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3 SMART Calling Strategies to Get More Appointments

3 SMART Calling Strategies to Get More Appointments

Singapore B2B companies want only the best result for their telemarketing campaigns. Aside from the fact that telemarketing is still a relevant outreach channel, organizations are using it as a means to produce better results in terms of revenue and market influence. However, to bring about the full benefits that telemarketing gives involves the application SMART Calling.

As you may all know, SMART is a basic concept in the world of business management. Business owners could hardly survive their respective markets without coming with plans that are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely. Without a SMART blueprint in mind, it would be difficult to open up new opportunities let alone generate a greater ROI for all your marketing efforts.

With SMART Calling, B2B businesses will have to make sure that their telemarketing campaigns are designed in line with their specific objectives. For one, companies in this industry aim to increase the number of sales appointments they can produce every month. To do that, they need to make sure that a good number of leads they get are nurtured and prepped up for an appointment with a sales rep.

If anything, selling isn’t always about pitching a product to someone you think is interested in your product. It’s actually more crucial to interact with your client first by initiating a conversation that strategically puts you in a position to set up an appointment.

A lot of factors are involved prior to a sales appointment. The best way to go about this is to make use of SMART Calling approaches that will surely help you produce a good number of sales appointments.  

Apply these best practices and see the volume of your appointments (and eventually, your conversion numbers) go through the roof.

List down your talking points

A good marketer knows better than to arrive unprepared for what’s to come. So, prior to a calling campaign, make sure you have everything you need to create effective talking points.

This involves defining the structure of your calls and anticipating possible questions. Your B2B prospects would appreciate it if you call with a purpose in mind. For one, they don’t really have the luxury of time to accept calls they don’t need from the get-go. So, it’s important to let the prospect know that you have something valuable that they would want to adopt.

Apparently, getting a sales appointment depends on how well you interact with a prospect during the initial engagement. Make your first impressions count. As a good rule of thumb, craft your call scripts together with sales and determine the most relevant questions that will lead you towards setting an appointment.

Related: A Visual Guide to Telemarketing Performance Metrics [INFOGRAPHIC]

Make it natural

Call scripts are always crucial to basically any task or activity that involves calling. Still, if you aim to increase the number of appointments you generate, it’s often best to steer clear of relying too much on the script.

A SMART Calling approach entails making the conversations as natural as possible. The call script is only there for your reference. To get potential clients to book an appointment, you need to connect with them at a more casual level.

One thing’s for sure, automated messages won’t simply work, neither will “canned” questions and talking points. Instead of reading verbatim, lift only important keywords from the script and “repackage” them into natural and relevant conversational topics.

Related: 4 Sales Call Rapport-Building Techniques That AI Can’t Yet Do [VIDEO]

Focus on value

Nothing motivates a B2B prospect more than the amount of value they can generate for their business. In this sense, you need to provide your prospects with relevant information on your products and services. However, don’t focus too much on setting everything on the table. Choose your words wisely and provide the other person some space to talk about their needs.

Once you have the prospect talk about the issues or problems that they are currently facing, you can then proceed to the next phase of a SMART Calling session, which is to provide value.

For this, show the prospect what your products and services can do to help them save time and money, or reducing the workload. Expect more queries along the way, which is a good thing since questions indicate that your prospect has enough interest in your offers to know more.

From there, you can send them either a case study or whitepaper to further inform their decisions. On the next session, your prospect will be more likely to set a sales appointment with you.

Again, value should be your main target, so it’s always a good idea to give your prospects a glimpse of how easier life gets through your products or services.

Related: How to make Prospect Realize They Need your Product or Services

Leverage technology and make smarter touchpoints

Quick Telemarketing and Email Campaign Fixes You Need to Know

Quick Telemarketing and Email Campaign Fixes You Need to Know

B2B marketers are faced with a lot of tasks in terms of generating quality leads. No doubt, much of these efforts involve contacting the right audiences using a variety of marketing channels.

Aside from social media, B2B companies also depend on good old-fashioned telemarketing and email marketing in seeking out potential opportunities and nurturing people into buying product or solution.

Sure enough, various industries focus a bulk of their marketing resources on these two approaches, considering the value that they entail towards the bottom line. Telemarketing, for example, provides a lot of benefits along the lines of filling prospects in on your services and goods. For B2B buyers, sales calls are still effective in terms of informing them about a product they will find a need to purchase. In much the same way, emails can make for effective follow-ups to initial discussions, enabling prospects to learn a lot more about an offer and make a decision.

Telemarketing and email marketing makes it possible to educate target audiences about your offers. But just like any marketing approach, B2B telemarketing and email market have challenges that should be addressed.

Sure enough, both strategies have been at the receiving end of complaints by potential clients. Invalid phone numbers, inaccurate mailing details, and improper call scripting can no doubt result in lackluster results.

These reasons and more have contributed to telemarketing and email’s supposed unpopularity. Still, it all depends on how well B2B marketers are able to recover from errors, mistakes, and failures in the way they talk to a potential client or structure a newsletter.

Different companies have different ways of dealing with these issues, but often you will find these common solutions to engagements that went downhill.

Using inaccurate data

When you are out looking for the right audiences to engage, data should always stay at the top. But even more than that, accurate data is always the best way to make sure you interact with the right people.

Inaccurate marketing data is a problem, especially to B2B companies. It becomes even more complicated as businesses will have to handle and manage large volumes of lead generation data, creating a path to unsuccessful marketing campaigns that would put a brand in an uneasy position.

If your campaign fails due to incorrect data, never fret. On your next campaign, implement a marketing automation platform to help you validate your contacts list, eliminate inconsistencies and bad addresses, and enable your team to focus on real-deal prospects.

Related: The Importance of Updated Database When Targeting IT C-Level in Singapore

Ignoring your prospects’ needs

Forming potential partnerships involves a great deal of understanding what your audiences want. But in this case, it doesn’t help if you look at the general picture and formulate a strategy on general assumptions.

B2B clients are unique in their own little way, and being able to communicate in their own individual terms helps in building stronger ties with them. Marketing personalization is key to building relevant discussions around your product or service and keeping prospects interested, so it’s always best to consider the things your contacts know about the most and the issues that would affect the way they grow their businesses.

Implement your campaign again and this time, listen attentively to what the prospect says, conduct intensive research on the nature of their business, and create emails that “talk” to them on a personal level. You can enhance your conversions significantly, for sure.

You lack a call-to-action

Any marketing message should end with giving the prospect an idea of what to do next. In this case, a call-to-action, whether through voice or through email, is essential to making a conversion happen.

As much as they want to learn more about your offers, your prospects need a subtle kick to get them to buy in. It sounds easy enough, but it involves a great deal of warming them up by providing them the things they need to make an informed decision. Once your prospects are warmed up, it’s time for you to use a CTA and reel them in.

You can experiment with different kinds of CTAs and identify the ones to incorporate into your email campaign. Effective telemarketing, meanwhile, should involve creating a good script that could end a prospect up in a sales appointment later on.

Related: 5 Things Every Prospecting Email Must Have Before Hitting ‘Send’

4 Sales Call Rapport-Building Techniques That AI Can't Yet Do [VIDEO]

4 Sales Call Rapport-Building Techniques That AI Can’t Yet Do [VIDEO]

By 2050, machines will take over half of all jobs.

… and telemarketers will be the first ones to go.

An Oxford study says

there’s a 99% chance
AI will replace human telemarketers soon.

But until AI learns how to build genuine rapport,

sales calls will remain a person-to-person interaction.

That’s because there are four building blocks of rapport

that only we humans can do for now.

#1 Listening and Empathy

Talking about oneself releases feel-good chemicals in the brain.

It’s even more rewarding with a person who’s really listening.

How Not to Sound Like a Machine:

Start with an open-ended question;

let them share a bit about themselves.

#2 Being Authentic

People do business with people they like.

No matter how well AI mimics human speech,

there’s nothing like the real thing.

How Not to Sound Like a Machine:

Let the conversation flow naturally and show genuine interest,

but don’t overdo it.

#3 Finding Common Ground

AI knows more about your prospects than you do.

But only people can connect and find common ground in a conversation.

How Not to Sound Like a Machine:

Bring up interesting tidbits that prospects can relate to.

Build on these points at different moments in the call.

Related: Telemarketing: Why Singaporean Prospects Turn You Down

#4 Creating Shared Experiences

The secret to building rapport is creating shared experiences.

Whether it’s defining the prospect’s problem or identifying a solution,

working together brings people closer.

How Not to Sound Like a Machine:

Turn sales calls into collaborative brainstorming sessions.

Use “we”, “our”, and “us” in the conversation.

Rapport is a two-way connection between people.

It’s going to stay that way unless machines master these four skills.

How to Handle Early Sales Objections, According to Science [VIDEO]

How to Handle Early Sales Objections, According to Science [VIDEO]

Objection: “Just send me some info…”

How to Respond:

“Sure, I want to make sure I send the right info. Tell me more about…”

Why it Works:

  • This uses the ‘Context Effect’ in psychology.
  • The context surrounding an event affects how it’s perceived.

Related: How to Spot a “Requested More Information” in Every Sales Objection

 

Objection: “We already work with your competitor.”

How to Respond:

“That’s great. What results are you getting?”

Why it Works:

  • This response reverses the direction of change.
  • It’s the best way to overcome status quo bias.

Related: Telemarketing: Why Singaporean Prospects Turn You Down

 

Objection: “Call me back in 6 months…”

How to Respond:

“What are your company’s other priorities right now?”

Why it Works:

  • Prioritizing activities is better than time management.
  • Best-selling author Rory Vaden shows this approach defeats procrastination.

Related: The Follow-up Strategies in Cold Calling to Counter the Five “NOs”

 

Objection: “We don’t have any budget right now.”

How to Respond:

“That’s okay. I’m not calling to sell you anything today.
But if I could ask you about…”

Why it Works:

  • This response shows empathy.
  • Harvard neuroscience research finds that trust depends on empathy.

Related: How to make Prospect Realize They Need your Product or Services

 

Try these tactics out for yourself
…and take the conversation to the next level.

 

 

4 Ways to Get Past Gatekeepers and Reach Prospects Every Time [VIDEO]

4 Ways to Get Past Gatekeepers and Reach Prospects Every Time [VIDEO]

On average, seasoned reps get past gatekeepers only 13% of the time.
For newcomers, that number goes down to 1%.

With the 4 proven sales call best practices in this video,
you’ll be able to reach prospects every time you dial.

But first, let’s understand what gatekeepers really do.

When gatekeepers screen out calls,
they’re really just doing two things:

  1. Keeping the wrong person away from the boss
  2. Letting the right person reach the boss

Clearly, you want to find yourself in the second scenario.

Here are 4 ways to make this happen…

#1 Get yourself referred

The top 2 reasons why executives meet with sales reps are:

  1. Referrals from people in their companies
  2. Referrals from trusted external sources

So, leverage your network and ask for an introduction.

#2 Connect with the prospect before calling

Avoid gatekeepers by making prospects expect your call

  • Send a short intro email
  • Ask for industry-specific advice via LinkedIn or Twitter

The point is to build a relationship well before dialing.

Related: The Follow-up Strategies in Cold Calling to Counter the Five “NOs”

#3 Mention something you learned about the prospect

Show gatekeepers you’re someone who knows about the prospect

  • Point out a recent award, published post, or announcement by the decision-maker
  • Explain how your call relates to the prospect’s role

The idea is to avoid sounding like you just called out of nowhere.

Related: Utilize Customer Profiling and Buyer Personas to Achieve Revenue Goals

#4 Stay in charge but be diplomatic

Keep in mind that the person who asks the questions controls the call

  • Always redirect with a question
  • Resist the itch to pitch

Gatekeepers don’t have the authority to approve your offer, so stay firmly in control.

Now, try these 4 ideas out on your next sales call.

Related: Telemarketing: Why Singaporean Prospects Turn You Down

Follow up Inbound Leads with 5 to 5 Calling Rule (And Increase Sales)

Follow up Inbound Leads with 5 to 5 Calling Rule (And Increase Sales)

In over a decade of delivering multi-channel marketing programs, valuing our business means valuing our clients’ businesses even more, constantly pushing us to pursue increased productivity for both. We exert selfless effort in acquiring new knowledge and developing skills to be able to achieve the goals we set.

In this article, find out how Callbox created and employed a ‘5 second to 5 minute” calling process that generated over $350,000 additional revenue or a 40% increase in sales.

Goal

During the 2014 goal setting meeting, Callbox saw an increase in inbound traffic from different channels like Email, Calls, SEO, and Social Marketing, which required immediate action to cater to the sudden surge in inflow.

Aside from adding more members to the Calling Team to handle more inquiries, the team addressed the issue by further expediting the process of answering the customers’ queries and addressing any concerns they may have.

Thus, the  “5 to 5 Rule” was created.

Related: Use These Phrases to Impress Singaporean Prospects When Calling

Process

The 5 to 5 Rule was, and is still an active calling process effectively employed by the team, in 3 easy steps:

Step1: All inquiries coming through the multiple channels including Inbound/Outbound Calls, Email Responses, SEO and Social Marketing were monitored real-time by the Response Team and checked within 5 seconds.

Step2: The Response Team transfers the inquiry to the Calling Team for further qualification, a process that takes anywhere within 1.5 to 2 minutes.

Step3: Once the query is deemed qualified, the Calling Team transfers the call to the Outside Sales Team to take the prospect’s requirements, and must be a subject for Sales Proposal, before the 5 minutes threshold lapses.

Real-time Monitoring Chance Rate at Second Intervals

5 seconds Rule of Calling Inbound Leads

Software Advice, The Online B2B Buyer Behavior Report by Derek Singleton

Conversion Chance Rate by Minute Intervals

Conversion Chance Rate in Minute Intervals - The 5 to 5 Calling Rule for Inbound Leads (That Generated Over 40% Increase in Sales)

The shortest time that the inquiry is addressed, begets higher chance of converting the query to a Lead, to a Proposal, and to a Close. tweet this!


Once the Response Team receives the inquiry, it has to be checked through within 5 seconds for transfer to the Calling Team. This clearly requires that the Calling Team be ready at all times to take transfers and be able to qualify the inquiry within 1.5 to 2 minutes only. Once qualified, the OS Team is quick to take the transferred call and present Callbox’s products and services to the prospect in a period of 2 to 2.5 minutes. 

Practically speaking, conversation between the prospect and the OS may go beyond the 5-minute period, but should only bear clarification of details, verification of contact information and setting of appointment for a follow-up call regarding the Sales Proposal.

Even David Dodd of  Customerthink.com pinned it when he wrote this article, ‘Are Your Lead Response Practices Costing You Sales?’


Here’s How to Reach Prospects in Asia with Less Effort and 3x Results Watch Full Video Here


Results

The team saw a spike in Leads, Proposal Rates and Closes.

Since inquiries were monitored real-time and quickly reviewed and qualified, the number of Leads increased, resulting to more sales proposals drafted and sent to prospects. As these proposals comprehensively present all the details of our products and services, the chance rates of closed sales also increased, while abandoned calls and emails significantly decreased.

Callbox 2014 and 2015 Leads, Proposals and Closes Data - The 5 to 5 Calling Rule for Inbound Leads (That Generated Over 40% Increase in Sales)

The success of the “5 to 5 Rule” is a product of a willingness to innovate at a quick pace and see necessary changes through to the end of the process.

Use These Phrases to Impress Singaporean Prospects When Calling

Use These Phrases to Impress Singaporean Prospects When Calling

“How will I impress my prospects today?”

That’s a question every salesperson ask everyday. Sales professionals must make good impression in order to close a lead. And the first 30 seconds of their call is the most crucial because this is the part where they get the prospect’s attention and have them listen to what they’re about to offer.

The key to getting your prospect’s attention is, preparation. Many salesperson were unsuccessful because they’re not sure of what to say. To help you organize your pitch, prepare different rebuttals and address your prospects properly, I’ve divided your possible answers into 4 parts.

Problem statement.

This statement usually starts with, “I understand” or “I believe”

Example:

“I believe your company is in the market for a new accounting software to automate your accounting and bookkeeping.”

“I understand you’re looking for a credit card processing solution for your business.”

Proposed solution.

This statement reassures your prospect that you have they’re looking for.

Example:

“We can help you with that. You see, we offer software that can help you automate your accounting and bookkeeping.”

Related: Pissed-off Prospects in Telemarketing? Here’s How to Make It Up to Them

Benefits.

This is where you tell them about what they can get when they consider your company.

Example:

“Our solution will help your organization streamline your IT business process.”

CTA (Call to Action).

These statement encourages the prospect to discuss more about their needs and how you can help their organization.

Example:

“ I would like to arrange for one of my Consultants to contact you and discuss our services and any issues that you might have and how we can help your business. Would you be available on Friday, February 17 at 10AM?”

RelatedWhy Outsourcing Telemarketing Will Give You More Singapore B2B Leads

Here’s a common situation with 8 phrases that I normally use to get the prospects to listen and talk to me which leaves a good impression for my company. When greeting someone on the phone you must say your name clearly.

“Hi! This is Anna with XYZ company.”

Don’t ask, “How are you doing today?” Why? It shows lack of respect for your prospect’s time. Telemarketers must remember that whenever they call someone they’ve just interrupted the person they reached. What to do?

It’s best to sound business like. Be direct to the point. Tell them why you’re calling and make it quick.

“I’m calling because we’ve recently launched a solution which enables organization like yours to streamline their IT business process.”

Get a reason to continue the call. How? Probe! Ask questions from your prospect’s point of view.

“Are you currently using any cloud-based mobile document management solution?”

“What mobile solution are you currently using?”

“Do you know how much your company spends per year to manage your paper documents?”

Related: How Many Call Attempts Should You do Before You Surrender a Lead?

Your goal here is to get to know their current setup and get them to listen and talk to you. Now that you have an idea about their issues within their organization, make a connection by saying showing empathy.

“I understand where you’re coming from. We can definitely help you with that. You see we are a certified Microsoft Gold Partner and we specialized in helping companies improve their IT business process.”

“Are you open to look at this time of solution for your business?”

H

Lastly, get a commitment.

“ I would like to have one of my Consultant give you a phone call and discuss any issues that you might have and how we can help your business. Would you be available on Friday, February 17 at 10AM?”

Follow what I did on this situation. Focus on the message and how it is delivered to impress your prospects and close more sales.

How to Spot a Requested More Information in Every Sales Objection

How to Spot a “Requested More Information” in Every Sales Objection

Most of the time objections are your prospect’s way of saying, “tell me more”.

As a salesperson, we are all familiar of an objection. We know that it’s common to go through an objection in the whole sales process. So it’s important that all salesperson must learn how to handle common objections.

The truth is, it is the responsibility of a sales rep to educate their prospects about their products and services. The reality is, to become an effective salesperson, we must know that we can’t persuade or lead the prospect into buying our product. You can’t just walk away after the first sign of objection. You must know the true objection. If not, prospects will keep on blocking your call.

The important thing is to understand which objections are true – the ones you can’t work out with your prospect and which ones are disguise and are only being raised because they want to know more. Most of the time, prospects object because they don’t know what you’re offering and what they can benefit from it. So it is your job to tell them.

When prospects mentioned one of the 5 phrases below, you must treat them as “requested more information” objection disguise with their corresponding rebuttals that you can use.

“It costs too much.”

The price sometimes depends on the needs of your prospect. So find out what exactly are they looking for and set a price depending on the needs of their company.

“The price depends on the number of users that you have.”

“We can customized it based on your company’s needs.”

Related: How to Handle like a Boss: “We’ve worked with you before and we’re not satisfied”

“This is not the right time for us.”

If prospect mentions, it’s not yet the right time, respect that. Most companies nowadays don’t just buy something because they need or they want to. When dealing with this kind of objection, you can say;

“When do you plan to consider this kind of project?”

“When is the best time for me to call back?”

Related: Why You Shouldn’t Ask, “Is this a bad time to talk?”

“We don’t have a  budget for this project.”

Companies prioritize their projects. The decision of what and when to purchase something depends on their budget and what they need most at the right time. You can ask the prospect:

“When will your budget be available for this kind of project?”

“When do you plan to do this project?”

Related: How Many Call Attempts Should You do Before You Surrender a Lead?

“I’m not the decision maker.”

If prospect says he’s not the right person to talk to, ask who is the decision maker who handles this project. You should know the different types of decision makers and their roles. But don’t ignore him. He might be able to help you. What you can do? Either, offer to send him information or ask for the information of the decision maker.

“Who’s the best person to speak with regarding this?” (Gather the decision maker’s information)

“Are you involved with this project?”

“What would be your role for this project?”

“We’re currently working with someone.”

This objection doesn’t mean it’s the end of the deal for you. Find out more about who they’re working for.

“Do you have a contract with them?”

“When will your contract ends?”

“By the time your contracts ends with your current provider would you consider other providers?”

“If you find our product or service beneficial for your company would you consider us?”

Bottom line is, don’t let these objections end the deal. Instead, dig a little deeper to understand the reason why and what your prospect is objecting to. 

Pissed-off Prospects in Telemarketing Here's How to Make It Up to Them

Pissed-off Prospects in Telemarketing? Here’s How to Make It Up to Them

A salesperson or not, we all make mistakes. Unfortunately, when you mess up in sales (even if it’s unintentional) it will affect the entire business reputation. If you relay a wrong message to a prospect, it can cause blunders such as false promises and unsatisfactory results which can potentially damage trust and might lead to lost sales opportunities.

Here are 5 phrases to make it up with them and recover from a damaged deal.

#1: “I’m sorry”

Regardless if the mistake is unintentional or wasn’t really your fault, the relationship you’re trying to build between you and your prospect has gone wrong. Apologize and express a feeling of regret for the damaged done. Tip: Be quiet and Listen

Our first reaction when we make a mistake is to explain and make excuses. But in sales, the best thing to do when you have an irate prospect is to be quiet (especially if you’re the reason why they’re pissed off in the first place). Let them vent out their frustrations and make them feel that they are heard. It will somehow lighten up the situation. Here’s Why Listening is an Important Component in Telemarketing

#2: “I take full accountability for …”

If the mistake was your fault, make sure to take full responsibility for it. Don’t try to talk yourself out and make excuses. Be upfront and admit your mistakes.

Related: The Do’s and Don’ts When Doing B2B Telesales

#3: “I understand how you feel.”

Empathize and acknowledge your prospect’s feelings without annoying him more. Use this statement to open up a positive conversation with your prospect and dig in deeper into the issue. 

#4: “How can I help and fix this?”

Every conflict needs a resolution. Fixing the problem helps maintain your credibility and a good relationship between you and your prospect. If you promise something to your prospect and not able to commit t your words, do whatever it takes to help and fix the issue to keep the relationship healthy.

Related: How Many Call Attempts Should You do Before You Surrender a Lead?

A mistake doesn’t mean it’s the end of the deal, but if you have handled it in the wrong way, you may lose the sale and your customer’s loyalty. Use these phrases when dealing with irate prospects to make everything right.

telemarketing tips

Telemarketing Tips: Win Leads Over or Lose Them Out

A lot of people believe that telemarketing is dead, supported by the belief that prospects are no longer responding to calls because they have been phoned too frequently, have been too solicited, or both.

While telemarketing has gotten more challenging over the years due to business communication preference, association with scams and frauds, and rejection, it is by no means dead. Love it or hate it, it is very much alive, it is here to stay.

Explore our Services: B2B Telemarketing Lead Generation in Singapore and APAC

The importance of telemarketing

When talking about telemarketing, some of the questions that might pop into your mind are “Does telemarketing still work?” and “Does it still contribute to business growth?” The answer is YES!

As businesses grow, the importance of telemarketing also intensifies. Many business professionals still deliberately use this method to generate leads and boost sales despite the development of several online platforms and other digital marketing tools. Telemarketing, however, has some other advantages aside from these.

Introduce new products and services:

Telemarketing can be an efficient tool for launching new products and services because it allows businesses to reach out to potential customers directly and introduce them to new offerings.

Expands business reach:

Telemarketing allows businesses to advertise and market their products over greater distances. They’ll be able to connect with more potential customers, establish an expanded sales territory, and increase their prospect pool as a result. A number of business opportunities can be found through it as well.

Provides a more interactive and personalized service:

With telemarketing, businesses can be more personalized and interactive by being able to engage directly with their customers by answering questions, tailoring their approach according to their specific preferences and needs, and gathering valuable feedback to improve their products and services.

Networking:

Instead of making a direct pitch to a potential customer at the moment, networking aims to lay the groundwork for future purchases, making it a more covert form of sales canvassing.

Telemarketing strengthens your networking strategies by building relationships and engaging in conversations, gathering info about your prospects’ needs, generating leads by contacting potential customers directly and identifying those who show genuine interest in your products or services, and expanding reach by allowing you to reach a wide audience quickly and effectively.

Gets direct and immediate customer feedback on products and services:

As a valuable tool for obtaining direct and immediate customer feedback on products and services, telemarketing leverages personal interaction, real-time feedback, structured surveys, targeted segments, and the relationship-building capabilities of telemarketing. Businesses can then gain valuable insights into customer perceptions and make informed decisions about their products and services.

Related: How Effective is Telemarketing in Singapore and APAC?

Telemarketing in the digital age

Digital marketing techniques changed the game for telemarketing and especially the way people prefer to receive and consume information. Digital marketing channels like Social Media, Email Marketing, Content Marketing, and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) have revolutionized the way products and services are advertised and promoted to customers.

Even in the digital age where people are glued to their phones, telemarketing continues to deliver results in a world where people are glued to their phones. It gives customers a human touch. Building personal connections or rapport makes a difference in your customer’s decision-making process.

There are 5.16 billion internet users worldwide, these channels give businesses a great opportunity to move their campaigns online. However, offline marketing is regaining popularity and rising out of the online ‘noise’ because it is used less frequently. Telemarketing is once again becoming a powerful tool. What could be the reason why?

Check out our new blog: B2B Telemarketing & Digital Marketing: The Power Combo for Your Conversion Success

Here’s how telemarketing is winning it:

  1. Personal Connection: Telemarketing allows for a personal connection between the salesperson and the customer. This human interaction can help build trust and rapport, which can lead to a more positive experience for the customer.
  2. Active Listening: Good telemarketers are trained to actively listen to their customers’ needs and concerns. They can offer personalized solutions to address those concerns, which shows that they care about the customer and their specific situation.
  3. Emotional Intelligence: A good telemarketer can read the customer’s emotions and respond appropriately. By showing empathy and understanding, they can create a connection that goes beyond the sales pitch.
  4. Follow-up: Telemarketers can follow up with customers after the initial call to see if they have any additional questions or concerns. This can help build a relationship between the salesperson and the customer, which can lead to repeat business in the future.

To give you a clearer picture, here are some

Examples of Telemarketing

  1. Product sales: These refer to the revenue generated by selling products to customers. It is a crucial aspect of any business as it directly impacts the company’s financial performance. The amount of product sales depends on various factors such as the demand for the product, the pricing strategy, the marketing efforts, and the quality of the product. In this example, an agent calls a user’s phone in an attempt to persuade them to purchase the company’s products. These calls can be directed at either new or existing customers who are unfamiliar with the brand.
  2. Sale of services: This pertains to the profit gained by providing services to customers. Unlike the sale of products, services are intangible and can be more challenging to market and sell. However, the same principles apply in terms of understanding the customer’s needs and preferences, providing high-quality services, and delivering a positive customer experience. Customers who have already purchased a service from a business can be cold-called in this instance.
  3. B2B telemarketing:  This is the practice of using phone calls to promote and sell products or services to other businesses. It involves a salesperson reaching out to potential clients to generate leads, qualify prospects, and ultimately make sales.
  4. Requesting information: In this case, the potential customer is the one who contacts the company rather than the other way around which is known as inbound telemarketing. It happens when someone is curious about a company’s products or services and wants to learn more about them before deciding to buy.
  5. Technical support: The assistance provided to users of technology products or services, such as software applications, hardware devices, and online platforms is called technical support. This aims to aid users in resolving problems or issues they might face while using these products or services. This is another scenario where the customer contacts the brand and asks for assistance with regard to a certain problem with a product or service.
  6. Satisfaction surveys: These are types of feedback mechanisms that companies use to gather data about customer experience and opinions. These surveys usually consist of questions that assess various aspects of a customer’s interaction with a brand such as product or service quality, the responsiveness of customer service, or the overall satisfaction levels with the purchasing process.
  7. Political telemarketing: Also known as political robocalling, this is a  marketing strategy used by political organizations or parties, campaigns, and candidates to reach potential supporters or voters using automated telephone calls. This type of telemarketing is used to inform voters and gather valuable opinions.

To enhance their sales, most Singaporean businesses would consider outsourcing a company that would provide them with high-quality, sales-ready leads. Also, it offers them chances to enhance the company’s business sales process. Not all businesses in Singapore, especially those that are small to medium-sized, are successful in accomplishing this, though.

The question now is, how do you become effective in B2B telemarketing? It might sound easy, but many businesses continue to make the same errors. Here are some things to remember when it comes to B2B telemarketing.

Do

  1. Hire a good B2B telemarketing company with well-trained telemarketers to do a lead generation campaign for you. Bring out the best in your telemarketing team.
  2. Identify the type of campaign that you want; an office appointment, a phone appointment, or a demo. It’s the reason you are calling.
  3. Identify your (ICP) Ideal Customer Profile. Secure a good list to call (most telemarketing companies can have their own database that you can rent or use during your campaign) based on the following:
    • Target area
    • Target industry
    • Target people
    • Company size (employee size, annual sales, etc) 
  4. Prepare a script for sales reps to use. TIP: When creating a script remember, KISS (Keep It Short and Simple)
  5. Choose a confident, highly-trained, and professional agent to represent your company.
  6. Conduct product training with the team who will handle your lead generation campaign.
  7. Send out an initial email prior to the start of the campaign
  8. Have the team start making calls. When making a call, make sure to prioritize:
    • Those who replied to the email
    • Those who opened the email but didn’t respond to it
    • Other contacts within the list that you’ve sent an email
    • Contacts within the list with no email addresses and do profiling by gathering and verifying their contact information.
  9. Make sure all in-house sales reps are available to follow up and call all scheduled appointments.

Don’t

  1. Apologize for calling or say, “I’m sorry to bother you today”. The truth is, you’re not sorry you called and the prospect knows that.
  2. Be afraid to probe and ask questions about their current setup. Here are the sales probing questions you must ask.
  3. Be afraid of the prospect’s objections. Know how many call attempts to do before you surrender a lead.
  4. Be rude or defensive when answering objections.
  5. Get distracted by doing other things such as; texting, multitasking and emailing other prospects, talking to a colleague, Facebook, and eating while calling.
  6. Interrupt prospects when they’re talking. Always LISTEN. Here’s why listening is important.
  7. Lie. When found out may damage the credibility of the company or the brand you represent. What to do when you don’t know the answer to your prospect’s sales questions? Find out.
  8. Assume based on what you think you already know. ALWAYS clarify with the prospect. Remember, if it didn’t happen on your call, it’s not considered done. TIP: Ask the prospect to repeat what he just said or ask him to elaborate if you didn’t understand.
  9. Overcomplicate your call. Use the KISS technique!!!
  10. Hang up before your prospect or slam the phone down after a bad call. ALWAYS be professional. It damages the company you represent.
  11. Speak too quickly. Make sure the prospect understands the purpose of your call.
  12. Call the same company over and over again within the day. Don’t call them every day unless you are advised to call back.
  13. Stutter. You’ll sound less authoritative. TIP: Prepare before making a call.
  14. Forget to call back when said you would.  

Why will outsourcing telemarketing provide you with more Singapore B2B leads?

Telemarketing for lead generation is one of the most common and effective methods of reaching out to potential customers over the phone. If you want to convert cold calls into hot leads, maximize your company’s sales opportunities, and obtain high-quality Singapore sales-ready prospects, you must understand the importance of lead generation before you even start reaching out to your prospects. Let the experts provide qualified leads and appointments for your company and have your in-house sales team nurture these leads instead.

Callbox’s B2B lead generation and Singapore telemarketing services can help you acquire leads to scale your business. Despite being Singapore-based, our team also reaches out to the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region to promote your business on the international market. 

As the leading B2B lead generation services provider in Singapore, we use every channel and touch point to connect with, nurture, and convert your ideal prospects. Our multi-touch, multi-channel approach helps companies like yours locate and reach the prospects you’re targetting, engage and nurture them with personalized content, and convert them, in the end, into qualified appointments.

Our tailored telemarketing services can be availed with flexible and customized pricing according to your business needs (request for pricing).

Start outsourcing your B2B telemarketing services with Callbox and fill your customer database with high-quality prospects, accelerate your sales, and exceed your targets with ease and efficiency. Contact us now!

Read more: Why Outsourcing Telemarketing Will Give You More Singapore B2B Leads

call attempts before surrender a lead

How Many Call Attempts Should You Do Before You Surrender a Lead?

Should you keep calling a prospect or is it time to let go and move on to the next lead?

85% organization don't make call attempts

Let’s face it, 85% of organizations don’t make enough call attempts. Sales reps have an average of 1.7-2.1 attempts before giving up. Too many call attempts may lead to DNC which means you’re not making the most of your sales rep’s time. While too few call attempts lead to money waste.

Don’t get into your prospects’ do not call list, know these telemarketing rules in Singapore.

Whether you like it or not, you will agree that cold calling is important in sales in order to find out if there’s an opportunity for them. The number of cold call attempt every sales rep should make varies depending on how they do cold calls.

Here’s how to determine if it’s worth pursuing or if it’s time to STOP calling unresponsive prospects.

Check out our new blog: Cold Calling: How to Do it Right in 2023

1st Call Attempt

ProspectingFinding out the right person who makes the decision within their organization.

Situation:

1st call attempt in telemarketing

This can be considered as a negative call. What you can do to maximize your call?

Agent must gather the following information from the decision maker:

  • Email address
  • Complete Name
  • Correct Job Title
  • Direct Line/Ext. Number/ Mobile No.
  • Verify if you called the correct company
  • Verify the address of the company
  • Availability of the decision maker

TIP: You might consider sending an introductory email right after your call.

2nd Call Attempt

Calling the decision maker on his available time as mentioned by the gatekeeper

Situation:

2nd call attempt in telemarketing

The agent called and spoke with the gatekeeper. The decision maker is still not available to talk. This is another negative call. During this stage, most of the agents get discouraged.  What to do for your sales rep to feel like he didn’t waste his time calling for this company?

The agent can always ask for the availability of the decision maker.

“When is the best time to call back for (name of the decision maker)?”

TIP: Consider leaving a voice message

3rd Call Attempt

Follow up on the email correspondent sent.

Situation:

3rd call attempt in telemarketing

What to do during this stage?

  • Verify if he’s the best person who can decide for (purpose of your call)
  • Ask the prospect for the best time to call back.

TIP: Remember to mark your calendar or set an alarm to do a follow-up call.

Related: The ‘PERFECT’ Time to Call a Prospect in Singapore

4th Call Attempt

Establish Interest

Situation:

During this call, the agent must establish if there’s an opportunity with this company. How?

Ask questions and find out about their current set. What questions to ask to spot a sales-ready lead? Find out in this article.

How to determine if there’s an opportunity and that this company is worth pursuing?

  • If they have problems/challenges even if they can’t decide to commit for now.
  • If they have a provider but would still consider other providers
  • If they have upcoming projects.
  • If there’s anything that they would like to improve with their current setup.

5th Call Attempt

Close a sale

At this stage, the prospect expressed his interest and would like to discuss further how your company can help their business.

However, if it didn’t turn out the way you wanted it to be because the prospect mentioned that they are not interested or they don’t need any of your services as of the moment, offer to send information for future reference. This way, they have your files handy whenever they need something in the near future.

Situation:

5th call attempt in telemarketing

Prospect: We’re not interested at this time.

Agent: I understand. How about if we send you more information for future reference? In case you might be doing something in the future, you have our files ready. Would that work for you?

Prospect: Sure.

Agent: I have here your email address, let me verify if this is correct. (verify the email address using phonetics to make sure you have the correct information)

Striking the right balance between persistence and practicality is crucial when it comes to following up with leads. While considering whether to call a prospect again or hang up and call someone else, it all comes down to the following considerations:

  • Determine your prospect’s interest level: Prospects who have shown interest or have requested information might be worth pursuing. Those who have shown little interest even after several contact attempts, however, should be let go.
    Every single minute spent chasing these low-value prospects is precious time you could spend closing a high-value one. Walking away from the wrong prospects directs your focus to the right ones.
  • Identify the stage of the sales process: Prospects at the early stage of the sales process, or those at the awareness or consideration stage, may still be worth calling and nurturing. Those who are at the decision or later stage, however, need not be pursued if they haven’t responded after multiple attempts.
  • Evaluate the resources at hand: Focusing on leads that are more likely to convert may be more practical if you are working with constrained resources, such as a limited amount of time or personnel, than making repeated phone calls to prospects who have little interest.

Gain a competitive edge with SMART Calling

Most of a salesperson’s time is spent dealing with prospects and attempting to convert them into customers. At times, being able to convert even just a small percentage of these prospects is enough to meet your quota. In other instances, the struggle stems from conversion rates. In either case, imagine how much more productive you could be if you weeded out the tire-kickers and focused only on genuinely interested prospects instead. 

Your time, as a salesperson, is valuable. The sooner you can spot a bad prospect, the faster you can move on to better ones and close more sales. It helps to be mindful of the indications mentioned above and to direct your attention where it’s most likely to pay off. Most importantly, it matters to reach the right person at the right time.

Introducing SMART Calling (Sales and Marketing at the Right Time) by Callbox. This is our team’s proprietary technology that is designed to put our clients in front of their target prospects when engagement and conversion rates are at their highest, increasing the success rate of their calls.

thanksgiving sale cta

By personalizing the sales pitch and targeting the right audience with the right message at the right time, Callbox’s SMART Calling strategy intends to enhance sales and marketing conversion rates. Our services of SMART calling solutions can be availed with flexible and tailored pricing according to your business needs (request for pricing).

The complexity of the B2B industry, coupled with competition and limited resources can make it hard to decide whether it’s time to pursue or let a lead go. Our team of experts here in Callbox can help businesses like yours to make more informed decisions on which leads are worth chasing or not. With SMART Calling, you can strike the iron that is hot. 

Contact us now to learn more about SMART Calling.

jigsaw pieces of head illustration

The Psychology of Outbound Telemarketing: Assessing Prospects’ Personalities

Talking to another person is part of human’s basic natures. It’s not supposed to be a complex system or an art to be perfected. However, in instances where the manner of conversation would determine how a certain goal is reached, it is very important to know various types of personalities. In the commerce of b2b outbound telemarketing and lead generation, talk is money. And conversations run the business.

Sales leads are generated prospective clients are contacted by professional telemarketers and attempt to engage them into a meaningful, information-oriented discussion of a potential business partnership. But because each person is so dynamic – and sometimes erratic – there should be a structure of profiling and assessment for telemarketers to craft the best approach towards each personality type.

There are four established social styles that customers may employ:

The Driver

Drivers are talkers. They like to run the show. They don’t want to be dictated on what they need to do, and they don’t want to be told what they already know. They want telemarketers to get to the point in the least amount of time, and then they throw a lot of unrelated questions simultaneously. Some of those questions need not be answered, and the challenge is to have them listen – which could be a difficult task especially if they’re not interested by default. It is very uncommon for Drivers to admit that they are interested with the product, but once they do, it’s genuine. The rule is to never interrupt them in their streak of monologues. Wait for that rare, miniscule window of opportunity.

The Analytic

The term itself can be intimidating, and indeed, this social style is a no non-sense type. Analytic ones dwell on the most specific of specifics, and unlike Drivers, they only throw questions which are relevant. They actually like to be drawn into a thorough discussion of the goods or services, and they don’t mind if the telemarketer does all the talking. Are they interested? One can never tell. They just like to gather as many information as they could and analyze them in a discreet, swift manner. These are common in software and IT products and services companies where most decision-makers are experts in their field and are usually subtly technical in the way they converse.

The Amiable

Talking to Amiable ones is a walk in the park, but usually unproductive. These are people who have absolutely no problem with spending precious time on the phone with telemarketers who may or may not present benefits to them or their company. They are not necessarily talkative; they just enjoy the “act” of talking to people. They would answer any reasonable questions, agree to appointments if they have the time, and even respond to surveys, emails and follow-ups. The quality of their interest can be dodgy and tentative, therefore, this level or receptiveness doesn’t automatically equate to sales leads.

The Expressive

Expressive ones have all four social styles rolled into one. They like to talk, analyze and make friends. While Drivers may bombard telemarketers with all the questions and objections, Expressive ones would blab about how their business is going, what’s happening with their current provider, or how they indeed require such external services, etc. They’re the type who knows what’s going on with their business; they are open to ideas and services and would consider every one of them as much as they can. They can be very accurate on describing their business needs, and with the right questions, they may turn into solid sales leads.

Every unique individual deserves a distinctive approach to telemarketing, and it all comes down to having the right knowledge and skills to “assess” common behavior. The last thing a telemarketer wants is to employ a style that would “clash” with the prospective client’s personality, thus reducing chances of a potential business opportunity.