Telemarketing is one of the most powerful tools for increasing sales and finding business prospects because it touches upon all four aspects of marketing: awareness, interest, action, and retention.
There are significant advantages to conducting telemarketing calls. Although these phone interactions can be challenging, especially cold calling, it’s a phenomenal way of expanding a company’s sales territory. In this article, we will delve into the advantages and disadvantages of telemarketing.
What is telemarketing used for?
Telemarketing is the practice of receiving and making sales calls to inform or find potential customers. It is used to assist the existing customer base of a company that needs customer service, or as a step in the sales process to find prospective customers, or collect valuable information.
Businesses often use telemarketing to push their products or services, and this strategy is known as direct marketing. It differs from social media ads and commercial pamphlets in that the potential clients are personally called to discuss their interest in a company’s goods or services. Moreover, it may also be used by non-profit organizations to solicit donations or sell fundraising raffle tickets. This type of telemarketing is usually called non-profit telemarketing.
Types of Telemarketing
There are two types of telemarketing services:
- Outbound telemarketing
- Inbound telemarketing
1. Outbound Telemarketing
Outbound telemarketing is a sales calls method where telemarketers contact potential or existing customers by phone to present a product or service. This is a form of direct marketing. Telemarketing agencies can buy potential customer lists to make their lead generation more efficient. Since the person receiving the call did not expect the interaction, outbound telemarketing is also known as cold calling.
Organizations typically leverage outbound telemarketing when trying to sell an item that is not widely available for purchase via retail outlets, such as when selling magazine subscriptions or offering memberships in club organizations. In some cases, outbound telemarketing may solicit donations or political support.
2. Inbound Telemarketing
Inbound telemarketing is the process of answering incoming calls from consumers who have responded to a marketing advertisement and wish to place an order, obtain additional information, request a catalog, or ask if the company offers specific products or services. Inbound telemarketing takes place in a call center and is key to establishing excellent customer service, and optimizing client retention and conversion.
Stimulate your growth through telemarketing
Advantages of telemarketing
Telemarketing is an essential marketing tool for many businesses. Here are the advantages of telemarketing:
- Easy to get information
- Cost-effective
- Short-term results
- Expand sales territory
- Generate leads
- Provide excellent customer service
- Target any audience
- Assess the demand for a product
1. Easy to get customer information
Telemarketing allows you to collect information about your potential customers. This can help you tailor your business model and marketing materials to fit the needs of your specific target audience.
When you make phone calls to potential customers, don’t just talk to them about what your company has to offer; ask questions and engage in a two-way dialogue that allows you to get valuable feedback from individuals who may be interested in buying what you’re selling.
In addition to helping you identify ways that your company can improve its value proposition, this feedback also provides insights into how effective (or ineffective) your marketing efforts are. This can help you pinpoint where improvements need to be made to achieve maximum results for future marketing campaigns.
2. Cost-Effective
Telemarketing is a relatively inexpensive form of marketing compared to other forms of indirect and direct marketing. You do not need to purchase expensive mailing lists, develop flashy ads or run an intensive sales campaign with telemarketing; all you need to do is hire a qualified firm to externalize telemarketing.
3. Short-term results
With telemarketing, your company can experience short-term positive results instantly because outbound telemarketing establishes numerous personal interactions between potential customers and your company’s representatives. Each call can be seen as a seed that can sprout.
4. Expand sales territory
One of the most significant advantages of telemarketing is that it helps you reach out to customers over a wide geographical area. The Internet and email marketing are also helpful in reaching out to customers and clients, but they lack the human touch that comes with talking over the phone.
No matter how large your business is, you can be assured that your sales teams will be able to get in touch with people all around the world by telephone. You can also create a more personal connection with potential customers by sending them targeted messages and emails after you have connected with them over the phone.
5. Generate leads
Do you have a list of prospective customers that need a call? There are two types of telemarketing services, which are outbound and inbound. Both types of telemarketing are beneficial in generating more leads for your business because they create an opportunity for you to engage with both existing and potential customers.
6. Provide excellent customer service
Telemarketing services aren’t just helpful in attracting new clients; they’re also an excellent way for companies to maintain relationships with current and new customers. If a problem arises with your product and service, consumers want to be able to reach out to someone. Inbound telemarketing services provide exactly that.
7. Target any audience
With telemarketing, you can target any audience you want. You can buy potential customer lists that include age ranges, income brackets, specific zip codes, and more. If you are looking for stay-at-home moms in the South-shore, there is a list for that. With telemarketing, you can get as specific as you want to reach your target markets.
8. Assess the demand for a product
Before bringing your product or service to the market, you may want to test it first to see if it will sell. Telemarketing allows you to do just that by giving you access to many potential customers. You can use their feedback on your product or service to make necessary changes before officially launching it.
Outbound telemarketing services
Disadvantages of telemarketing
The disadvantages of telemarketing include:
- Expensive entry cost
- People resent it
- Quality leads costs more
- Endless task
- Quality of information
1. Expensive entry cost
If your company is planning on running its own call center, the initial investment is costly. Not only will you have to find the talents to run the call center, but provide them with the appropriate workstation for them to conduct their inbound and outbound telemarketing duties. Additionally, a government license is required to perform calls on a given area code. This is why businesses prefer to outsource telemarketing services.
2. People resent It
Outbound telemarketing, being a form of direct marketing, is often perceived as intrusive. However, it is this same unapologetic attitude that creates positive results. Besides, if customers don’t want to receive a call, they can always add their number on the Canadian Do Not Call list.
3. Quality leads cost more
You can make phone calls as cheaply as sending letters through the mail, but you won’t get good results if you do. If you want potential customers to learn about your product or service, it’s going to cost more than hiring inexperienced telemarketers with relatively no training.
4. Not everyone answers their phone
One advantage mailing has over telemarketing is that your message can be seen even if it isn’t opened right away. When someone doesn’t answer their phone, you don’t get another chance to sell them anything unless they call you back; people are less likely to call back than they are to open a letter when they have time for it later on.
5. Endless task
There is always another number to contact, so it can be hard for a company to know when to stop hiring professionals for their outbound telemarketing services, and the same goes for inbound telemarketing; you never know when someone will call!
6. Quality of information
It’s important to find a telemarketing service company that will carry your banner with just as much passion as you would. If you opt for low-cost telemarketing services, brace yourself for angry emails that report false information or a lack of professionalism on the behalf of one of your call center representatives. Taking the time to find a good business partner can be exhaustive.
Telemarketing services
TELUP is an interactive telemarketing services company. We provide inbound, outbound, and blended solutions to our clients. Our telemarketing services help you reach your target markets, whether it’s for a new product launch, to enhance customer service, or generate leads.
Our team of experienced consultants ensure that every project meets their goals promptly, with due respect for governmental regulations. We aim to exceed your expectations so that you can take over your competition!
