Telemarketing Software Featured Article

The perfect telemarketing call is one that starts with the happy greeting, continues with the perfect script and ends with positive action. It can take many a stalled opportunity to reach one success, but such is the way of sales. Telemarketing software can help take it to the next level, but for the smooth approach you need a smooth talker.

When a customer answers the phone, the agent only has a few seconds to engage the customer in conversation. If he trips over his words and can’t get out a cohesive thought, he’s likely to hear the click of the disconnected call. A recent Business2Community post highlights the importance of having just the right person on the line when the customer answers the phone. If hesitation or shyness enter in, the opportunity is likely lost.

According to Business2Community, there are basic goals associated with the telemarketing call. The agent needs to determine budget, need and authority. If the agent is unable to ascertain answers to any of his questions pertaining to these three topics, opportunity is lost. Yet the very information the agent needs to uncover is what can cause the hesitation in the first place.

Take budgets, for instance. Not all customers, whether an individual or a business, want to discuss budget issues with someone on the outside. Simply asking a question about the budget could render the other person unwilling to listen, much less agree to spend money. A failure to ask the question, however, can leave the marketer unable to decipher the average budget in the target market and miss the opportunity to offer a cost-effective product or service the customer actually wants.

Determining need is not quite as complex as the budget, but it does require the right questions in order to get the necessary information. Assuming a customer’s needs either way can set a course for bad decisions, so ask the right questions and ask them well. Blend them into the script and allow for deviation where necessary. Once need is identified, the agent is better able to offer the right solution.

Identifying whether or not the person on the other end of the line has the authority to accept or reject your offer is an important point. You don’t want to pitch to the gatekeeper and you also don’t want your script to fall short with the executive. Confirming authority can save considerable time. If budget and need have already been established, talking to the individual with the power to make an affirmative decision is the easy step.