subject: Telemarketing Essentials For Successful Cold-calling [print this page] Believe it or not, there are a lot of salespeople out there who despise the idea of calling perfect strangers and convincing them to buy certain services or products. Cold-calling may still be a less-appealing task even for successful business owners or leaders. It may seem too difficult to achieve even half of what you can call "successful telemarketing", but there are ways to do so.
First and foremost, it is of absolute importance that telemarketers possess the ability to ask for the correct information and find out who the correct person to speak with is. It is considered a favor when the other person bothers to speak with the sales caller so acquiring the much needed information requires a certain level of charisma and persistence. In many instances, telemarketing calls are wasted because of incorrect information. Using a list that contains inaccurate details can ruin a company's reputation as well as waste resources.
Next, efficient information storage is necessary when developing a sales pipeline. Talented salespeople are wasting precious time and resources when they fail to store valuable information. This means that they have to use a database that contains all the relevant information to save time and effort, and allows for timely follow throughs.
Third, telemarketers must demonstrate genuine interest in the customers or prospects they speak with on the phone. Identifying the root cause of their problems and recognizing what prompts them to buy is very distinct from hard selling and cold calling. Instead of showing how well they know the prospect's business, telemarketers should ask relevant questions, be interested in their concerns and respond. Long term business-customer relationships are built with respect and genuine interest.
Of course, telephone marketers still need to have sufficient knowledge about the prospect's business. Research can be done by checking out their websites or reading business magazines. Equally important is being able to level with the prospect during telephone conversations. If they see that the agent is "one of them" or knows what they are talking about, they are likely to give their trust.
Lastly, the indication of a telemarketing success is being able to interact with customers or prospects using a variety of communication methods. Customers come from varying sectors and different customers require different approaches. Telemarketing success can be measured if the telemarketer is able to build rapport over the telephone. There are instances when one prospect appreciates humour while the other would want to speak with a salesperson who demonstrates authority. A competent telemarketer gives appropriate responses while developing sale opportunities and representing a business professionally.
If and when companies do not have salespeople who likes to cold call, it is probably best to hire a professional telemarketing firm. This is way inexpensive than hiring more salespeople and these agencies can manage campaigns with efficiency. It can be advantageous for a business to use specialized telemarketing services based on the industry which they belong, or use an entirely new cold calling system. The important thing is to decide carefully. Remember that market conditions change ever so quickly, and it may be a little too difficult to mirror previous successes in an economic slump.
