Posts Tagged ‘Telemarketing’

The Basics of Outside Sales

Monday, September 19th, 2011

Outside sales just implies undertaking sales outside of the workplace as well as the discipline. There are only two forms of sales agents, the inside and the outside sales agent. Each is distinct but in some cases would be mixed. Inside sales consists of the sales openers like appointment setters, lead generation professionals, survey reps and much more. While the people on the other hand who show up and meet the prospects into a more intense and thorough sales demonstration is called outside sales.

Outside sales ordinarily commit added time beyond the business office. They may be could be described as field sales closers. They voyage most of the time to go to prospects to fulfill the meeting date booked by the inside sales associates.  For the duration of the meeting, these representatives sit back and deliver a extensive sales presentation to prospective customers, would suggest products and solutions and services and they provide to fulfill those requirements.

Outside sales may demand sales associates to complete sales demonstrations to a gaggle too. They may use “PowerPoint” shows, trial samples or catalogues, to display products and services. Because of taking a trip, outside sales projects may necessitate longer working hours to get the project carried out. Face-to-face meetings always have a greater close percentage rate based on almost all experiences.

One of several positive aspects of outside sales is the prospective client gets to talk to the sales rep in person. These crucial elements can set up a sound relationship that is challenging to control over a phone or email conversation. On-site meetings present the sales individual with the potential to work together with the customer vocally as well as body movements and facial expressions.

It is often a helping partnership in sales. All departments support and enhance one another. While the inside sales workforce are setting up the process by placing eligible appointments for prospects to be reachable by closers, the outside sales team wraps up the task by flying to these appointments and perform a sales powerpoint presentation with the primary objective of closing the sale.

Every appointment is a sales opportunity. It is necessary for an outside sales rep to reach ready ahead of the appointment. It is an expectancy for an outside sales representative to be trained with all aspects of the organization. In order to to undertake a sales presentation is the highlight of every single conversation. It is the definitive goal of each individual outside sales agents to do enough and complete sales demonstration and with some luck close the sale.

While modern day technology has boosted the proficiency and helpfulness of inside sales results, it’s not necessarily unusual for a lot of telemarketing companies to work with a sales effort that combines each inside and outside sales tactics. The telemarketers make the 1st contact with would-be clientele, and discover their stage of attention. In case the curiosity merits a visit to the client, the data is passed on to an outside sales professional, who generates the meeting. Because of the proficiency of electric messages in these days, a moving around sales rep can obtain the contact information right away, contact the purchaser, and schedule an appointment at a moment that is mutually hassle-free. The previous idiom you don’t get a subsequent chance to make a primary impression is particularly accurate in the realm of sales.

Cold Calling - How to Develop Telemarketing Expertise, Make Calls Effective and Get Results

Saturday, February 12th, 2011

In spite of the legal regulations limiting calls by the telemarketing services, cold calling is still a popular means of generating sales leads and increasing revenue. It is unrealistic to assume your office will be mobbed by clients unless you take the initiative to sell to them. By using telemarketing calls effectively, you can attract many more customers and expand your business.

Here are some suggestions that can raise the response rates of telemarketing calls:

1. Define the goal of the telemarketing call

The target of a telemarketer’s first call is not to sell but to just create an opportunity for a sale. The first conversation is about setting up a meeting or getting some form of an encouraging response.
 
2. Collect details of your target customer

In depth market research should precede a telemarketing campaign. After defining the target audience, get details of the person or organization you will be contacting. By doing your research, you can align the service or product with the prospect’s needs and make your call’s relevance come through.

3. Select an opening statement for the cold call

Prepare an opening statement to begin the conversation. This prevents any missteps and gets you focused. Don’t start with “Is this a good time?” or “How are you this morning?” These statements give call recipients the option to cut the call short. Your call should start with a greeting and address the person by name (preferably with a Ms. or Mr.). Introduce yourself by giving your name and the organization you represent. From here it would be easier to move into a dialogue. Use your knowledge of their business to present your service or product as a possible solution for their business needs.

Have the opening statement in your hand before before you dial the number. Don’t read it word for word. Just use it as a guideline.

4. Draft a script to refer to during the telemarketing call

A script prepares the telemarketer for any queries or concerns that may be raised by the prospect. Discuss the various advantages of using a product or service. Think of likely objections and their resolutions. When a prospect has a question, you’ll have a ready reply. This strategy also projects confidence. The prospect feels she is communicating with a knowledgeable salesperson. Again, the script is for reference only, and not for reading word for word.

5. Be precise in suggesting a time for an appointment

Specify a time when asking for an appointment. Ask “Can I meet you at 10 am tomorrow?” If it’s not a good time, the prospect will propose another specific time and day.

6. Be polite to the people you talk to

In telemarketing, callers often connect to assistants of the people who make buying decisions. Be courteous and remember their names for future communication. Winning their approval is a prerequisite to getting your message conveyed to the right individuals. Be polite in asking them for information or details of the person to contact.

7. Send promotional gift items - something small but memorable

Sending a unique promotional item to a prospect keeps your business in their mind. When they receive a call from you, they recognize you immediately by connecting your name with the gift.

8. Make telemarketing calls early in the day

Mornings are a good time to call decision makers as they have more time at their disposal. Catch them early in the day rather than when they’re swamped by meetings or other work.

9. Follow up repeatedly

Studies indicate that telemarketing sees success only after the fourth or fifth follow up call. In spite of this statistic, some telemarketers stop trying and quit after the second follow up. Be persistent if you want to see results.

10. It is a numbers game indeed

Chance of making a sale improves with each call. Let us face it. Every call will not convert into a sale or an appointment. But if you make enough calls, some percentage will bring success. Key is to continually improve so that you can sell more with lesser number of calls. This is bound to happen if you keep calling the prospects and not get dejected by negative responses.

The art of cold calling gets better with practice. Skilled telemarketers have the experience of thousands of calls and a experience of handling diverse set of customer responses. Keep at it and soon you would start to see success. Daljeet Sidhu is the author of this article.