ballpark, both land between 250 and 750 GBP per signed contract. The gap comes from targeting quality and the annual value of the contracts you win.
Why use dedicated domains for cold email?
To protect your main domain's reputation. Allow 3 to 4 weeks of warm up before sending more than 50 emails a day per inbox.
Is B2B cold email legal in the UK?
Yes for corporate subscribers under PECR, if you identify yourself and include an opt out. Sole traders and some partnerships need prior consent.
How does the 2027 switch off help?
Firms still on analogue lines must move before the copper network closes, which gives outreach a concrete deadline. Messages built around that date typically earn more replies than generic feature pitches.
How should we steer both channels?
With a weekly report per channel: contacts reached, replies, meetings, contracts and cost per contract. Pause any channel above 750 GBP per contract for 3 months running.
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Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
