Telemarketing and telesales

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Telemarketing and telesales are separate activities.

It is important to know the difference.

So you can make the best use of these strategies in your business.

Telemarketing

Telemarketing is used to generate interest in your product or service.

It’s a cost-effective way to professionally present your business to prospective customers.

To identify excellent potential opportunities.

And obtain a reliable source of data.

Use telemarketing to provide exemplary service to your existing customers.

Obtain compelling and useful testimonials.

And seek new business through influential referrals.

Conduct surveys to reveal buying trends.

Uncover your strengths and weaknesses.

And those of other vendors.

This will help you define your point of difference.

So you can tweak your product or service offering to better position yourself in the marketplace to meet customer demand.

And outshine your competitors.

Telesales

Telesales is used to convert into sales the opportunities obtained through your telemarketing efforts.

It is particularly effective when you have comprehensive data and full contact details of prospective clients.

The entire selling process is carried out during one telephone call.

This includes the payment transaction.

Telesales can be used to renew contact with your existing and past customers.

It’s easier to sell a secondary or supplementary product to someone who has purchased from you previously as the buyer and seller relationship is already established.

It pays to practice good contact database management.

This will enable you to target prospective customers who have enquired about your product or service in the past but not purchased.

Or those identified as potential customers in earlier marketing campaigns.

Qualities of a great telemarketing and telesales consultant are…

 

  • Product knowledge

An effective telemarketer needs to have a thorough understanding of your product or service offering.

So that they can confidently engage in a persuasive discussion with a prospective customer.

And give correct and detailed answers to all their questions.

 

  • Customer knowledge

Research and analysis of the prospective customer is key to offering solutions best suited to meet their needs or concerns.

 

  • Upbeat personality

We know that prospects prefer to do business with those they like and trust.

Effective telemarketers always come across as friendly and courteous, while sounding professional and authoritative.

Their dialogue needs to be engaging.

And even if the prospect fails to meet the criteria, it is the telemarketer’s duty to leave a positive impression.

 

  • Good questioning techniques and listening skills

Telemarketers need to understand their prospect’s perspective to come up with a solution that best fits their needs and budget.

This requires the use of effective techniques and sharp listening skills.

 

  • Excellent verbal communication

Decision-makers expect to receive calls from trustworthy sales and marketing experts.

Telemarketers need to be clear communicators.

To have a good vocabulary.

And an educated tone that inspires confidence.

 

  • Correct timing

Knowing when to make contact with a prospect, when to push for a sale and when to back off are practices that help build quality relationships with potential clients.

 

  • Results-driven

An effective marketing and telesales consultant is self-motivated, concentrates on meeting objectives and accomplishing success.

 

  • Closing skills

An effective telesales consultant views objections as an integral part of the sales process.

They have well-honed skills and strategies to overcome customer objections and close the deal.

They always ask for the sale!

Partnering with a professional

If you decide to outsource your lead generation activities make sure you partner with a professional.

You want to make sure you receive well-qualified appointments with decision-makers who are genuinely interested in what you have to offer.

You also want to make sure you persistently and persuasively convert your leads into sales.

Thereby increasing conversion rates and decreasing costs per sale.

If you found this article interesting, here’s another you might like to check out:  COLD CALLING TIPS

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