Telemarketing Software Featured Article

Social media is sexy and hot. Print media is classic. E-mail is easy. Telemarketing drives results.

Telemarketing has been around for years, but it has become even more useful as technology such as hosted contact center software and advanced auto-dialing have developed. Telemarketing may not be as sexy as social media, but if business results are the ultimate metric, then it should not be overlooked.

Here are the top four reasons telemarketing is important for your business.

1. Direct contact with clients. Telemarketing enables a business to talk to real people. Unlike other communication channels, telemarketing ensures that you are communicating with the right person because they are live and on the other side of the phone. Further, you can gauge and analyze their reactions.
2. Instant feedback. Unlike e-mail marketing, telemarketing gives immediate feedback. This helps a business better adjust its message and ensure that it delivers for its customers.
3. Reduced operational costs. Telemarketing is a cheap form of communication per contact. All it requires is a list to initiate contact. This is far less than door-to-door marketing, advertising via print and electronic media or developing promotion tools such as brochures or posters.
4. Cost-effective. Not only does telemarketing fare well against other communication methods, it also is cost-effective. Leads are the lifeblood of every business, and telemarketing puts a business directly in touch with those leads whereas other methods are less direct and less able to drum up new business or ensure that old business stays with a company. The money spent on telemarketing pays off handsomely in almost every case.

To get the most from telemarketing, however, there are several tips that businesses should follow.

It is important, first and foremost, to have a good attitude and keep motivation intact. Customers and potential customers can hear if you are smiling or are stressed, so it is essential that agents making the calls be upbeat and possessing a good attitude.

Further, it is important to know the product completely. The person on the other side of the line will be glad to talk with an expert, but will have little tolerance for rookie. So make sure you know your product or service completely.

It also is essential to personalize calls and listen effectively. Unlike mass media, one of the great advantages of telemarketing is that it is personalized. Use that personalization opportunity. Listen to what the customer has to say, don’t just throw a script at him or her. Take advantage of the medium.