Obviously prospecting by phone or email is not dead when huge companies are engaging in it.

But it is badly done.

My impression from the language of your question ("hard core" selling) is that you are familiar with traditional features and benefits-based selling. This the Herb Tarlek style from WKRP in Cincinnati that many of us grew up on. It creates an antagonistic relationship between salesperson and prospect. Unfortunately, it is the only sales approach most people have heard of.

Instead of trying to bowl over prospects with how awesome you are, or your product is, or what features it has, or its price, instead FILTER. Sort. Have a beginning to your process, whatever prospecting method you use, that separates people you should be talking to from people you shouldn't. Have a look at my corporate page at http://www.jasonkanigan.com -- the entire point is to Make Newbies Go Away. And it does. I only want to talk to experienced people who are able to competently fulfill a product or service.

You haven't shared your product or service, so I can't give specific recommendations.