Telesales in today's world

The early days of telesales
Telesales and related practices are subject to extreme misconception in the general public. If you were to ask the average consumer, they would likely relate a picture of the average telemarketer that is most unflattering. In the early days of this kind of marketing, telesales were characterized by pushy, annoying salespeople and cold calls that were, more often than not, both unwelcome and ineffective. This model proved to be high-cost with limited results. Today, while cold calls are still practiced by some, the world of telemarketing has transformed into something much more cost-effective that gets results.

How has telemarketing changed?
While telesales are still used for sales lead generation, the primary use is in vetting potential customers that have already expressed an interest in the product or service in question. Perhaps someone read a print or internet ad or heard about the business on the radio or television. If interested, they can then call the provided number for more information. Enthusiasm and knowledge sell more than any other elements, and this is where a live telemarketer proves his/her value. On the surface this information line is not directly a sales line, but it gives the marketer a chance to share all of the details that couldn’t fit into ads or online product listings. At the end of the call, a potential customer is given the chance to place an order while they’re still excited about what they’ve just learned. If they’re not ready to buy, the salesperson can provide the number to an order-taking line for future use.

Using callbacks to increase sales
Next, a well-trained telesales team will be able to use any orders to their advantage. The vast majority of businesses completely miss out on an untapped resource for sales, and that is people who are currently purchasing their product or service. Every sale made, whether online or over the phone, must have a follow-up call. About 24 hours after an order has been placed, a follow-up salesperson will call the customer and attempt to cross-sell or up-sell the product. This call may be something as simple as, “I’m just calling to confirm your order with our company, would you like to purchase these accessories as well?” This is an excellent time to add on smaller items that are easily forgotten, or that the customer may not know can be used with their product. Any items needed for installation, assembly, or use (i.e. tool kits, printer paper, extra batteries) can be effectively offered at this time.

Telemarketing helps keep customers
Finally, the life blood of any business is in repeat sales; there is never an easier customer than the one who already knows the business and products. For this reason, having a telesales team that can provide both customer support and long-term follow-up calls is invaluable. Not only does customer support keep customers happy in every facet of the use of their newly-purchased product or service, it can also lead to additional sales opportunities in companion products. If the product is consumable or has a fairly predictable lifespan, a scheduled call near the time for a replacement or reorder can easily result in yet another sale. In all, telemarketing has evolved from a side service geared solely toward sales lead generation into an integral part of any growing business.