People sometimes question whether B2B telemarketing and tele-sales are effective in today’s business environment.
Yes, I am pleased to report that teleservices are still workhorses you can count on within your sales and marketing arsenal. In fact, they may be more important in 2022 than ever before.
In our post-pandemic sales environment, business buyers have become acclimated to remote sales. They find it more satisfying in some ways because it’s on their terms. For one thing, no one’s showing up at their office and disrupting their day. And for another, they can go online and research, make inquiries and schedule a call back when it’s most convenient for them.
Just consider these three statistics:
- According to the Sales Benchmark Index, 70% of buyers say they don’t want to take face-to-face meetings.
- And as McKinsey further explains, as many as 80% of these buyers and decision makers prefer remote interaction or digital self-service.
- Finally, as proof that teleservices remain a viable alternative to face-to-face: 78% of decision makers say that they have taken an appointment or attended an event that was offered through email or a cold call. (DiscoverOrg)
And even if COVID-19 hadn’t moved buyers away from the face-to-face meeting, telemarketing would have a place in the increasingly complex and competitive business environment of multi-channel or omni-channel marketing. It’s just one more way for your sales department to connect with prospects, deliver a consistent message across platforms and reinforce social media, email and ad/landing page campaigns.
Here’s how your sales reps can make B2B telemarketing work for them in 2022.
Open a Direct Line of Communication with Buyers
While many B2B buyers choose to bypass the sales rep and buy online, there’s always the concern that their research and assumptions may have led them to a wrong buying decision. That’s where a direct line of communication can be a real service.
For example, when someone inquires about a product or service, a rep can use it as an opportunity to initiate a conversation instead of simply sending prepared content. They can reply with a personal email that raises a question or two that they may not have considered, then follow that with a phone call.
The direct line of communication is a sales rep’s opportunity to answer questions, begin a relationship and build a deeper connection.
Follow Up and Nurture Budding Relationships
Follow-up is good for the bottom line: According to a DemandGen Report, nurtured leads can boost sales opportunities by as much as 20%. The Annuitas Group adds that nurtured leads make 47% larger purchases.
Thus, once the door is open, reps need to follow up and nurture the relationship. Even leaving a personal voicemail message can have an impact.
Telemarketing is your reps’ way of keeping the lines of communication open and remaining top of mind, especially if a buyer is in the early stages of the buying journey.
Reps don’t have to wait until a prospective buyer asks for something. They can offer up relevant research or a white paper. They can invite their prospect to an upcoming webinar or conference call.
Qualify Leads
Telemarketing is the perfect strategy for collecting more buyer data. The more your salespeople know about a prospect, the better they will be at meeting needs and, ultimately, closing the sale. Your contact and background data will be far richer and more accurate when reps go directly to the source.
Always Put Your Best Foot Forward
If you don’t have a skilled telemarketing team, are in the process of building a team or don’t have a large enough team to handle all your campaigns, you can work with qualified professionals. Remember, outsourced telemarketers—while not actual employees—will act as part of your team.
Select telemarketers that are skilled in calling techniques and dedicated to your account so they have a chance to learn your product or service and can represent it without working from a script.
Qualified third-party telemarketers can help with lead gen, lead qualification and lead nurturing.
Improve Customer Satisfaction
Far from being a fading sales and marketing strategy, B2B telemarketing can improve customer satisfaction by giving buyers a personalized experience and helping them to find the best solution.
In 2022, give your sales and marketing a competitive edge. Learn to use telemarketing effectively—to engage buyers, nurture prospects, qualify leads and deliver exceptional customer experience.
Telemarketing can help boost your bottom line in 2022.
Call us at +1 813-320-0500 (US) or +39 06 978446 60 (EMEA) or contact us online for help meeting your sales goals.
