Be a Good Telemarketer

A telemarketer is a person who is responsible for selling a product or service over the phone. Telemarketers may work in a private office, from a call center or from home. It is often the case that telemarketers never meet their customers face to face, so good telemarketing skills are of utmost importance to achieving success as a telemarketer. Follow these suggestions for how to be a good telemarketer.

Steps

  1. Prepare for telemarketing.
    • Learn as much as you can about what you are selling. You should have a thorough understanding of what it is, how it works and how it may be useful to potential customers. Additionally, you should have genuine confidence in what you are selling, and in its value to the people you will be calling.
    • Learn about the company you work for. A good telemarketer not only sells a product or service, but also sells the company. You should be able to tell potential customers why they should choose you over your competitors. Study the company's history, philosophy, customer reviews/testimonials and industry ratings in order to be able to provide customers with a complete and favorable picture of who they are dealing with.
    • Make sure you understand the sales process. Once you convince a customer to invest in what you are selling, good telemarketing skills require that you are able to explain the sales process from start to finish. This includes closing paperwork, billing, shipping, refund/return policies, customer support and any necessary follow-up.
    • Compile contact information for your customers. You should have the business name, mailing address, phone number(s), email address, website, your manager's relevant information (especially if you work in a call center) and any other pertinent contact information that your customers may ask for over the telephone.
    • Practice your script. Read it aloud until you are comfortable that you can deliver it without any prompts.
  2. Express confidence. A good telemarketer speaks with a tone of authority that puts customers' minds at ease. If you are amply prepared, then you should be able to talk about the reason for your call and your company with confidence.
  3. Practice effective communications skills.
    • Speak slowly, loudly and clearly enough that customers can easily understand you. Do not mumble.
    • Be considerate of the people you are calling. Introduce yourself and explain the purpose of your call as soon as possible in the conversation. Pause and take time to listen to responses as you go.
    • Find the right balance between saying too much and not saying enough. Dead air during a telephone conversation can be uncomfortable. On the other hand, you can overwhelm and confuse a potential customer by saying too much, too fast.
    • Avoid distracting conversation spacers such as, "um" and "ah."
  4. Try not to sound rehearsed. Scripts are common in telemarketing, especially in a call center atmosphere, but it is possible to deliver a script without sounding like you are reading from a piece of paper. Take some slow breaths and relax before making your calls, then focus on the message behind what you are saying rather than the words themselves.
  5. Maintain a positive mental attitude. Remember that some (or many) of the people you call may not be expecting your call and, additionally, may not be receptive to your call. It is not unusual for even a good telemarketer to be rejected by several potential customers in a row before reaching 1 interested customer. Don't take rejections personally but, rather, take them as opportunities to develop your telemarketing skills.
  6. Stay resilient. Telemarketing is a numbers game, and it takes time and persistence to develop good telemarketing skills. Commit to making a certain number of calls each day and see those calls through.
  7. Recognize when it is time to move on to the next call. If a contact is expressly not interested in what you have to say, then politely end the call and move on to the next call.

Tips

  • Empathy - the ability to empathize with a given prospect is an essential skill for a good telemarketer. As a telemarketer we need to feel what each prospect wants and empathize with their goals in order to display Responsiveness.
  • Responsiveness - studies have shown that quality relationships require perceived responsiveness between individuals. Responsiveness is about empathizing with your partners position, their feelings, and their goals, and showing it through the skill of positive responses and acknowledgement.
  • Enthusiasm - it's true, enthusiasm is contagious. If you simply choose, maintain, and build enthusiasm in your product or service, your persona, and your empathy towards the prospects known or perceived goals - you will be recognized as a leader.
  • Leadership - the skills of leadership are very important with any telemarketing work. People look for leaders, and you would do well to study successful leaders and come to terms with how they do it. It's about knowing what you want and, knowing how to get there.
  • Perseverance - too many telemarketers fail before they even do. If you give up before you breakthrough, then you simply have not given it the best shot possible. Call rates, sales rates, and appointment rates will always vary between products and markets - but every campaign you quit is definitely one that won't work.
  • Quality Relationships - use your heart when you make telemarketing calls. The heart is a natural relationship builder, the heart cares, supports and fosters growth.

Warnings

  • Avoid giving out any false information to win over a customer. You may close the sale, but you will tarnish your name and that of your company, which will ultimately work against you.

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