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Telemarketing…Are You Making Calls No One Wants To Answer?
By justBurbank.com | March,2008
Okay, before you run screaming away from your desk at the mere mention of the “T” word let’s go over a few things. First off, we’re not talking about Cold Calls. Instead, here are some tips to make them warm, cuddly and extremely profitable calls:
Google the name of the business. Just taking this simple step can give you loads of information: how long they’ve been in business, who their suppliers are, who their competitors are, what they specialize in…you might even get some insight as to why they would love to hear from you!
Carefully look over their website if they have one. It may seem time-consuming, but knowing, for example, that that new vintage clothing store also donates a percentage of all their profits to the city animal shelter may be a great way to build instant rapport with your customer.
Check out the business location on Mapquest or Google Earth. Find out what’s going on in their neighborhood. A jewelry store next door to a high school will be more interested in your accessories with a school logo on them.
Get creative. Is there something about this prospect’s business that really fits with your product or service? Or are you able to create an additional service that, for example, might be of interest to a store near an assisted living facility for seniors?
Be selective about the time you call. If it is about 12:30 p.m. and you’re about to call a restaurant, stop! Restaurants are extremely busy during lunch hours. Always think about your customer’s day and determine when the most convenient time for them to receive calls might be. Also, always offer to make a phone appointment if he or she sounds too busy to talk to you.
Offer a tip, special discount or news. Offer a deal that is hard to resist…make it known and make sure it has real value. Giving them something substantial over the phone, right away, will let them know that you are a resource that they will want in their corner.
Listen. Answer their questions honestly and completely and encourage them to ask more. If you can get them talking about their business problems, you may have a service or product that helps them solve it.
And last, follow through on any orders as quickly as possible and send them a thank you via email letting them know the progress of the order. The sale may be finished but the service is just starting.
The team at www.justBurbank.com collaborates on our articles. Each employee, contributes, then Kate edits for business-appropriateness, and Libby edits to make sure the article is funny and juicy. Our aim is to write helpful & entertaining articles.
