Yes it can.
You can achieve great results if you do the right things. From protecting your customers from your competitors, strengthening the relationship with existing customers by offering them the right products and services, to winning new business.
If you don’t do things well, then there is a price to pay, you can upset and demotivate your employees, and really hack off your customers.
I’ve just been called by two telemarketers.
The first had a very strong accent which made it difficult to understand, and launched into reading a script which lasted for 2 minutes 27 seconds before I stopped her. She had been economic with the truth in her opening line to lead me to believe she was phoning from a UK government body, who wanted me to be involved in a project with them, she was in fact selling advertising space.
Now the second company, well, they knew how to do it right. The guy calling, had a conversation with me, was interested in me and my business rather than pushing product at me, and was very clear with his “what’s in it for the customer statement” While I didn’t buy, I do have a positive impression of him / his company, he didn’t annoy me and I was in the middle of writing this article, and more importantly, if I did come to a point where I wanted to change my suppliers I would call him.
So how can b2b telemarketing work?
o Be clear about the purpose of your call
Is it to gain new business?
To retain or regenerate existing business?
To grow the spend of your existing customers?
o Why are you calling? What do you want to achieve from the call?
o What’s in it for the person you are calling?
o What do you want them to do as a result of your call?
o Is that really achievable in one phone call?
o Understand where this call fits in your sales / business process
o Know your customers – understand their point of view
o Do not script – it’s too rigid, try having a conversation instead, one with genuine interest
in their business and the person you are speaking to. A script prevents you from doing this.
o Have a call map. This isn’t a script but it’s a path to follow helping you confidently lead the
call and get to your most wanted response.
o Most people will buy after a minimum of seven contacts with your business, so locate your call(s) within a marketing process that keeps in touch with your customers and prospects.
The telephone provides a really cost effective way of contacting customers and prospects, but as with all things sales related, you need to make sure you do the right things to ensure you get the payoff you deserve from that activity.