Telemarketing - Tips To Boost Cold Calling Skills, Make Calls Effective And Get Results

By Author: Daljeet Sidhu
Total Articles: 4762
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In spite of the legal regulations governing calls by the telemarketing services, cold calling is still a popular means of generating sales leads and increasing revenue. It is unreasonable to assume your office will be inundated by customers unless you take the initiative to sell to them. By using cold calling effectively, you can attract many more customers and boost your business.

Here are some ideas that can boost the response rates of telemarketing calls:

1. Define the aim of the telemarketing call
The aim of a cold call is not to make the sale but to simply create an opportunity for a sale. The first conversation is about getting an appointment or getting some sort of an encouraging response.

2. Collect details of your target audience
Comprehensive market research should precede a telemarketing campaign. After defining the target audience, you should get details of the person or organization you will be calling. By doing your research, you can align the product or service with the prospect's requirements and improve the relevance of your call.

3. Select an opening statement ...
... for the telemarketing call
Prepare an opening statement to initiate the conversation. This prevents any missteps and gets you focused. Don't open with "Can we talk now?" or "How are you this morning?" These statements give call recipients the option to terminate the call. Your call should start with a greeting and address the person by name (preferably with a Ms. or Mr.). Introduce yourself by giving your name and the organization you represent. If you do this, it would be easier to take the conversation further. Use your knowledge of their business to present your product or service as a likely solution for their business requirements.

Jot down the opening line for reference before picking up the phone. Don't read it off a piece of paper. Just use it as a reference.

4. Prepare a script to refer to during the sales call
A script prepares the telemarketer for any questions or concerns that may be the prospect may have. Lay out the various advantages of using a product or service. Keep a "problem-resolution" card handy. For every question the prospect may ask, you'll have a ready response. This strategy also projects confidence. The prospect feels she is talking to an informed salesperson. Again, the script is for guidance only, and not for reading word for word.

5. Be specific in scheduling an appointment
Be specific when asking for an appointment. Ask "Can I meet you at 10 am tomorrow?" If it's not convenient, the prospect will offer an alternative but specific time and day.

6. Be polite to every person you talk to
In telemarketing, callers often connect to assistants of the decision makers. Treat them with respect and note down their names for future communication. Getting on their good side is critical to getting your call forwarded to the right people. Be polite in asking them for information or details of the person to contact.

7. Send promotional gift items - something small but memorable
Sending a unique gift is an excellent way to make your business stick in a customer's mind. When they receive a call from you, they recognize you immediately by having a recollection of the gift.

8. Make telemarketing calls in the morning
Mornings are a good time to call decision makers as they have more time at their disposal. Catch them early in the day rather than when they're swamped by meetings or other work.

9. Be consistent in following up
Majority of the telemarketing calls show successful results only after the fourth or fifth conversation. In spite of this statistic, some telemarketers stop trying after the second follow up. Be persistent if you want to see results.

10. It is definitely a numbers game
Probability of making a sale goes up with each call. Let us be honest. Every call will not convert into a sale or an appointment. But make enough calls and some percentage will bring you success. Key is to continuously get better so that you can sell more with lesser number of calls. This can only come about if you keep dialing the prospects and not get discouraged by negative responses.

The art of cold calling improves with practice. Skilled telemarketers have handled thousands of calls and a experience of handling wide-ranging set of customer responses. Keep at it and soon you would start to see success.
About Author:
Daljeet Sidhu. Compare Telemarketing quotes. Read Telemarketing Services advice and Telemarketing Call Center blog.