If you’re planning to invest time and money into launching your first IT telemarketing campaign, you’ll want to get it right. Here are some of our best beginner-friendly tips for success:
- Create a profile for your ideal customer and target only them
The best use of your time as a telemarketer is to only call people who are likely to actually buy your product. It sounds obvious, but so many people don’t bother with a targeted approach. Your target customer should be within the right industry, and be a key decision-maker within their organisation. Crucially, the organisation should have a need for your product/service or have a particular problem that you can help to solve.
Create a persona for your ideal customer, draw up a list of companies to target and try to track down contact details for the decision-makers you need to talk to. Top tip – keep your list accurate and up-to-date. If someone leaves a position or an email bounces, update your list.
- Begin with positivity, and have a compelling reason for calling
A positive attitude during IT telemarketing calls sets the conversation off on the right footing. You should also be able to articulate a clear, compelling reason for calling. This is often known as your ‘elevator pitch’. It’s well known within the sales industry that you have just 8 seconds to win over a prospect on a cold call. After the 8-second mark, the person is likely to lose concentration. This is where an ability to communicate and showcase your offer, and take control of the conversation, comes into its own.
- Work on active listening skills
You’re not likely to buy from a caller who is clearly reading from a generic script, or one that gives you the hard sell without listening to a word you say. So, on your next IT telemarketing call, put yourself in your prospect’s shoes. Listen to their needs, problems and pain points, talk through objections and make them feel heard and valued. Making a connection and building a relationship is just as important in telemarketing as your sales pitch.
- Follow up and stay in touch
Research suggests that persistence pays off in sales, as around 80% of sales require 5 follow-up calls. And speed matters too, as salespeople who contact prospects within 1 hour of receiving an enquiry are 60 times as likely to qualify leads as those who wait 24 hours or more. If your prospect isn’t yet ready to say yes, make sure you stay in their thoughts with regular contact – even if it’s just a quick email or chat message.
- Work with an expert
Telemarketing and lead generation can be time-consuming, and it requires strategy, skill and training to build up a successful team. For many businesses, outsourcing to an IT telemarketing specialist could be a time-saving alternative – and deliver far better and faster results. This is the beauty of outsourcing, as you can harness someone else’s skills while you focus on running your business.
To chat about outsourcing your IT telemarketing, give our team of skilled experts here at IT Focus a call on 0330 058 0100 or email info@itfocus-tm.com. We’ll be happy to discuss your goals and get right to work on a bespoke strategy to deliver the results you want.
