Telemarketing Software Featured Article

When the other guy goes one way, go the other.

This is a good suggestion when it comes to scoring a soccer goal. And some executives believe it’s also sound advice when it comes to doing business.

Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton apparently once said: “If everybody else is doing it one way, you can find your niche by going in exactly the opposite direction.”

In a recent Guerilla Marketing column,  Lori Turner-Wilson offers similar advice. The CEO and founder of RedRover Sales & Marketing Strategy suggests that few individuals now use the phone as a selling tool. And she says that because that’s the case, those who do try to sell over the phone will stand out.

Turner-Wilson also offers a few best practices when it comes to telemarketing.

The first piece of advice is not to be afriad of making a cold call. If you are hesitant to get on the phone with customers and prospects, she suggests, you may be in the wrong line of work.

Also, she says, know what you want to discuss, but don’t read from a script.

As Turner-Wilson advises: “What matters most is your ability to have an authentic, engaging conversation, and if you’re looking at your notes, you can’t be truly present on that call.”

Because authenticity is key, it’s also important to exude confidence and positive energy. But you also need to keep it real.

“Yes, there is such a thing as too much enthusiasm on a sales call,” says Turner-Wilson. “It can make you sound too aggressive and desperate to close the sale.”

Finally, she says, remember that the phone is a tool for two-way communications. Talk, she adds, but also listen.