WORK WITH TELEMARKETING VENDORS TO MAXIMIZE RESULTS
Adapted from an article written for SIPA (Specialized Information Publishers Association)
Hotline Newsletter by RMG Direct President Randy Greenberg
If you want to improve your success rate in telemarketing, sales lead generation, data capture, or any other teleservices effort, consider the following keys to working with outsourced telemarketing service providers. In ascending order of priority, they are:
10. Train. As a client of a telemarketing services company, you will greatly increase the level of success of your campaigns by getting personally involved in training the vendor's representatives. You are the expert on your product or service, so pass along firsthand some of that expertise and passion for what you are offering. You can do this either onsite, personally visiting the vendor's call center, or by taking part in the training via conference call.
9. Monitor. Your actually hearing the calls your vendor's representatives are making or handling enables you to hear firsthand how the calls are going. This gives you both reason and motivation to provide your vendor with immediate feedback as to how the process can be improved. You can monitor onsite and/or by remote.
8. Maintain continual dialog with your vendor. Have Q&A sessions – either in person during the initial training, or by phone afterwards – with the telemarketing vendor management, supervision, and the telemarketing representatives.
7. Manage your success statistically. First, determine the amount of revenue that would need to be attributable to the telemarketing program for you to consider it a success. Then, “work the numbers backward”; determine how many paid orders you would need to generate the target amount of revenue. During the program, note how many orders, sales presentations, leads (if a sales lead generation program), and contacts are being generated per hour; and if these numbers, projected to the end of the program, look like they are hitting your target revenue. If it looks like they are falling short, discuss this with your vendor.
6. Segment your lists. Do this in such a way that you target your best opportunities first, the more challenging ones later. An example of this might be to call the current customers section first, then recent previous customers, then “old” previous customers, then prospects.
5. Make changes as necessary. Let your vendor know if you think any part of the script needs to be changed, if the offer needs to be either enhanced or limited, or a segment of the list needs to be dropped. A great advantage of telemarketing is its flexibility. Use it to your advantage.
4. Limit the variables. You may experiment with variations of lists, scripts, and offers, but don't test more than one at one time. Doing so makes it extremely difficult to determine which variable was responsible for any change in results. Limit any changes to one variable at a time to maximize your chances of finding out what's working, and what's working better.
3. Utilize database hygiene capabilities. In most cases, it is advisable to limit the number of individual contacts per physical customer site. In speaking with that individual, try to capture as much information as is relevant to marketing purposes, such as email address and any changes in job title. These steps will help you maximize both marketing efficiency and effectiveness.
2. Consider confirmation letters after the sale. These will help cement the sale, build credibility with the customer, and, if necessary, catch any buyer remorse before the product is shipped. This will increase pay rates and reduce shipping costs and, for products that are invoiced, bad debt. If possible, email these letters; an email is more likely to be received and read while the purchase is still fresh in the customer's mind. Include your company's – perhaps your sales or customer service department's – contact information for this purpose.
1. Enforce effective quality control measures. Ensure that the confirmation of all sales is digitally voice recorded (with permission the customer/prospect). These recordings can be emailed to you at your request. Check with your vendor that all calling lists are “scrubbed” against do-not-call files prior to the start of any calling. Make sure you know your vender adheres to all federal and state laws that apply to telemarketing.
