20 Essential Activities to Get Better Telemarketing Results

Telemarketing is pretty simple really. You just grab a list, pick up the phone, speak to the person you need, and, hey presto, new business comes flooding your way. The reality is somewhat different and you can either set your business up for failure in b2b telemarketing or you can generate significant opportunities and growth by getting things right from the beginning of your lead generation exercise. Below, we’ve detailed 20 things that you can do to ensure your calls hit home rather than miss their target.

1. 1. Research your market – Plan by sector, job role, geography, size of company, industry challenges and so on.

   2. Write a good call structure – This should include a great intro, some good questions, expected objections and clarity of your proposition

   3. Plan the call – If you don’t plan, you will most likely fail.

   4. Research and / or buy a clean, recently gathered data list for the calls. Nothing impedes success, slows calls down and reduces ROI than a poor list without decision-maker names and correct numbers.

   5. Validate / clean the list if necessary to ensure that calls are productive

   6. Build momentum into your calls. Don’t procrastinate and make sure you make enough calls to deliver results. It’s certain that you won’t generate opportunities with 100% of the people you don’t call!

   7. Don’t be a bore – Enthusiastic callers perform better than slow unmotivated and monotone voices at the other end of the phone

   8. Plan for gatekeeper blocks and no name policies – You know it’s coming so decide in advance how you will handle these

   9. Make your intro to the decision-maker about them not you. Remember and learn that prospects aren’t interested in you but about what you can do for them.

   10. Benefits not features – Understand the difference. Slip resistance is a feature. The benefit could be fewer accidents, fewer injury claims or less lost productivity. Talk benefits not features!

   11. Pain is stronger than gain – What challenges does your buyer have that you can resolve. Focus on this.

   12. Name drop. There’s nothing more compelling that combining a great intro with benefits led communication and a relevant, well-known name with whom you’re worked. It builds quick credibility.

   13. Don’t pitch. It’s a dialogue not a monologue. No prospect enjoys listening to a sales pitch at fast pace like being sprayed with a jet wash. It should a conversation not a one way street.

   14. Don’t say ‘How are you today?’ or ‘I’m calling to introduce our products to you’. See point 8 above. It’s about them not you!

   15. Ask great questions – Your intro should lead to a good opening question. Prepare a blend of questions that keep the conversation flowing but that don’t sound lie a market research survey!

   16. Listen, listen, listen – There’s no point asking good questions if you’re going to ignore the answers, fail to take notes and proceed anyway with the same sales spiel. Let the answers guide the conversation.

   17. Stay focused but relaxed. You should know your goal (appointment, demo, quote, get on the tender list, make the sale etc) but don’t jump in too soon. Use the conversation to gather useful info that supports your objective

   18. Anticipate objections. It’s almost unheard of to make a call and not meet any objections. Whilst it can happen, it’s wise to thing ahead of the reasons why your prospect won’t agree to whatever you ask. Plan what you will say based on likely blocks

   19. Don’t tell them everything on the phone. If you do, what’s the point of the face to face appointment? The objective of most telemarketing calls is to deliver an appointment. Verbal diarrhoea on the phone will make the meeting almost redundant since the prospect will feel that they have got everything they need from a call.

   20. Don’t forget to ask for what you want. If it’s a meeting, suggest a time and date. If it’s a quote, ask for the opportunity. It isn’t a social call.