Home Knowledge Articles Boost sales performance with the telemarketing channel.

Since digital channels became all-pervasive, traditional channels such as the phone have often taken a back seat.

With the arrival of new technologies, the idea of picking up a phone might understandably seem a bit dated. However, overlooking the value of a phone call is a mistake. It is still undeniable that the one-to-one personal nature of this flexible channel can impact sales performance and increase ROI in ways that just aren’t possible with other approaches.

Let’s consider the value of a simple phone conversation and how it allows you to:

Personalise

The personal nature of one-to-one human contact creates rapport and lays the foundations for a relationship, a critical step on the way to any sale of significant value, particularly in the B2B environment. When you have a sales conversation over the phone, your main goal may be to generate a lead or opportunity, but you are also making an authentic connection. You build rapport, and mutual understanding, create a warm empathetic dialogue, and show the human face of your brand.

Persuade

A live, two-way conversation allows you to bring your proposition to life in an engaging, compelling way that increases conversion and boosts sales performance. A dynamic conversation can be highly persuasive, allowing you to add colour to your proposition and position benefits in real-time as you read cues and gather insight into your prospect’s needs.

Prioritise

Not only does the insight you gain allow you to tailor your offer, it allows you to qualify your prospect with confidence, remove poor fit leads quickly and prioritise your most valuable opportunities. From that point onwards, your efforts and resources are channelled to the prospects, opportunities, and accounts most likely to become profitable business. And, most importantly, you aren’t wasting time chasing opportunities that will never convert.

Perfect strategy

Beyond the opportunity itself, the precious ‘Voice of Customer’ insight you gather will help shape your overall sales strategy and ensure your communications chime with your target audience. Think about having access to a senior decision maker with years of experience in their field, working at the heart of a major organisation within your target industry. What might you gain from that conversation?

feedback on your pricing, proposition and benefits.
competitor intelligence.
insight into current and future industry trends.
awareness of shortcomings in your product design or service offering.
an understanding of gaps in your customer experience.

If at the end of a conversation with that individual they are not ready to buy, what you have learnt may be even more valuable, helping you refine your strategy and improve sales performance going forward.

Precision target

A data-led channel such as the phone can also be targeted in a strategic way, so that it takes your sales prospecting directly to decision makers with the highest potential value. If, for example, you are trying to reach C-suite decision makers that aren’t active on your digital channels, a phone call can really extend your reach. If you are evaluating a new proposition, you can target your calls to seek feedback from contacts matching the profile of your ideal customer in your target industries and priority accounts.

If you are looking for ways to boost sales performance, don’t underestimate the value of outsourcing sales development. A strategic and data-led channel such as the phone can accelerate the sales process and improve ROI across all your channels whilst delivering actionable insight to keep your strategy on track. It can also reassure and build trust at times of uncertainty, laying foundations for mutually supportive, profitable relationships.