Telemarketing has received flak in recent years, making lots of businesspersons believe that telemarketing calls are ineffective. However, the fact is that telemarketing calls not only work but work well, but only for companies that take the pains to get them right. Marketing campaigns are successful only when they promise some value to a customer. This should be the objective of telemarketing calls too.
Today's consumers are barraged with advertisements and marketing materials since the day they were born. They are shrewd and smart enough to not be taken in by sales pitches. They look for real value in propositions and this is where exceptional telemarketing services stand apart. Each call they make has a specific purpose and is designed to corroborate the offer through various means.
Improving telemarketing quality is a must to its survival
Telemarketing is often perceived as an intrusive and unethical means of selling products. Current industry statistics from US and Canada are a clear proof that telemarketing is not going the way it should. Lengthening Do-Not-Call lists confirm the growing cynicism towards telemarketing calls. As of April 2010, there are more than 2 million numbers registered in the Do-Not-Call state list of Wisconsin alone, and almost half of it are mobile phone numbers. The nationwide Do-Not-Call list has more than 180 million registrations.
Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has closed down a telemarketing operation run by an East Pittsburgh company and ordered more than $4.7 million as restitution to consumers. Talbots Inc. and its California marketing partner will have to shell out $161,000 in penalties to settle accusations that they violated federal telemarketing policy related to 3.4 million automated sale calls made to consumers last year. In fact, the high volume of telemarketing calls aimed at people affected by the recession and robocalls violating federal telemarketing laws in 2009 prompted the FTC to impose more curbs.
Redefine the objectives of telemarketing
The reason why numerous telemarketing services haven't made it is because of the focus on statistics. Quantitative goals have become such a critical component of measuring performance that the consumer's interests are often ignored. Calls are started without a strategic purpose in mind; a sale pitch is made way too early; there is no documentation to support the offer; and there is shockingly little follow up.
If telemarketing service providers are to thrive in the advertising industry, basic improvements are necessary. The results of telemarketing calls can be improved by:
* Understanding the goal of a call: Management should develop a work outline for their telemarketers by defining an objective for each call - scheduling an appointment with decision makers, assessing the customer's expectations, getting approval to send a proposal, etc.
* Not selling in the first contact: The first telemarketing call is meant to acquaint the customer with your brand name and build trust by giving attention to their requirements and not your services. Rushing into a sales pitch raises doubt and restricts further communication.
* Keeping printed and online information ready: If the customer asks for supporting information, you should take that as a positive indication. Provide a web address or send a brochure through email or post.
* Always following up promptly: Opportune follow up proves your commitment to the consumer, and gives you the chance to engage the customer better.
If the telemarketing calls received by customers will improve their lives, they will not want to join Do-Not-Call lists. Telemarketing services can win back confidence by directing staff towards being customer centric rather than reaching targets at any cost.
Author Resource:-
Daljeet Sidhu is at Tradeseam B2B Marketplace. Compare Telemarketing quotes.
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