Telemarketing, like other marketing strategies, can be very challenging. Because of this, it’s inevitable that you’ll commit some blunders along the way to becoming an expert in telemarketing. Don’t get this wrong – you are surely going to learn from those mistakes and perhaps even develop or improve your skills because of them.
That said, does it mean you should all commit those mistakes to be better? Not at all! There’s value in learning from the errors of those before you, especially if it has been proven multiple times that these mistakes can get in the way of your desired results.
In this post, we’re covering some of the most common telemarketing mistakes that you should avoid:
Mistake # 1: Not Preparing
Telemarketing is one of those tasks that require a lot of preparation. You can’t just sit and take calls without prepping, or you will commit a lot of mistakes, share the wrong information, and reduce your chances of succeeding.
Prepare for your calls by learning as much as you can about your products or services. Anticipate potential questions and know how to best answer them. Be ready for irate “gatekeepers” and be calm. Focus on starting the call the right way so you’ll have a smoother conversation. Set your goals, whether that’s to get leads or to boost your sales. Scripts are okay but try to tailor your calls to the other person on the line to connect better.
Mistake # 2: Asking Closed Questions
Another blunder you can make is asking questions that are just answerable by a “yes” or a “no”. Remember that in telemarketing, you need to be able to gather as much information as you can so you can present the right solutions. If you use closed questions in your conversation, you’ll find it difficult to proceed to pitch. For instance, you shouldn’t ask “Are you happy with the services you’re getting from your cleaners?” The person you’re talking to can simply affirm this and end the call. Instead, ask questions like “What improvements do you want to see from your cleaners?” The second question encourages a discussion, and you can use the answer to promote the services your business is offering.
Mistake # 3: Hard Selling
You might be confused. Aren’t you supposed to work on your selling skills? Well, yes, you are. However, you should note that it’s rare for a B2B telemarketer to close a deal or even get a proper appointment right on the first call. You shouldn’t force these things, especially if the prospect doesn’t have any prior knowledge of your company. That means they don’t have reason to immediately say yes to what you’re offering.
Instead of bombarding them with all the reasons to get your products or services, work on building a solid relationship. It’s important to highlight the pros of choosing you but don’t be too pushy that they’ll want to hang up on you. You can build a relationship through several interactions, and this can be more fruitful than a single call of hard selling.
Conclusion
These are only three of the many potential mistakes you could make in telemarketing. If you are successful in avoiding these three mistakes, you’re on your way to achieving the lead generation results you are looking forward to. Remember that while it’s perfectly fine to commit some mistakes, you don’t have to commit them all! Some blunders like these common ones can be avoided from the very start.
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