Picture the scene: Someone is asking you if you’ve got “Time”: Time to answer or fill out a survey, time to look at this latest report or website, time to attend a particular meeting or event… How are you feeling now? Chances are, a little more overwhelmed and somewhat resigned to the fact that more people seem to want more of that precious commodity we seem to have so little of: Time. Draining, isn’t it?
This issue relates very well to telemarketing. It has to do with the image that we help to create in people’s minds, an image of being a time thief, a situation less favourable to them, more favourable to you. It’s far from being ‘win/win’ in their eyes, so you can hardly blame them for thinking and feeling this way.
This article has been in the pipeline for years. The main reason is because the issue it focuses on rears its head with ongoing frequency. The issue is this: Are you taking a campaign mentality or a continuity mentality to your telemarketing and cold calling activities?
Whilst it is true that telemarketing can provide a “shot in the arm”, a surge in your sales pipeline, a leap in the number of leads you have, what many people seem to forget is that telemarketing works best when continued, consistent effort is made to engage with both new prospects and existing clients alike by telephone. It is more personal than email, provides greater scope for sharing ideas in the early stages and cements relationships. We can always commit our conversations to email afterward.
Over this weekend, one of my followers on Twitter asked if there were a way to cure phone phobia. She had been struggling to overcome the fear of using the telephone in business.
The only advice I could offer her was: Calling a stranger on the telephone is like asking a stranger for directions during a journey when you’re unsure of how to reach your destination.
Having sent that message out on Twitter, a handful of people replied or sent me a direct message saying that they liked the analogy and could relate to it.
What this article covers is the way we perceive things, and how to re-frame them when the labels we give them fail to support us. Most of us know that any great achievement or progress always begins in the mind. The better prepared the mind is for all eventualities then the better you’ll take the results you generate in your stride and become aware of the actions necessary to take that will alter those results.
In the end, on a call the bottom line is we’re looking for two things:
These words, unfortunately, sum up what a lot of people feel about the cold calling and telemarketing process they labour so painfully under.
If people buy for two main reasons, namely avoiding pain or attaining pleasure, then how will people ever consider talking to you, much less buying from you, if the calling you do represents these negative stereotypes?
This can be changed largely by ensuring that when you start a call your attitude and approach is based on honesty (how good do you feel about willfully deceiving people?), and that you will ask questions to continually assure yourself and the person you’re speaking with that you both understand each other and are comfortable discussing a given topic or situation. Nothing of mutual value can happen between two parties without agreement.
Yes, it’s one of those titles where two words look identical but are so different in their meaning.
The prompt for this came from celebrated Time Management Coach, Clare Evans. Having received multiple calls from the same company, it was obvious that for Clare, their telemarketing staff weren’t interested in the former (conversation), and largely as a result of that, wouldn’t realise the latter (conversion) in any case.
Motivation: A Motive to Action. We have to acquire it, develop it, demonstrate it and even write letters based on it when applying for jobs, but how many of us truly realise and believe that motivation is a two-way street? It really has to come from within as well as from external stimuli.
A great deal of mis-conception and mis-information exists when dealing with outcomes by telephone.
If you’re calling for a purpose (to set an appointment, follow up a contact made at an event, marketing an event, obtain information, etc) then you’ll inevitably come into contact with people who are quizzical, sceptical, suspicious, and even hostile. They want to know who you are and why you’re asking the questions you’re asking.
All their reactions can be analysed to death at the alter of psychology, however at the root, fear of dealing with the unknown is in the driving seat here.
Recession, recession, recession! Have you heard much about anything else in the news these past months? The point of today’s article is to outline why cold calling (and telemarketing in general) shouldn’t be discounted as a means of starting and developing new business relationships.
While many businesses are laying off staff, cutting costs in some of the most dangerous areas and generally forecasting downturns in profit, other businesses whose marketing activities remained an important, constant part of the business plan are weathering the economic storm and some are actually thriving.
Today’s Article celebrates being different and taking pride in it. After all, if you’re no different from your peers and competitors, how will anyone be able to tell you apart?
Injecting some soul into proceedings, the title refers to a song by James Brown. Written at the peak of the Civil Rights Movement in 1968, it also reminded me of the roots of another date in the calendar: March 17th.
A veteran of telephone-based business development since 1994, Shaun has taught others to use the telephone successfully in business and continues to refine and practice what he preaches.
