Home - Recruitment Techniques - Management Techniques - Online Computer Training - 





Please click here to visit our sponsor

Telephone Sales Basics for Start-ups


Everyone picks up the telephone to do business. Yet the word "telemarketing" has many negative connotations for people. However, telemarketing is merely a term for conducting business over the telephone. Whenever you pick up the phone at work to make or receive a call you are "a telemarketer". Over the years telemarketing has evolved into the following applications:

1. Business to Consumer

2. Business to Business

Within these classifications, there are two separate functions: inbound and outbound. Inbound is generally thought of as customer service, and outbound is used for sales or surveys. CSR is telemarketing shorthand for Customer Service Representative. TSR is telemarketing shorthand for Telemarketing Sales Representative.

In order to increase response rate, many firms use a combination of direct mail and telemarketing.

Generally the telemarketing call follows the mail piece. If the client or prospect requires additional information, a follow up first class mail piece, fax or email is sent.

A soft sell works best for long term buyer -seller relationships. Each prospect call begins by letting prospects know the organization might be able to solve problems/fill needs. We then ask a series of questions to determine what their situation is and how the products can best help them. The offer is made and we ask for agreement - also known as the close. Rep's are expected to overcome objections and show how close a match the products are to the prospect's needs.

The steps in a sales presentation:

1. Opening

2. Offer

3. Trial Close

4. Objections

5. Close

Most Telemarketing units use a "script", a written, planned presentation. Actually, all salespeople use planned presentations; but as no one can see the telemarketer, these can be written down. A good script is used as a guideline as opposed to a verbatim speech. The presentation should inject some of the rep's personality and be flexible enough to personalize each call.

During the course of an "average" day a Telephone Sales Rep will:

? Dial the telephone 200 times

? Reach voice mail 80 times (out of 200)

? Reach a decision maker to make a presentation 20 times (out of 200)

Telemarketing is no longer the stepchild of company's marketing efforts, in many cases telemarketing has become the focal point for dynamic expansion. As the cost of field sales endeavors continues to rise, more and more firms are using telemarketing to cost effectively increase their business. In 1988, US News and World Reports published a report citing 8 million telemarketing jobs by the year 2000. At a time when most telemarketing employment seemed to be part time (targeted for housewives, students and retirees)or hard sell boiler rooms, this number seemed tremendous.

Today when most telemarketing positions, particularly in the business to business arena, are being held by experienced full time professionals, perhaps 8 million just scratches the surface.

Jo Ann Kirby is president of KRG Communications Group. She has 20 years experience in sales, telephone sales and sales management and an extensive background in training and development. Her background also includes extensive b2b telesales management experience. Jo Ann has been published in The Toastmaster, NAPPS Network and Commerce magazines. More can be found at http://www.krgcommunications.com



'Celebrate achievement, not celebrity'
Scotsman, United Kingdom - 8 hours ago
By FIONA MACLEOD CELEBRITY culture, which has turned baggage handler John Smeaton into an international star, is failing to recognise Scotland's real ...


Queen Elizabeth II's grandson sells story to celebrity magazine ...
International Herald Tribune, France - 5 hours ago
Not so her eldest grandson, who not only spoke to a reporter but sold the story of his upcoming nuptials to a celebrity magazine for a sum reported at up to ...


The Associated Press

Celebrity cast in Hollywood wiretapping case
The Associated Press - 7 hours ago
_ Garry Shandling: The 58-year-old actor-comedian was another celebrity called to testify during the trial. Shandling was on the same list of 60 names as ...
Celebrity Sleuth Found Guilty! E! Online
LA Celebrity Private Eye Convicted By Jury On Wiretapping ... Lawfuel (press release)
Sleuth to stars Anthony Pellicano goin' behind bars New York Daily News
Hollywood Reporter - Reuters
all 668 news articles


Celebrity Birthdays
International Herald Tribune, France - 5 hours ago
AP May 18: Actor Bill Macy ("Maude") is 86. Actor Pernell Roberts ("Bonanza," "Trapper John, MD") is 80. Actor Robert Morse is 77. ...


Sydney Morning Herald

I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia - 17 hours ago
And so ends the guilty pleasure of watching I'm a Celebrity, Get Me out of Here. Previous series were compulsory viewing in Britain and here's why: they ...


Tinseltown veteran reels in stars for Celebrity Fishing Tournament
San Diego Union Tribune, United States - 21 hours ago
But those who pay $100 to participate in Saturday's Celebrity Fishing Tournament may get the chance to trade diet tips with “Celebrity Fit Club” competitor ...


Celebrity scandal fuels challenge to South Korean adultery law
International Herald Tribune, France - 15 hours ago
By Choe Sang-Hun An Italian chef the husband claims did more than give his wife private cooking and English lessons at his apartment. ...


New Statesman

Celebrity scandal
New Statesman, UK - 22 hours ago
Perhaps it was contemplation of this that drove Glyn Maxwell to pen The Girl Who Was Going to Die, an attempt at satire on celebrity culture. ...


Telegraph.co.uk

Blinded by the light, fans flock to Cannes for celebrity spotting
The Age, Australia - 17 hours ago
CANNES is back. The biggest film festival in the world opened on Wednesday night with the usual flurry of stars, limousines creeping up the Croisette and ...
Backstage at Cannes, party preparations begin Reuters
all 22 news articles


France's celebrity Trotskyist wants general strike
Reuters India, India - 19 hours ago
By Gerard Bon PARIS (Reuters) - French Trotskyist leader Olivier Besancenot may have discussed his favourite singers and love of soccer on a glitzy ...

celebrity - Google News

Want to copy DVDs? Click Here!

home|Learn Sales|Learn Sales Management|Site map Distance Education at ICS

© 2006 www.elearn-university.org