When was the last time you picked up the phone, only to be greeted with an unsolicited, unwanted cold call by someone reading off a weak script and who isn’t really interested in what they’re doing?
If that sounds familiar, it’s hardly surprising, which is a real shame because it’s that kind of approach that damages the integrity of genuine telemarketing. And unsurprisingly leads onto the question…
Is Telemarketing Dead?
Adverse experiences like those mentioned above promote the theory that telemarketing is dead, pointless, or at the very least, not as valued as it should be.
Commonly perceived as a numbers game, whereby if you make enough calls, something will convert, the reality is vastly different, particularly in the B2B space.
For a customer-centric business, this type of telemarketing has fortunately gone the way of the dodo. Telemarketing has evolved. Don’t forget that 50 leads that convert are better than 10,000 leads that don’t.
This is the philosophy that good telemarketers subscribe to.
Today, relationship building is the key — both online and off. When combined with the correct data and insight derived from digital activity, telemarketers can speak to the right people at the right time, promoting solutions and services that are fit for purpose.
The Core Advantages of Telemarketing in 2022
We get it, images draw attention. Videos are immersive. They can both communicate a lot of information efficiently. However, telemarketing calls are dynamically interactive because it’s a two-way conversation. So while an ad can be captivating and persuasive, there’s simply no substitute for personal, human interaction at the correct time.
And a telemarketer who is actively engaged with a prospect, who listens to their needs and is well briefed on the service, product or solution on offer can communicate in much greater detail. Answering questions, allaying fears or teasing out a particular issue being faced.
We’re obviously not suggesting that all marketing budget should be redirected to telemarketing at the expense of other channels. But we do believe that when telemarketing is employed alongside complementary tactics, businesses can cultivate a strong sales funnel, one that’s more likely to convert a lead.
Use telemarketing to build rapport
People buy into and buy from people they like. It’s really that simple. Telemarketers can create a highly personalised experience, something that’s vital to any decision-making process. Think about it, are you going to buy from someone that took the time to get to know you and your business, or someone who makes you feel like you’re just another name and number on a spreadsheet?
An experienced telemarketer can communicate value at all stages in the sales funnel. Adjusting how they communicate with prospects in a microsecond. They can nurture connections, showcase more information to prompt a decision, reassure leads, and so much more. From a rapport perspective, there are few better marketing strategies.
Telemarketing Delivers Quantifiable Results
No matter what marketing strategy your business chooses to employ, being able to quantify results quickly is paramount. Without this, how else are you to know what’s worth investing your resources in and what isn’t? Simple, right?
Telemarketing offers businesses the sublime benefit of being able to gather immediate responses and implement a system for analysing and identifying call nature, tracking how different approaches resonate with different audiences.
Cold calling may, from the outside, appear simple and old-fashioned, but it’s been around a long time, has been effective for a long time and continues to be. And for businesses that don’t have an internal telemarketing team, an agency offers the best of both worlds where you can turn on the telemarketing tap when you need it and turn it off when you’re done.
When you consider just how quantifiable telemarketing is, the question of ‘does telemarketing still work?’ is redundant. It still works… very, very well.
So, What’s Stopping You?
It’s true that telemarketing has garnered a negative reputation in recent years.
But is that fair? Absolutely not. Telemarketing, without question, can be incredibly useful for businesses of all descriptions to thrive if done correctly. After all, genuine prospects do genuinely WANT to speak to vendors.
The bottom line is that there have been plenty of opportunities for telemarketing to go extinct in the face of digital marketing over the past 20 years, but as we enter Q4 2022 it’s still very much alive with no signs of becoming extinct.
Joe Green
Related Information
Before your next call, make sure your target list is actually worth calling
Before investing in a full campaign, it’s worth asking how many prospects in your data are genuinely commercially promising, and how many could easily be culled.
Why outsourcing telemarketing makes sense in tough times
Outsourcing to a specialist agency gets you consistent, quality conversations with the right people, handled by professionals who know how to deliver .
How B2B telemarketing can complement digital campaigns
B2B telemarketing can complement and enhance your digital campaigns, providing real-time feedback and the human touch which is sometimes missing from digital channels.
While traditional B2B marketing campaigns aim to cast their net as wide as possible, account-based marketing aligns sales and marketing efforts to create personalised and targeted campaigns.
Effective and thorough planning is the cornerstone to success in B2B telemarketing – your campaigns must be based on a solid strategic foundation if they’re to deliver real results.
Targeted B2B Telemarketing: Proven Strategies to Create Hot Leads
Your potential clients are busy people – so if you’re going to cold call them, you need to know how to make the most efficient use of the time you have while you’ve got them on the line.
Best practices for briefing B2B appointment setting companies
When planning an appointment setting campaign, a clear brief gives your team the information they need to work successfully and ensures appointments are booked with only the right people.
How does B2B appointment setting increase your close rate?
Taking a closer look at some of the key reasons why so many companies are choosing to outsource their appointment setting campaigns to specialist third-party agencies.
How B2B appointment setting agencies keep your data secure
With concerns around data security on the rise, clients are increasingly seeking reassurances that data will be kept secure and used responsibly. Here’s what you need to know, and why quality data is so important.
When you’re preparing to launch a B2B appointment setting campaign, you need to plan it carefully to ensure success. Here are the main things to consider ahead of your next campaign.
Crucial B2B Appointment Setting Metrics to Measure Now
Appointment Setting is great for boosting sales and revenue, but during a campaign it can be hard to tell if you’re reaching the right people. Here are the key metrics you can to use to determine campaign success.
SYSPRO needed to own and promote its brand directly in the UK, whilst partners would generate leads independently, it was important for SYSPRO to be proactive.
Why automation can’t replace appointment setting in a sales strategy
Although automation has the potential to raise the bar for sales strategy, the human element remains vitally important – here’s why you ignore it at your peril.
Techniques to Guarantee that Calls Never Feel Cold
Making cold calls feel warm, open and mutually beneficial is no easy feat. It calls for specialist knowledge and plenty of experience – something that we happen to know a lot about.
Infographic: 5 Powerful ways to use Post-Event Data
If you’ve invested money to attend an event, you need to do everything to maximise your return, and one of the main ways is to ensure you make the most of your post-event data.
The Lost Value of Sales Leads – Does a Sales Lead Ever Die?
It’s not uncommon for leads to be discarded for one reason or another. But what if that last discarded lead was a golden opportunity to build a fruitful, longstanding commercial relationship?
Why Telemarketing is More Than ‘Just Making Phone Calls’!
When it comes to the art of sales and marketing, there is an almost gravitational level pull towards the theory that more equals better. Is that really the case?
Getting started with Account-Based Marketing (ABM)
ABM works superbly in the B2B space and compared to the scattergun approach of other strategies, ABM’s targeted approach often leads to much higher returns over time.
Despite malpractice by a sub-section of predatory quasi-marketeers pushing PPI, solar panels and insulation, telemarketing is still regarded as one of […]
