Welcome to Direct Marketing TELEMARKETING / TELESERVICES Chapter 14

Telemarketing/ Teleservices Changing Landscape – Do Not Call Registry – In the past most calls were made for the purpose of taking an order. Now a call to develop a relationship is just as important. – Internet Customer support – s – Live help Voice Over Internet Protocol

Telemarketing / Teleservices INBOUND Area most profoundly impacted by internet – Catalog, an infomercial, direct mail, , blogs, Web sites, or a print ad. Add-on sale Domestic or International Dealer locator programs

Telemarketing / Teleservices OUTBOUND B2B calling is the fastest growing segment Forgo “land lines” VOIP

Telemarketing / Teleservices HIRING Three attributes – Verbal communication skills – Ability to read a script or call guide with enthusiasm – Willingness to overcome objections Domestic or International Test Outbound and Inbound skills are different

Telemarketing / Teleservices Lead-generation calls let companies prospect by phone and deploy salespeople in following up on “hot” leads Care should be given to manage the lead flow, because a good telephone lead-generation program may produce more leads than the sales force can handle in a timely fashion

Telemarketing / Teleservices A successful outbound program depends upon four basic elements: – List or Target Audience – Offer Being Communicated – Telephone Sales Representative – Script or Message to be Communicated The list is the most important of these elements: a well-targeted list can compensate if any of the other elements are weak

Telemarketing / Teleservices Outbound business-to-business calling involves account management rather than direct sales. These calls seek to develop a rapport with the decision-maker and periodically make calls where no sale is attempted.

Telemarketing / Teleservices Outbound calls generally use a call guide to develop a genuine rapport and initiate a conversation with a prospect. In regulated industries, verbatim scripts are used because creative material has to be approved both by the client’s legal staff as well as government offices.

Telemarketing / Teleservices Two sets of numbers are key to estimating telemarketing costs: – cost per call for handling inbound calls from business firms and consumers, and – cost per decision-maker contact in making outbound calls to business firms and consumers. Outbound calls are usually of longer duration, and often require more experienced, higher- paid personnel.

Telemarketing / Teleservices All marketers must maintain “do not call” lists of customers who ask not to receive phone calls Most consumer marketers have the added burden of purging their prospect files against state and federal DNC Registries

Telemarketing / Teleservices Compliance with state and federal “Telephone Sales Rules” is mandatory for all organizations using telemarketing Regulators don’t hesitate to levy large fines for abuses

KEY POINTS Lead generation calls let companies prospect by phone and deploy salespeople in following up on “hot leads. However, care should be given to manage the lead flow, because a good telephone lead- generation program may produce more leads than the sales force can handle in a timely fashion.

Key Points A successful outbound program depends upon four basic elements: list or target audience, offer being communicated, telephone sales representative, and script or message to be communicated. Of these four, the list is the most important.

Key Points Outbound business-to-business calling involves account management rather than direct sales. These calls seek to develop a rapport with the decision maker and periodically make calls where no sale is attempted.

Key Points Outbound calls generally use a call guide to develop a genuine rapport and initiate a conversation with a prospect. In regulated industries, verbatim scripts are used because creative material has to be approved both by the client’s legal staff as well as government offices.

Key Points Two sets of numbers are key to estimating telemarketing cost: – cost per call for handling inbound calls from business firms and consumers, and – cost per decision-maker contact in making outbound calls to business firms and consumers. Outbound calls are usually of longer duration and often require more experienced, higher- paid personnel.

Key Points Compliance with state and federal “Telephone Sales Rules” is mandatory for all organizations using telemarketing. Regulators don’t hesitate to levy large fines for abuses.

Key Points All marketers must maintain “Do Not Call” lists of customers who ask not to receive phone calls. Most consumer marketers have the added burden of purging their prospect files against state and federal DNC registries.