Getting Leads by Telephone – 5 Steps to Great Telemarketing

Cold-calling is an important part of any marketing campaign and does not necessary involve spending all day making calls. Even if just a couple of hours are put aside for telemarketing every week or even every month, then at least a positive step forward is being made to encourage new business.

There are a few key steps to make, though, when considering and making cold-calls, so follow these 5 small steps to successful telemarketing.

1. Timing – There is always going to be a reason you can think of to put off making these calls, so instead, designate a time slot each day/week/month so that you know when you are going to do so. This also means that you can get on with the rest of your day without thinking of ways to put off making cold calls.

timeImage Source – nathanmac87 (CC License)

2. Confidence –  Selling your product or service all comes down to confidence, so before you pick up the phone, make sure you believe in your ability to sell.

3. Competence – It is important to understand your product inside-out, in order for you to not only sell the product or service itself, but also all the benefits it offers. This also makes it easier to answer any questions confidently, as prospect buyers would be put off by uncertainty.

4. Professionalism – There should always be some element of friendliness with telemarketing, but nothing trumps professionalism. Business men and women appreciate the professional approach, as it implies efficiency and competency.

5. Accountability – If at any point you do slip-up, then be honest. A prospect will be able to pick up on any cover-ups, and will straight away discount your product or service. On the other hand, by owning up straight away, it shows honesty and integrity; both important to professionals.

And remember, when it comes to telemarketing, practice makes perfect. And the more calls you make, the closer you will get to a successful sale.


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.