Telemarketing Software Featured Article

With the advent of e-mail marketing and social media campaigns, many pundits assume that old-fashioned marketing methods like direct mail and telemarketing software are headed for extinction. However, Max Stinson of Kick Start Sales Force wants to remind businesses that telemarketing can still generate quality leads.

“What really drives sales are prospects,” Stinson wrote in a recent Business2Community piece. “As such, B2B telemarketing begins to shine in getting you appointments because you wouldn’t even have to budge from your seat.”

Telemarketing metrics are straightforward, unlike the more complex analytics required for social media campaigns. Businesses just have to record calls made, leads generated and sales captured to know how successful their campaigns have been.

Additionally, unlike other channels, telemarketing requires little specialized knowledge. A phone, a plan and a sales script will kick start communication between prospective B2B partners.

While cold calling has its place, many experts recommend using telemarketing software as the capstone of the sales process after arousing interest with other less direct marketing methods.

“A cold prospect can be warmed up with direct mail or email, arousing interest and communicating key messages, before launching a telemarketing campaign to follow up and convert interest into actual leads and sales,” explained Paul Cross, Product and Marketing Manager for Thomson (News - Alert) Local.

The key to effective telemarketing, said Cross, is to capitalize on the reasons that companies make purchases. “People buy either from fear of loss or the opportunity of gain. If you can appeal to either of these motives then an appointment should follow.”

If businesses don’t want to handle telemarketing in-house, they can outsource telemarketing to an external agency. Businesses can then focus on the performance of the agency instead of working to train internal employees, track metrics onsite and develop telemarketing strategies on their own.

When selling to other businesses, companies shouldn’t forget telemarketing software as a vital strategy. It’s not as snazzy as social media, but it’s much more direct and practical for B2B.

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