Top 3 Telemarketing Techniques For Telesales Success
Speak To The Decision Maker – Make Friends With The Gatekeeper
For B2B telemarketing techniques to be successful, it is important to reach the decision-maker of the company you are calling. It’s the decision-makers who have the power to move a sales process along in the company. However, getting to the decision-maker is not always easy.
Without the right skills, you will always find yourself in the same daunting situation when you make your leads generation and telemarketing calls.
Below, we have outlined 3 common telemarketing techniques for getting the decision-maker to hear and communicate with you.
Whilst different companies differ in their niche, telemarketing techniques works successfully for all.
#1 To Get The Decision Makers Attention – Choose The Right Message
Remember, the first few seconds of your call determine your success. Mastering this skill comes with time and experience, however, it is also highly dependent on mastering the skill of crafting a winning message. Take your time to learn about the company you are calling and the gatekeeper.
The gatekeeper is the company’s first point of contact – the person answering the call. So you must ensure that the first message takes into consideration their role in the company and their relationship to the decision-maker. The first point of contact is perhaps the hardest part to get past.
Your message should get to the point, don’t waste their time! However, don’t take the “salesy” route such as “Hi, my name Jack, I’m calling from ABC Company and would like to talk to John about our xxx”. This becomes too obvious that it is a sales call.
Instead, get to the point whilst leaving your listener wanting to hear more. For consumers, it is not about the business; it is about what the business can give them. So, your message should market what you are selling in the form of how the product can solve their problem rather than plainly stating what you are selling.
The first time is not always successful, however, make sure your message leaves a mark. This gives you a better chance of getting to the decision-maker on your next attempts. During your calls, if you reach the business voicemail – still, leave your message. In fact, this gives a unique opportunity to sneak in your message without pressure before you call back again.
Be Polite
The only way people are receptive to each other, especially strangers, is if they are courteous and polite, no matter the situation. The misconception with many salespeople and telemarketers is seeing the gatekeeper as an enemy.
However, they fail to realize that being on the gatekeeper’s side can get you the perks of enjoying access to the company’s decision-makers. The gatekeeper is simply doing their job! Therefore, for you to successfully do yours, you want to build a rapport with them. Being polite and courteous is the first step.
Related: Why Politeness Matters in the Modern Workplace
Be Persistent, But Professional
Realistically, you are not always going to be successful on a one-off call. Thus, learn to be persistent by making multiple calls to the company. But remember to do so professionally.
Being consistent is a great way to increase your chances of finally connecting with the decision-maker. However, during this process, ensure that your calls don’t turn into nuisances and passive harassment. You should make it a point to try with at least 6 successful calls. Giving up earlier on leaves more room for your competitor to jump in at the opportunity.
Be Honest
This is the time when the saying “lies won’t get you anywhere” hits the most. Being honest can get you a long way, whether you are talking to a gatekeeper or a decision-maker. Some telemarketers even believe that adding in some occasional lie to the gatekeeper will get them quick access to the decision-maker.
If you ever want to do this – STOP! Think of the organization or business you work for and the communication dynamics. The same way you communicate with your supervisor is the same way they communicate with theirs. Thus, squeezing in a lie will only end up with you being blacklisted on their contacts list because it is very easy for the gatekeeper to verify the information.
Lying also tarnishes your character as a trustworthy and stand up person which leads to the business not having confidence in your products.
Related: The Benefits of Honesty Nobody Told You
#2 To Get The Decision Makers Attention – Adjust Your Calls
As you keep calling your target companies, you will pick up on details such as the availability of the decision-maker. For a business, typically, there will be days and times in the weeks when the decision-maker will be unavailable. Thus, you have to gauge the timing.
For example, the decision-maker is more likely to be in on Monday mornings. However, for many companies, this is the time when they run their weekly company meetings. So instead of calling in at early 8 or 9 o’clock, try to call in at around 9 to 12 instead.
Related: Lead Response Survey – Best Times To Call!
#3 Pay Attention To Vocabulary And Choice Of Words
Lastly, always remember you are talking to a human being and not a machine, so using “businessy” and “salesy” jargon will not work. Remember, you are talking to a gatekeeper and their job is to screen these types of calls day in day out.
Therefore, it is easy to identify telemarketing calls by simply listening to the choice of words and vocabulary. Avoiding these types of words gets you a better chance of being connected to the decision-maker. Take the time to familiarize yourself with typical “salesy” words and ELIMINATE them from your vocabulary.
A good example of such words is “how are you?” In your mind, you may think you are connecting with the person. But if you think of it, it’s an impractical phrase, because you do not know that person. Other phrases that scream sales cliché include “is this a good time to talk?” and “I don’t know”.
Avoid them!
Telemarketing Techniques That Get The Attention Of The Decision Maker!
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