Telemarketing calls are not welcome in many households, and yet they remain an important source of lead generation. How can a marketing executive deal with this conflict? By stressing a level of professionalism in telemarketing calls that will distinguish them from the hordes of run-of-the-mill contacts the average household receives.

This approach can be taken whether a company does its own telemarketing calls, or outsources to a telemarketing services provider. In the former case, it takes special attention to quality in hiring and training. If telemarketing is outsourced, the issue of professionalism should be a key criterion in choosing a telemarketing services provider.

Six Aspects of Telemarketing Professionalism
The following are six aspects of telemarketing professionalism that can earn a company better reception for its calls:

1. Identify the caller at the beginning of the call. People are suspicious of unidentified calls. Giving the name of the caller and of the company on whose behalf the call is being made at the start of the phone call will help put call recipients at ease. Even a first name can help, though for high-end consumers and business-to-business calls, giving both first and last name is more professional.
2. Offer to call at a more convenient time. Telemarketers often take the approach that they have to get their message across on this phone call. That sense of urgency is likely to put off most consumers. Telemarketers should ask near the start of the conversation if there would be a more convenient time to call. This consideration could generate goodwill, and if the recipient gives a call-back time, it represents some buy-in to the subsequent contact.
3. Coordinate with other marketing efforts. The best telemarketing efforts are those which are coordinated with other campaigns, such as mailers or advertisements. Being able to refer to a specific marketing piece (andquot;Im calling to follow up on the letter we sent last weekandquot; or andquot;perhaps youve seen the ad were running in the local paperandquot;) focuses the conversation and gives an air of legitimacy to the caller.
4. Comply with do-not-call rules. Do-not-call regulations and lists are subject to frequent changes, and exist on both state and national levels. It is important to avoid legal liability and potential damage to corporate reputation by complying with these rules. This is a strong reason to consider outsourcing to a telemarketing services provider.
5. Keep track of information. Each telemarketing contact is an opportunity to gather information that will make future calls more productive. Use telemarketing activity to start building up a prospect database.
6. Aim for quality. Cost savings should not be the driving factor in designing a telemarketing program. In fact, going cheap can be counter-productive. Automated calls or using callers who are unprofessional or unsuitable will do more harm than good. When a company outsources telemarketing services, quality rather than the lowest bid should be the driving decision factor.

Conclusion
Telemarketing calls are not simply lead generation opportunities--they also become part of a companys brand identity. Whether a company outsources telemarketing services or builds its own department, marketing executives need to make sure that each call projects the level of professionalism and quality they want associated with their brand.

Sources
Centre Daily Times
Independent Mail