Telemarketing is a form of “direct marketing of goods or services to potential customers over the phone, internet, or fax.” It’s operated by live representatives or by automated recordings over the phone, and is an extremely effective tactic that many businesses use today. To get started, you’ll need these valuable tips. Stick to them, and you can be sure you’re telemarketing the right way from the very beginning.
Define your target audience
Telemarketing calls don’t work if you’re calling people who have no need for your product. So, instead of using a random phone list, do some research to define your target market. The audience for some products and services are fairly obvious just by using common logic. For example, if you’re selling toddler clothing, your biggest market is most likely moms of toddlers. But others are a little less obvious. A construction company might have to dig a little deeper into its market to find out who their biggest customers are. They could be local homeowners between the ages of 35 and 50 with over $100,000 incomes. Or they could be senior citizens from another state heading for retirement.
Each business’ audience is a little different, and you can determine it in several ways. First, look at your own customer base. Can you deduce what demographic the majority of them are? Next, check out your competition. Find out who they are targeting by looking at their ads and strategies. Then, analyze your product or service to decide what benefits you offer and who might be interested.
Decide whether or not to outsource
There are plenty of companies and individuals willing to take over your telemarketing for you if you feel it’s necessary. Some people are afraid to give up control of any aspect of their business, but this task can be more time-consuming than you may realize. However, when you’re just starting out, it’s probably in your best interest to do it yourself, or at least hire someone to help you out in-house. This way, you can learn this aspect of marketing and maintain some control over how your company is represented.
Get your marketing list
Telemarketing data lists are available from various brokers in the business. Doing a quick Google search will yield plenty of results you can look into. But don’t just choose the first company that pops up. A quality marketing firm will have a good Better Business Bureau rating and plenty of good reviews. They’ll also be easy to contact and willing to answer your questions.
Designate a call center space
Telemarketing requires a quiet and dedicated space. This can be somewhere in your office building or even from a room in your home. The important thing is that you’re able to maintain a professional atmosphere on the phone with minimal interruption. It’s also important that you make the space as comfortable and organized as possible. You could be spending several hours at a time there, so it should be set up in a way to avoid back and neck pain.
Install your software
Your operations will require quality telemarketing software that can meet all your marketing needs. Something like zendesk call center software fits the bill for most companies. This type of software organizes all your information in a way that you can manage all your calls and communicate with your customers in various ways. It offers SMS and MMS messaging, chat, email, video, and more. You can also automatically route your calls if you have multiple telemarketers or inbound call capability.
When you’re ready to telemarket your business, keep these tips and resources in mind to ensure your calls reach your target audience and your business — and sales —thrive.
