A telemarketer is a person who sells products or services over the telephone. Telemarketers can work in a private office, from a call center or from home. It often happens that they never meet their customers in person, so their skills are paramount to achieving sales success. Read the following tips for becoming a good telemarketer.
Steps
Step 1. Prepare for telephone sales
- Read up on what you sell. You should have a thorough understanding of what it is, how it works, and how it could be useful for your prospects. You should also believe in the value of the product / service you offer, so that you can pass it on to the people you contact.
- Read up on the company you work for. A good telemarketer not only sells a product or service, but also the company itself. You should be able to explain to your prospects why they should choose you rather than your competitors. Study the history and mission of the company together with reviews / testimonials and evaluations of the sector in which it operates, in order to provide customers with a comprehensive and favorable image of the company they are dealing with.
- Make sure you understand the sales process. After persuading the customer to invest in what you sell, good telemarketing skills require that you know how to explain the sales process from start to finish. That is, the handling of paperwork, billing, refund / return policies, customer service and any other necessary follow-up activities.
- Provide contact information to your customers. You should have the company name, postal address, telephone number, website and other important information of your boss (especially if you work in a call center), as well as other data that customers may request from you over the phone.
- Practice repeating the script. Read it aloud until you feel confident you can say it without delay.
Step 2. Be confident
A good telemarketer expresses himself with a tone of authority that reassures customers. If you are well prepared, you should be ready to talk about the reason for your call, and about your company with confidence.
Step 3. Practice effective communication skills
- Speak slowly, loudly, and clearly enough for customers to understand you easily. Don't mumble.
- Be considerate of those you call. Introduce yourself and explain the purpose of your call as soon as possible. Take breaks and take time to listen to the answers in the meantime.
- Find the right balance between saying too much and not saying enough. Silence during a telephone conversation can be uncomfortable. On the other hand, you could overwhelm and confuse a potential customer by saying too many things, too quickly.
- Avoid using interlayers like "um" and "ah."
Step 4. Try not to give the impression of acting
Scripts are common in telemarketing, especially in the atmosphere of a call center, but it is possible to provide a script without giving the impression that you are reading from a sheet. Breathe slowly and relax before making your phone calls, then focus on the message you want to convey, rather than the words themselves.
Step 5. Maintain a positive mental attitude
Remember that some (or many) of the people you call don't expect your call, and they may also be unwilling to listen to you. It is not uncommon, even for a good telemarketer, to be rejected before reaching an interested customer. Don't take rejections personally, but rather take them as an opportunity to improve your skills.
Step 6. Don't give up
Telemarketing is a lottery game, and it takes time and perseverance to develop good telemarketing skills. Commit to making a certain number of phone calls each day and completing those phone calls.
Step 7. Know when it's time to move on to the next phone call
If a contact is not at all interested in what you have to say, then politely end the call and move on to the next one.
