GlobalBX

Telemarketing is nothing new.  Since early in the last century, Wall Street brokers have used the telephone to sell securities, commodities, stocks and bonds to customers scattered across the country.  Then, it was primarily a matter of logistics.  The world was large, and telephone sales offered a practical alternative to the inconvenience of telegraphic communications.

Today, in the electronic age, with air travel, telecommunications, media, and overnight air-express deliveries, the distance between the east and west coasts have become much smaller.

Telemarketing has segmented much larger geographic regions into manageable sales territories, to reduce cost per sale and capitalize market potential.  Telemarketing has also enabled companies to broaden and intensify market coverage while maximizing advertising and marketing investments.

The telemarketing campaign should function like a streamlined locomotive.  Why, then, do so many telemarketing efforts become derailed?

Too often, telemarketing fails because the role of the telemarketer is not adequately recognized, defined or supported.  Done wrong, telemarketing can be an expensive exercise in futility, or worse, cause alarming damage to a company’s image by alienating customers and prospects.

Research, planning and preparations support a successful telemarketing program.  Reinforced by direct mail and direct sales, advertising, public relations, catalogs, brochures and other marketing strategies, it is still the telemarketer who breathes life into the mix.

As an integral link in the marketing chain, the telemarketer performs two vital functions:

• Accepting and responding to the inbound call, in which a customer or prospective customer inquires about products or services; and
• Initiating the outbound call to the customer or prospective customer.

In a nutshell, effective telemarketing blends sales skills and product knowledge.  The well-trained and well-prepared telemarketer:

• exudes confidence.
• is thoroughly familiar with the company’s products and can identify their features and benefits.
• demonstrates a well-polished and rehearsed telephone sales presentation using scripts, prompts and varied approaches as appropriate.
• can clearly and concisely explain the benefits of the product to the sales contact.
• matches the product’s benefits to the customer’s needs (it’s not a benefit your customer if it doesn’t fill one of his/her needs).
• routinely upsells (sells more of a product) and cross-sells (sells additional products).

To manage each call, the telemarketer should begin by setting call objectives.  Overall objectives may be to create interest in your product, build your customer profile, overcome objections, and if appropriate, close the sale.  Depending on the type of call and the product you’re selling, your objectives would be more specific.

Consider, too, that the voice must be trained to convey enthusiasm, conviction, confidence, interest and concern.  Impeccable telephone manners are crucial, of course, as is sounding alert, expressive, natural, friendly and distinct.

Choose your words carefully, recognizing that they are powerful tools, which can have a positive or negative impact on your customer.  Your choice of words should match your sales contract’s needs.

Competence and confidence are partners.  Competence allows you to manage most situations that you are likely to encounter.  This derives from an in-depth knowledge of your product or service, and of the ways in which your product or service will benefit your customer.  This knowledge that can’t be faked, because your customer will sense it immediately.

Yet, confidence is sometimes elusive to the telemarketer who may be having a “cold streak.”  Try to view confidence as a skill to be acquired and honed.  And, never let yourself be discouraged by objections; they’re simply part of the sales process.

Perhaps the most important skill for the telemarketer, however, is listening.  You should know how to listen: for needs – both spoken and unspoken; for facts; for interest; for objections; for opportunities.