7 Keys to Marketing Genius: Telemarketing
The following is an excerpt from The 7 Keys to Marketing Genius by Michael Daehn
While writing this I just got a phone call from the Southwestern Bell phone company for Mr. Agrusa, the name of my father-in-law. I explained he does not live here, and the caller asked if I was the phone decision maker. I wisely said “no, my wife is” and the caller said “thanks anyway” and hung up. I wonder how much money Southwestern Bell wasted to interrupt me while writing this wonderful book? Well, at least it gave me a great illustration.
Actually, that phone call was rather distracting so I decided to take a break and did not continue writing this until the next day. As I got back into the groove and starting writing again, guess who called? Southwestern Bell called asking for Mr. Agrusa again. Their marketing is beginning to feel a little more like harassment. In fact, consumer groups are trying to make such calls illegal. To help consumers, there is now a device called the PhoneZapper that is available to block unsolicited calls. I have some friends who enjoy telemarketing calls as a chance to play mind games with the callers by using funny voices and acting like imbeciles. Once when asked how much he spent on long distance calls, my friend responded, “I do not have a phone.”
The problem is that a phone call is rather personal. Of course, we want to build a personal relationship with customers (Key 5), but we must earn the right to be heard. Telemarketing is a poor advertising tool because it is a very personal tool being used with strangers and non-customers. Telemarketing is a good tool when the prospects have prequalified themselves, and/or the call is being provided as a client service. Following up on a sale to make sure everything is working to the client’s satisfaction is a great way to cement an already established relationship and bolster future sales.