Ever wondered what exactly telemarketing is or how is could help your company’s strategy?  Here are a few basics to get you started. 

Telemarketing is broken out into two main segments, Outbound and Inbound.  Outbound: These are outgoing calls where the telephone representative calls out to customers.  These can be cold, warm or hot calls.  You can call new prospects and current customers to offer them your products of services.  This can be anything from a book or a DVD, to a magazine subscription, credit card or club membership… the possibilities are endless. 

Inbound: These are incoming calls, where the customer calls the telephone representative.  These often include calls like: customer service (any type of call where the customer is looking for help), catalog orders (think major mailers like department stores or clothing boutiques), Direct Response TV (DRTV) (and if you call within the next 30 minutes we’ll throw in a free set of steak knifes…), enrollment programs (joined any good clubs lately?) and just about any other type of 800#.

Now you may be wondering about the Do Not Call (DNC) Registries and how companies are still able to contact customers.  The restrictions only apply to those customers who have taken the time to add their number to an applicable DNC list.  If a customer has registered their number, with their state and the Federal government, they are much less likely to receive calls.  However, each state has different requirements regarding Established Business Relationships (EBR).  If a customer has purchased something from your company or even inquired about your products and services, this is considered an EBR.  Each state has a different time frame for how long an EBR is valid, usually ranging from 3 months to 18 months. Just like other marketing channels, company will often use an exclusive offer.  For instance, if customers purchase over the phone they may also receive a free premium item or free shipping and handling.  The better the offer, the more likely the customer will listen to the entire pitch before making their decision. You can also coordinate a direct mailing and phone promotion, and you’ll see your response rate increase on both campaigns.  What more can you ask for?Remember, the most important thing about telemarketing is that you can sell just about anything over the phone… trust me.

Filed under: Marketing Trends