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Whether your goal is an immediate sale or to begin a process that may result in a
future sale, telemarketing represents a powerful sales tool for your company. The
following are the final twelve of 42 ideas to make your telemarketing work harder:
Telemarketing Idea No. 31
If you don't know the right name to call, ask for the owner, president or senior
manager. Don't ask for the person in charge of a special department, or you'll often get
someone who can't make a decision on his own. You may even get the person's assistant, who
lies to you on the phone and says he is in charge. This can lead to months of wasted time
because you are talking to the wrong person.
Telemarketing Idea No. 32
Start at the top. If your first meeting is with a non-decision maker, it is
difficult to go over her head without antagonizing her. If, however, your first meeting
was with the top person, you can always go back to him/her later if you don't get results
with the subordinate.
Telemarketing Idea No. 33
Use the name of the person at the top. If the top person, such as the president,
gives you the name of the vice president, when you call, tell him that the president
(using his/her name) told you to call.
Telemarketing Idea No. 34
Get past the receptionist. Top decision makers use their receptionists to screen
their calls. Since receptionists generally work set hours and decision makers don't, if
you call early (7:30 am - 8:30 AM) or late (5:30 PM - 7:00 PM), you have a better chance
of having the boss answer the phone directly.
Telemarketing Idea No. 35
Find out if the decision maker is in. Ask whether or not the person you're
calling is in before you ask to speak to him. This way it's hard for them to say the boss
is not there when he/she really is.
Telemarketing Idea No. 36
Have confidence and energy in your voice. If you sound nervous, they know you are
a salesperson and will block your call. You must have an assumptive attitude that you know
you will get through to the person you want. It shows in your voice. You sound like
someone of authority who should be put through.
Telemarketing Idea No. 37
Use first names. With accounts that are hard to reach, use your first name and
their first name to sound like a friend, so the secretary puts you through without asking
questions. Clients I have gotten through to with this method had a better rapport with me
when we met. They often became my best, long-term clients.
Telemarketing Idea No. 38
Use assured, commanding words. Don't say, "May I please speak to Mr.
Jones?" Instead say, "I need to talk to Bill." People respond to commands
automatically and do what you say.
Telemarketing Idea No. 39
Get the secretary's first name and use it. The secretary decides which messages
get to the boss first, if at all. If you make her a friend, she can ask her boss to call
you or put your messages on top.
Telemarketing Idea No. 40
Don't leave messages. Clients don't say, "Oh boy, another salesperson. I'll
call him." They simply don't call back.
Telemarketing Idea No. 41
If you have to leave a message, leave your name and number only with an
interesting message that will arouse curiosity.
Telemarketing Idea No. 42
Don't immediately introduce yourself to call screeners. You tip them off that
you're a salesperson by saying, "This is Sally Smith with XYZ Company. I want to talk
to the person who buys office equipment." The receptionist will block your call; or
if your message does get through, the client will say, "I don't want to talk to a
salesperson." Then all your future calls are blocked.
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