10 Reasons to Love Telemarketing
Telemarketers are unproductive and overpriced… right? They just annoy people and give my business a bad name… right? They couldn’t actually add any value to my business… right?
It is time to change this line of thinking.
Telemarketing has become underappreciated and underutilised. It has gained a reputation for repeatedly calling the same people, who are not interested in the service or product. This bad practice has given businesses, and customers, a distorted view of the role’s aims.
Telemarketing is actually an essential job, and can permanently change your entire business for the better. Here are 10 reasons why you should stop hating, and start loving telemarketing.
Image source – Peter Kaminski (CC License)
1. Telemarketing is Flexible
Telemarketing changes to suit the needs of your business. Keep your staff updated about new product launches, campaigns and company news. Not only will your customers have a better idea of your current deals and future plans, you will also see your brand develop.
Telemarketing requires the ability to communicate information in a short amount of time, forcing your sales team to concentrate on your unique selling points. Telemarketing will help you to understand what makes your company special. This will not only build your marketing initiatives, but also strengthen the company brand as a whole.
2. Telemarketing is Human
Speaking directly to someone is the best way to engage your customer. Placing a human at the forefront of your sales initiative gives your business a voice, and allows you to establish a customer relationship. It allows you to put the customer’s mind at ease. You can answer questions, or address any reservations that the customer may have about working with your company. You then understand your prospects better, and identify ways that you can upsell your services.
A phone call can find customers quickly. The internet is crammed with businesses trying to sell themselves and silently hoping they will find your site is just not productive. A speedy phone call to right people can increase sales dramatically.
3. Telemarketing Goes Straight to the Top
It can be frustrating when you are dealing with a company and they can’t give you an answer because the manager is not around. Speed up your selling process by bypassing people who cannot make that all important decision to work with your company.
Telemarketing allows you to contact the relevant people, who can make a difference.
4. Telemarketing Leads to Face to Face Meetings
Telemarketing gains appointments quickly. Rather than waiting for your customers to come to you, be proactive and organise a meeting. As soon as you talk to someone face to face you are able to establish an invaluable human connection.
Meetings allow you to find more out about your clients, and identify potential problems. It is an essential part of the sales process that can be highly influenced by your telemarketers.
5. Telemarketing Creates Effective Databases
Find out the demographics of your customers. Do a lot of people have the same problem? Where are they coming from? Identify some patterns and begin to target those that fit them, which will decrease costs and increase sales.
Telemarketing also allows you to keep your database up to date. Always ask questions and add the information to the database. By properly targeting your calls towards potential clients and customers you can increase your conversions overnight.
6. Telemarketing Collects Customer Feedback
Telemarketing is one of the most effective ways to attain customer feedback. Learn about the benefits of your product, find great stories and discover information about your customer’s experience with your company.
You could concentrate on products, customer service, delivery or brand sentiment. It also lets your customers know that you care enough to call, building your customer relationship.
7. Telemarketing Remembers
Telemarketing makes it easy to follow up on clients. Keep a note on who has expressed an interest in your services, and give them a call. Let them know that you are still available, and interested in working with them.
This is the best type of call to make, as the client is already interested in your services. It is much more profitable to call someone who is already interested than someone who might not even need you.
8. Telemarketing Creates Opportunities
Telemarketing allows you to identify campaign ideas before your competitors. Find out what your target audience are most concerned about, what they would like to see and what upcoming events are going to happen in the industry. You could know before it is even advertised! Then, fill the gap before your competitors, and use your telesales staff to promote the event.
9. Telemarketing Sells
Don’t forget that your telemarketers can sell anything. Indeed, a very profitable idea is to sell advertising space. This places your website directly in your industry by advertising related companies. However, be careful, and make sure they are not your direct competitors!
For example, if you sell online marketing services, why not advertise telesales on your site? By placing yourself amongst reputable businesses you can earn money, whilst advertising companies that complement your own industry.
10. Telemarketing is Collaborative
Telemarketing can be integrated with your sales team to provide even better results. Allow your staff the ability to communicate and follow up on those previously generated leads, so that they don’t go cold.
By having regular meetings and making sure that all clients are reassured, you can create a great business reputation. This will increase sales overall and allow your teams to work together, producing a productive and friendly work culture.
Telemarketing has had a reputation in the past. But used correctly, effeciantly and strategically, it can completely modify your business sales and culture. So lend some love to telemarketers, and watch your entire business benefit from the results.
If you are interested in finding out what telemarketing can do for you, get in touch with VSL here.
Andy Dickens
Andy Dickens is a veteran of IT Sales, used to leading by example. He is the CEO of Virtual Sales Limited (VSL) who offer telesales, telemarketing, lead generation and appointment setting services to B2b businesses. He previously was Sales Director EMEA for Red Hat and before that ran sales at Visio before it was acquired by Microsoft.