2009 - the year of the telemarketer

How can you communicate a personalised message to the key decision maker of your exact target segment and truly know if the marketing message got through all of the gatekeepers, was heard above the other marketing noise and had any impact whatsoever? A marketing channel that can achieve this is a dream come true for marketers - which is why I don’t understand why telemarketing is so underrated.

Too many businesses push their telemarketing departments to operate a spray and pray philosophy and in the current climate more and more organisations are putting pressure on telemarketing teams for higher call volumes and increased activity. This is a very reactive approach and, although higher call volumes often do contribute to increased leads, this will work only through luck rather than planning if not combined with profiling and an understanding of the business needs of your prospects.

A few tips to make B2B telemarketing more effective

Review your customer base
How well do you know your own strengths and weaknesses? Highlight which sectors you are well established in. Draw case studies, customer testimonials and even reference visits for prospects from these sectors. It is here you have a position of authority and can be seen as an expert in your field.

Learn the benefits
If prompted could each telemarketer list 5-10 business benefits of your products or services with current real life examples demonstrating each benefit? Many people list functionality – it can do this, we offer that etc. Those with the best response rates list benefits – its saves our customers an average of 5 hours admin time per day, we improved response rates by 30% in the first 2 months, Would you like to receive our case study on xyz (preferably in their sector – even better if it is one of their competitors) highlighting what they did to achieve this?

Share the bigger picture
No one should work in isolation to the wider business. Do your telemarketers understand their impact on the success or failure of the company business plan? They are often at the forefront of a company’s lead generation campaign and are the first and lasting impression to the marketplace of your organisation. Instilling a sense of responsibility will help the telemarketing department feel their true worth and that their contribution is being valued by the business.

Reward the right kind of success
Make sure your team is being rewarded for the right kind of success. Which leads are most likely to close, are of more value to the company and are likely to generate the most revenue? Surely the focus should be on chasing more of these and less of any other. Adjust your reward / commission structure to reflect the type or leads you wish to generate (i.e what is the company profile of your ideal prospect? Can you offer more incentives the closer the telemarketer can get to this?)


Telemarketing is an art form and should not be underrated. The skill of engaging with a business decision maker in a few brief moments or over the space of a few calls is a difficult one to develop. Value you telemarketers as they are the voice of your brand, your business and you. It is them that your potential customer base is listening to.

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