Telemarketing Software Featured Article

In a former life, I spent a lot of time on the phone as a sales rep. The position also required me to be in the field, meeting with current and potential clients, signing deals on paper. But before any of those meetings took place, the proper protocol was to get the individual on the phone. If you made enough calls, you get the right number goal. We called it a blitz and it produced great outcomes if you did it right.

In the telemarketing space, such calling activity is the everyday to-do list. It is the reason telemarketing software is in place, to help streamline the calling strategy and get to the right person on the first try. When this happens, you’re able to produce better outcomes in a shorter amount of time. Of course, if you’re in the higher education arena, it means greater success for your phonathon.

A recent blog by telemarketing software provider, VanillaSoft offers some insights into how you can make your phonathon a success. The first tip – start with a great script. It’s important as it serves as your primary guide to messaging and you want to hit it right the first time. That means it needs to be a persuasion piece that hits the right buttons on the first try. That means it needs to have a great introduction, make the strong case, ask for a specific amount and prepare responses to common objections.

Not every interaction is going to be a success, but every interaction is an opportunity to learn. Remember the same script that won over the individual on the last call can hit a wall with the next individual. That’s why it’s important to always be examining the current tools and identifying ways to make improvements. One key is to examine your statement of the larger purpose and WIIFM.

While the statement of larger purpose may be enough to get the bleeding heart, the WIIFM factors, or What’s in It for Me? is important to answer for those who aren’t so ready to open the wallet. You may need to appeal to the ego. In higher education, this is a good strategy for alumni, especially those with business degrees. When appealing for groups and activities that an alumni was once involved in, speak to their passion. Then there are those who want to help new students achieve the same things they were able to accomplish in their school days.

The same strategies can apply for sales teams trying to secure the next closed sale. The key is to understand the person on the other end of the line and why they want to talk to you. When you can guide the direction of the conversation in a way that matters to them, you’re much more likely to end the call with a win.