Telemarketing, teleselling, or telecommerce has gained notoriety over the years, as many view it negatively. It is associated with unwanted and annoying phone calls. In many cases, it also raises concerns over how contact center operators obtain the phone numbers they call.
However, many agree that telemarketing is still an effective way to sell products. The fact that many outbound call centers continue to exist shows that it is still a viable option for businesses. There are just some points to understand before deciding to use this strategy for marketing and sales.
Maximizing operational efficiency
One of the supposed benefits of telecommerce is its efficiency. It can reach more prospects and establish high-quality leads with minimal investment. However, just because telemarketing is known for being efficient does not mean that your marketing campaign automatically becomes efficient. There are things you need to do to achieve this.
For one, you need to use the right tools. Using a predictive dialer, for example, boosts sales and lead generation efficiency. Predictive dialing ensures that agents only connect to live prospects, raises agent utilization, and improves contact rate. It also reduces the wait time between conversations and addresses the inefficiency of dealing with answering machines and voicemail disconnections.
Addressing the negative public perception
Again, there is an unfavorable opinion about telemarketing among consumers. If you want to use this option, you need to make sure that you can overcome this hurdle. If you are running your teleselling operation, ascertain that your approach takes into account the possible reactions of customers. Furthermore, if you plan to use a third-party service, see to it that they have a track record of generating significant sales, not associating your product with the unpleasant experience of dealing with an aggressive telemarketer.
Telemarketing is Not for all
Teleselling does not work for every product. Some products and services are difficult to sell through a phone call. Some are worth selling through telemarketing because of their low value. The cost of the call may be more than the profit that can be generated out of a product. Telemarketing still works, but there are nuances to take into account to make it useful for a business.
There has to be a detailed cost analysis to ascertain that telemarketing is worth it. It is not as simple as putting up a call center and calling numbers. There has to be a lead generation process, which can take time and cost some amount. Also, it is crucial to provide adequate training to call center agents. Third-party telemarketing solution providers are available, but it is also important to ascertain that the strategy is suitable for the products being sold.
Telemarketing Pros and cons
Telemarketing may have its cons, but it certainly also has its advantages. The latter even outstrips the former, provided that it is undertaken strategically with the right tools and people. Businesses that use it need to manage it carefully and be agile in implementing strategy changes or tweaks in response to market changes.