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Using the telephone to make connections, identify leads and close sales has been a common business practice since the dawn of the switchboard. This technology provided companies with a way to reach more prospects in less time, thereby improving their margins and growing in terms of revenue and profitability.

While these practices often included the use of telemarketing to make the connection, they can also include the use of teleprospecting, according to a Biz Journals report. Most consumers have received both types of calls, and there is a distinct difference in the experience.

Telemarketing is just like it sounds – marketing with the use of the telephone. Telemarketing calls are often designed around the same script for each call in the hopes that if the agent can get through the message as quickly and efficiently as possible, they will have a certain percentage of people on the other end of the line willing to buy into what they have to say. For consumer products and small ticket business items, this is still an effective way to sell. The telemarketing company casts a wide net to reach its intended sales numbers.

It is not the most effective approach if the goal is to promote larger ticket B2B items. This is where teleprospecting comes in. This process has a goal of identifying live sales opportunities according to the “pain” that may be experienced by the person on the other end of the line. The person on the other end of the line is more willing to speak with the agent if he or she has been experiencing a major business pain and is seeking a solution.


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Teleprospecting calls tend to be completed by the more experienced telemarketer, as he or she is spending time on the call to determine whether or not their product is the best fit according to what is taking place at the target company. A quality and experienced teleprospector is not upset if the conversation ends without a next step as their goal is to find the right fit and not just get a commitment to complete the next step.

To measure teleprospecting success, companies look at conversion forecasts, not just the number of meetings booked. As a result, a good teleprospecting rep is not looking to pursue anything that doesn’t have a high likelihood of moving to the next step in the sales process. The focus instead is on high quality and qualified leads.

So what does this conversation have to do with the predictive dialer? Both kinds of calls can rely on this automated approach to connecting with the right person. For the telemarketer, it ensures the right contact is made quickly and efficiently so they can move right into the script. For the teleprospector, it saves manual dialing time and helps to quickly move to the next person if the first option is unavailable. In reality, all of these benefits can positively affect both telemarketing and teleprospecting. The point is to use the right technology at the right time for the optimal outcome.