February 2003

BY NADJI TEHRANI

Savvy marketers know that beyond such crucial criteria as quality, value, CRM, price, service etc., which practically every vendor claims, it is vitally important to rely on third-party endorsements in order to differentiate themselves from the crowd!

A coveted award earned from a reputable source can be the most powerful tool for differentiation by far, provided that: a) it is bestowed from a reputable industry leading source and b) it is marketed effectively.

One surefire way to differentiate yourself from competitors, both foreign and domestic, is to utilize your newly acquired award logo. These awards are normally presented to companies that have reached the upper echelon of the CRM/contact center industry. What better way to tell potential customers that your organization, your products and your services are a step above the rest? To help you maximize the impact of your award logo, weve compiled a quick list of potential uses. Be sure to co-locate your company logo or product logo with the award logo and use them on:
Your Companys Web Site
Trade Show Displays
All Advertisements
Direct Mail Flyers & Brochures
Business Cards
Company Letterhead & Envelopes
Fax Cover Sheets
Incentives & Gifts Such As:
pens/pencils, clocks/watches, executive folders, desk accessories, balloons, luggage tags, mugs, key chains, notepads, t-shirts, tote bags, ties, napkins, calculators, etc.
On Anything And Everything You Can Imagine!

Perception Is Everything
In marketing, perception is everything. Using the award logo reinforces the perception among your clients and prospects that your company is a leader in the contact center/CRM industry. It tells them that you are a member of an exclusive group of companies with a record of achievement worthy of high honors and recognition from TMC, for example, the industrys only credible authority on CRM, contact and customer interaction centers.*
*Source: Alex Fraser, Marketing Manager, Hewlett-Packard.

Some Guidelines For Effective Use Of Awards Logos
Following are some ideas on how to market your awards efficiently, to gain NEW customers and increase market share:
1. Develop a powerful, benefit-driven overall corporate concept and strategy for marketing and promotion.
2. Develop a consistent and cohesive marketing plan where every part of the plan delivers EXACTLY the SAME MESSAGE.
3. Saturate the print, broadcast and on-line media with a powerful news release in which the importance of the award is clearly defined and elaborate on the authoritative position of the source.
4. Make sure your press release is original and doesnt use copycat, me-too-style wording that turns off every editor.
5. Develop ads that are benefit- and response-driven where your award logo is LARGE (i.e., 1-square-inch size at a minimum) and prominently displayed.
6. Define the meaning of the award and use it with your company and with your product logo everywhere.
7. Use integrated marketing and prominently display your award logo on the Web, in brochures, at trade shows, on stationary, in outbound and inbound marketing, in specialty promotional items (i.e., mugs, golf shirts, etc.) along with your company name.
8. Use your award logo and your company name in each and every correspondence that leaves your company.
9. Be sure you place the award logo adjacent to your company name on your Web site.
10. Use your award logo in press conferences and at all board and user group presentations such as keynotes and seminar presentations. Use it in analyst meetings and any and all presentations and communications with Wall Street.
11. Always use your award logo EXTRA LARGE in full color. Small logos have no value.
12. Be proud of your achievement and say: Our award says it all! From the industrys No. 1 magazine, called The Bible of the industry! by The Wall Street Journal.
13. Last, but not least, rent a targeted e-mail or mailing list and send frequent messages to your target audience to inform them about the award and the fact that you are an industry leader in your field. You may obtain such lists from L.I.S.T., Inc. Contact Marc Negri at 516-358-5478, ext. 104 (marc@l-i-s-t.com) for more information.

Network With And Learn From Winners
The Global Call Center Outsourcing Summit^TM (GCCOS) this June 2-4 in Reno, Nevada will provide a unique opportunity for you to network and start business relationships with the upper management of many of the companies that are winners of the 2002 MVP Quality Award and/or will be on the 2003 Top 50 Teleservices Agencies rankings list. In an environment that is laser-focused on successful teleservices outsourcing, attendees can spend three days networking with other top executives in the call center outsourcing field, exchanging views with peers who have tackled similar challenges, talking to other executives who have successfully implemented the latest technologies and finding partners and potential merger prospects. Conference sessions at GCCOS are scheduled to include: 
Legislation Update: Coping with Do-Not-Call Legislation and Privacy Issues
Offshore Call Center Challenges and Opportunities
Outsourcing Offshore: The Ultimate Debate
The Wall Street Perspective
Mergers & Acquisitions Outlook
Improving Your Profit Margin
Essential Technology Investments
Site Selection
Web-Enabling the Call Center
CRM: First-Class Customer Service or Red-Faced Flop?

For more information on attending or exhibiting at the Global Call Center Outsourcing Summit, see www.tmcnet.com/gccos.

Important Information From TMC Research
While I am on the topic of teleservices outsourcing, I would be remiss if I did not mention the upcoming release from TMC Research, The Worldwide Teleservices Outsourcing Market: Analysis & Forecast, 2003. The upcoming research report will contain information vital to both outsourcing companies and those who are contemplating using their services. The report will contain teleservices agencies profiles as well as industry statistics, such as the following: of the users and potential users of teleservices outsourcing agencies, 30 percent have an interest in outsourcing off-shore, but of those who expressed an interest in outsourcing off-shore, 60 percent expressed concerns about doing it. Of the companies that have an in-house call center, 30 percent have had one for 5 to 10 years, 25 percent have had one for 10 to 20 years, and 11 percent have had one for more than 20 years. Respondents who have an in-house call center (including those who also outsource) expressed a majority opinion of 66 percent in favor of a federal government-administrated national do-not-call list as compared to 28 percent against (with 4 percent abstaining). Facts like these and many others will appear in the report, so I urge you to order yours today. To purchase a copy of the report, call Bruce Hirsch at 203-852-6800, ext. 130 or see www.tmcnet.com/research/.

Sincerely,
Nadji Tehrani
TMC Chairman, CEO and
Executive Group Publisher
ntehrani@tmcnet.com

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