Cold calling should always be more about farming than hunting. It helps to bear in mind what your objective is.

1. Ditch the script- not only will you sound more natural without it, but not having a script to look at will force you to listen more carefully to what people are saying.
2. It’s customer selection, not customer trapping – even with great research you may still call some people who your product or service isn’t right for. DON’T try to convince or persuade. Accept that they are not your customer.
3. You are talking to an actual human, and ideally they should feel the same way. Don’t be over friendly, don’t evade questions and don’t pretend you aren’t cold calling.
4. For most people, the purpose of the call isn’t to sell directly: you may want to arrange a meeting, or just start a conversation which can be picked up again in future.
5. If it feels icky, you probably aren’t doing it right. This blog in selling styles might help (link).