Although the face of the business industry is constantly changing, the desire to attract clients remains constant. No matter how much the economy is fluctuating, marketing teams are working steadily to develop strategies that will either attract new potential buyers or create prospecting leads. But mixing up different strategies in the hope that one of them might eventually work is not the best idea, as it can be both financially exhausting and time-consuming.

Focusing on finding a combination of well-researched strategies that complement each other is a more effective approach that, on top of new clients, can also bring notoriety to the company.  This is where telemarketing comes into play as a strong mean for growing sales and generating leads.

Business-to-Business or B2B telemarketing is essentially using the same telemarketing principles as Business-to-Consumer (B2C), but is addressing to other companies, rather than the general public.

Companies resort to B2B Telemarketing, because it generates an immediate response from the consumers, as opposed to emails or other marketing strategies. It helps companies prospect other businesses that have shown interests in their products, thus bringing in orders or collecting information about the market. But what makes telemarketing such a successful strategy, especially in the era of digital communication? 

 

B2B Is Not B2C

While B2C telemarketing is sometimes frowned upon in the marketing industry, as no one like to be called in the middle of the day to be asked what internet provider they have, B2B telemarketing is conducted in a more focused and professional way. From language to tone, B2B telemarketing has a different approach than B2C and is often based more on logic than emotions. Although the core process remains the same, in order to reach a positive resolution, B2B telemarketers have to resort to a more professional approach. They have to keep in mind that the person at the end of the call is doing their job as well and the decision is not based on instinct or emotion.

The most important reason why B2B telemarketing is not perceived to be as invasive as B2C is because of the setting. The person on the other line is receiving a call during office hours, regarding a business conversation, which is not taking time out of their personal activities. This way, they are more open to discussion that they would be if the conversation would be, let’s say, interrupting their dinner.

 

The Human Factor

The majority of sales are still closed after face to face meetings, which can only underline the importance of B2B telemarketing, as opposed to other digital strategies. But in order to get it right, there are a few things to take into consideration. Nobody likes intrusive calls or pushy telemarketers.

Keep in mind that B2B buyers are humans as well and, although they base their decisions mostly on objective reasons, emotional factors can play a crucial role in the outcome of the conversation. Keeping a professional yet positive and warm approach can work wonders in establishing a positive relationship with a buyer. Empathy, incorporating cultural and emotional factors into the discussion and anticipating the needs of the prospector are qualities that only humans can cultivate and apply to the discussion. Although communication with the buyer might be done through different channels in the future, it is vital that the first contact the client has with a seller to be through human interaction. This way assures the buyer’s first impression on your company is not subject to any interpretation or misunderstanding.

 

Cost Effectiveness

A common thought about telemarketing is that it may not be cost effective, as it requires more expenses than an online campaign. But the way companies should look at marketing strategies is by evaluating what they get for the price they pay. Sure, an online campaign might be less expensive, but would it generate the same results as a direct conversation?  Also, compared to hiring field representatives, that would have in-person meetings with potential clients, telemarketing is unquestionably less expensive. This way, the company can conduct business negotiations through phone calls and send the field team in when in-person discussions are absolutely necessary for the deal to be closed.

Based on the budget of your company, telemarketing can be done in two ways:

  • In-house: This means having a department inside the company that conducts the telemarketing activity. As it requires employing extra staff to conduct the phone calls, this is an option best suited for big companies, that can sustain the operational costs for creating a telemarketing department.
  • Outsourcing: Small businesses, with limited financial resources, often choose to work with a telemarketing company that allows them to have the same benefits of generating leads, but in a more cost-effective way.

 

Instant Communication

As opposed to online marketing methods, where comment entries may take a while to receive an answer, telemarketing enables you to clear any kind of misunderstanding on the spot. This way, you can ensure that after a conversation, the clients have a clear understanding of the product or service. Another advantage is the privacy of the discussions. While online questions and answers are mostly public and can be interpreted in any way, direct phone calls are kept between the speakers, no matter the course of the discussion. Apart from that, at the end of the call, you will most likely know whether the resolution is and whether or not the client is genuinely interested.

A good telemarketer knows that active listening is key in establishing good communication and building up trust. Focusing more on the information received from the prospect and coming up with customized solutions to fit their issue is more effective than any well-written script.

Although there are numerous marketing strategies that could benefit your company and help in raising awareness, if done correctly, B2B telemarketing is guaranteed to have faster and more effective results. But telemarketing doesn’t need to be the only strategy used. It can work hand-in-hand with digital marketing, that is relatively inexpensive and easy to implement. Conduct thorough research regarding various marketing strategies to find the best combination to suit your business.

Author's Bio: 

Cynthia Madison