Attracting potential customers into the sales funnel isn’t as easy as it sounds. Remote selling is intimidating most of the time, especially for call center agents who are still beginners. Novice telemarketers are often afraid to contact prospects who are complete strangers. They fear getting stuck in a conversation and not saying the right sentence about the product or service they want to sell.
That said, when call center agents are well prepared, honest and conversational in their approach, even sceptical prospects can turn into loyal customers. In this article, we will describe the qualities that a telemarketing specialist must have in order to make sales.
- Telemarketing: a competent call center agent is calm, honest and determined
- Telemarketing: a skilled call center agent is intelligent and organised
Telemarketing: a skilled call center agent is calm, honest and determined
Telemarketing is considered a difficult profession, as call center agents face rejection from many potential customers who are tired of constant calls. However, effective telesales should never be aggressive. The best way to get prospects to listen is to talk to them calmly. Telemarketers should start every call with a friendly introduction in a relaxed tone of voice.
Although scripts are essential to the sales pitch, it is preferable to improvise greetings and opt for a more natural and spontaneous first approach.
Call center agents will also need to be honest. Prospects will only take action if the sales pitch inspires confidence. It is therefore essential for telemarketers to use clear language, explaining prices in an understandable way and refraining from hiding additional costs or making false statements. It is important to ensure that products and services are described exactly as they are, to avoid confusion and win the trust of customers.
Finally, bear in mind that rejection is inevitable in telemarketing. The call center agent must therefore be a patient and determined person. For example, when the telemarketer is faced with a caller who is unable to make a purchasing decision, he or she can ask for a call-back slot or try to contact a more qualified person. The same applies when prospects show no interest. As a general rule, if a call doesn’t result in a sale, a true telemarketing specialist will never give up and will ensure that more solid leads are pursued.
Telesales: a competent call center agent is intelligent and organised
Before making any calls, it’s important to ensure that the target audience has been correctly identified and analysed. Next, call center agents need to be prepared for all the different situations that may arise during a call. All scenarios need to be considered.
For example, what if the prospect is unreachable and the receptionist answers? Or what should you say if the prospect wants to hang up straight away? Careful planning is essential. Preparing a solid scenario and answers to all the questions is the key to a good telemarketer’s success.
It’s also important that call center agents know how to ask the right questions to pique prospects’ interest. For example, telemarketers can ask prospects about the strengths or weaknesses of the products and services they use and discuss possible areas for improvement. Asking questions turns every call into a conversation rather than a potentially aggressive or boring monologue.
What’s more, such exchanges can reveal opportunities to highlight the added value of the product or service on offer, leading to in-depth discussions and possible sales.
On the other hand, it’s always a good idea to take a step back and see what improvements can be made. For example, CRM data can be used to review information about prospects, such as a specific interest in a product or even the pronunciation of a person’s name. It can also be useful for call center agents and supervisors to discuss common issues that arise during calls to improve scripts and behaviours. Effective telemarketing need not be a daunting task.
With the right preparation, focus and a willingness to learn, telemarketers can turn prospects into satisfied customers.
Finally, it is imperative for call center agents to learn the laws governing sales calls. Most countries do not have such regulations for telemarketing companies. Nevertheless, it is advisable to check this information with a legal representative to ensure the type of regulations followed in the region of the world where call center agents will be operating. You need to be particularly vigilant about these rules, which are sometimes very strict in certain countries. Ignoring certain legal factors can lead to sanctions and affect the confidence and performance of telemarketers.
If you are looking to recruit telemarketing specialists to boost your company’s growth, don’t hesitate to contact us. Advancia Teleservices is here to guide you and answer all your questions. We are one of the leading contact center in Tunisia, because we place the performance and competence of our call center agents at the heart of our concerns ?