Working as a telemarketer can be one of the most challenging jobs you will ever have. Regardless of the industry, you’re involved in, contacting potential leads over the phone can be intimidating and tiring. However, utilizing a few best practices can help to level the playing field and make the more challenging calls easier to handle in the long run.
Telemarketer Dos
- Do pay attention to time zones. No one wants to receive a telemarketing call after they’re in bed or before they’re even up in the morning. Remember that not everyone will be on the same schedule as you are, so plan accordingly. Potential customers also don’t want to be interrupted at dinner time, but that may be unavoidable, especially if you’re contacting people who aren’t at home during the day.
- Do be courteous and professional. Since you may be calling at inconvenient times, start with a warm greeting and remember you’re representing a company and product or service. If they are rude or hang up on you, make sure you’re not the reason for it. You can only control your own behavior, language, and tone. Also, don’t forget that you may need to be overly friendly at times because you’re just a voice over the phone instead of a live person.
- Do have a script you are familiar with. You absolutely must get to the point quickly to avoid boring the people who answer your calls and give them a reason to stay on the line. Be prepared with sales points as well as rebuttals to any questions or concerns they have.
- Do practice your script before making calls. You need to be totally comfortable and make sure the script flows easily by practicing on friends and family or colleagues. You do not want a prospect to be the first to hear your mistakes!
- Do ensure your lead or contact list is organized and correct. If you aren’t working with valuable information, making calls is just a waste of your time. Also make sure you’re not violating the National Do Not Call List, as doing so can put you in legal danger.
Telemarketer Don’ts
- Don’t let yourself get discouraged easily. Telemarketing, like any type of sales, is simply a numbers game – you will likely only get to pitch 10% of the calls you make, and only 10% of those will buy. If you make half your calls and all of them are negative experiences, you need to figure out how to keep pushing on to get to the sale.
- Don’t let your contact take control of the call. Remember you are the expert, and some people will just want to argue with you for the sake of arguing. If you find this is happening, realize it’s a waste of time for you, and simply bid the contact a professional farewell.
- Don’t take your training and script for granted. You should periodically review your script and product information if you are ever going to get better at reaching out and finding buyers.
- Don’t fail to follow-up. If the list you’re working with is good information, be sure to go back to contacts you weren’t able to reach the first time. It’s likely you just called on a day they weren’t home or during a time they were busy with something else.
- Don’t get too comfortable. If you have a really good day and beat the 10% sales rule, don’t take it easy the next few days. Just know you’re likely in for a day or two of absolutely nothing. Stay humble and know that the feast and famine cycle of selling is constantly in motion.
Final Thoughts
Telemarketers are no one’s favorite people to talk to on the phone, but employing these do’s and don’ts will help to navigate the toughest of calls and even rudest contacts. If you remember that you are a faceless name to them and negative comments are not meant for you personally, you’ll still be able to keep your head up for the next call. Ask your colleagues for help when you need it, treat your contacts how you would want to be treated, and your time and effort will always pay off in the long run.
