| Despite how you might feel personally about | | | | you do find that you are calling at awkward |
| telesales or 'cold calling' it is still one of the best | | | | times, leave a voicemail. People would rather |
| ways to generate new interest from leads and | | | | know who was calling than hear you hang up. It |
| secure sales. A telesales campaign might be | | | | also prepares them for you calling again. (And you |
| exactly the right tool to engage with your target | | | | should say when that would be!) |
| audience and gain valuable information. Of course, | | | | Positive Focus |
| just starting a telesales campaign is not enough. | | | | To try and keep the call positive, pleasant and |
| There are key things you should have in place | | | | 'soft', you should make sure you are focusing on |
| and be monitoring consistently to get the best | | | | the features and benefits of the service or |
| you can out of it! | | | | product you are offering. Making the call |
| We have outlined our ten killer tips for success so | | | | predominantly about this rather than a hard sell |
| that whether you start your sales campaign alone | | | | while ensure that you can encourage another call, |
| or are engaging an external company you know | | | | a visit or a request for supplementary information |
| the right things to ask, and what you should be | | | | to be sent out. |
| looking for. | | | | Ask Questions |
| Good, clean data | | | | Asking questions will get the person you are |
| In order for any campaign to be successful the | | | | speaking to engaged in the conversation. You can |
| most important starting point is good, clean data. | | | | usually tell a sales call because the person at the |
| There is no point in paying someone (or a | | | | other end is sitting patiently, waiting for a break in |
| company) to be making calls using old data, or to | | | | the monologue so that they can politely hang up. |
| people who will have no interest in the product or | | | | By asking questions and engaging the caller you |
| service you are selling. Your data must be up to | | | | will learn more about them, keep them talking for |
| date, relevant and cleaned regularly. | | | | longer and encourage them to ask questions too. |
| Know your goals! | | | | The more conversational it is, the more likely the |
| You have to know exactly what you want from | | | | call is to succeed against your criteria. |
| this campaign. For example is it an increase in | | | | Evaluate |
| sales, and increase in enquiries or increased | | | | You should always evaluate the effectiveness of |
| knowledge about your customer base? You also | | | | any campaign. If it isn't working in its current |
| need to know what targets you have set and | | | | format there is no point in continuing. Make some |
| how you are going to measure and evaluate the | | | | simple strategic changes and make your campaign |
| results. | | | | work for you. It could be as simple as changing |
| Scripted / Unscripted | | | | your goals slightly or asking different questions. |
| Your callers should always sound unscripted. Your | | | | You should make sure that your evaluation |
| callers should get plenty of time to rehearse and | | | | methods are set up before your campaign begins |
| understand fully what they are calling about, and | | | | so you evaluate what you need to - and not just |
| what they are hoping to gain from the call! There | | | | what you'd like to! |
| should always be room to deviate and improvise | | | | Listen... |
| from the basic outline of the conversation, your | | | | Monitor and record a large selection of calls that |
| operatives need the flexibility to react to what's | | | | are made. This works well in 2 ways. The first is |
| happening in the moment and not get hung up | | | | that the people making the calls will know there is |
| following a strict script. | | | | a chance that their call is being recorded and so |
| Follow Up On Time | | | | will make sure they are giving the best service |
| If you tell someone that you are going to follow | | | | that they possibly can! |
| up on his or her call within a certain time, make | | | | The second is that by listening to a selection of |
| sure that you do! Whether you have promised to | | | | past calls you can hear what works, what doesn't, |
| call again, send information or make an | | | | whether the tone is correct and whether the |
| appointment, it is very important that you deliver. | | | | focus is weighted correctly. This is a key tool for |
| It is especially important that if another | | | | your evaluation and shouldn't be overlooked. |
| department does the calling there should be | | | | When you are thinking about your next telesales |
| strong communication and relaying of information | | | | campaign I would strongly suggest you keep |
| to make sure this is picked up quickly and | | | | these points in mind. They are not difficult to |
| efficiently. | | | | grasp but they are essential for constructing a |
| Know Who You Are Talking To | | | | meaningful and effective campaign. You wouldn't |
| If you need to speak with a particular person or a | | | | approach any other part of your marketing or |
| particular department then you need to make | | | | sales strategy without having clear goals, strong |
| sure that you do! Of course the first step of this | | | | evaluation tools and excellent methods to work |
| in making sure your data is up to date! The | | | | with so don't make exceptions here. |
| second is being persistent and making any | | | | Just because it is an undervalued tool doesn't |
| gatekeepers your friend so that you can build a | | | | mean that it has to be for you! In fact you can |
| rapport and eventually get through to the person | | | | make a real impact by embarking on a campaign |
| you need. | | | | that is customer focussed, conversational and |
| Don't Be Afraid Of Voicemail | | | | engaging. Set yourself out from the crowd and |
| One thing people really dislike about cold calls is | | | | get good at being the best! |
| their impersonal nature and inconvenient timing. If | | | | |