by Katriina L.

Created on: October 19, 2008

Telemarketing can be a very cost effective way to market your business. Many products, especially products marketed in the business-to-business (B2B) sphere can be promoted effectively with a "rich" approach. A "rich" approach in marketing and sales refers to a method where the prospect (potential customer) is qualified and then targeted with a very personalized approach. (This is in contrast with an advertising campaign, for example, which is a "reach" approach.)

There are different ways to go about including telemarketing in your marketing mix. If you are a very small business and you are comfortable in sales, you may wish to do the telemarketing yourself or hire a single, well qualified individual to do the calls for you. If you are making the decision regarding a larger enterprise, you may wish to either build a team that will work exclusively for your company, or you might choose to outsource.

SMALL BUSINESS: DOING THE TELEMARKETING YOURSELF

If you decide to do your telemarketing yourself, you need to first and foremost be able to speak eloquently and concisely about what your company does and all of its products and services. It's not enough to know all about your products - you have to be able to explain them in just the right amount of detail. You also must be able to speak passionately about what your business offers and make it relevant to the people you are speaking to. Writing a script and practicing it many times over is the best place to start. Make sure you call friends and family on the phone to practice your new pitch as well, and solicit honest feedback.

SMALL BUSINESS: HIRING AN EXPERT

If sales isn't your cup of tea, then hire someone for whom it is. If you only have the budget for one person, make sure you take your time in interviewing until you find an appropriate fit for your business. Ideally they will be someone who has sold a product similar to yours before, or if not, at least sold to the same audience. For example, if you are selling wedding planning services, someone who has sold a consumer service before might be your best bet. Make sure to ask about the person's track record, and ask them for references that will back up the information they provide. Once hired, then you need to familiarize them with the product and work together to think up answers to any foreseeable objections on the part of your prospects. Lastly, it's best if they write the script, but you should absolutely approve it before they start using it.

LARGER BUSINESSES:

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