How to Turn Cold Leads into Loyal Customers with Cold-calling
Cold-calling might no longer be the go-to method to generate leads in the digital age, but who said we can't leverage social media or technology to improve telemarketing methods for greater success rates? Contrary to popular belief, it does not have to be one or the other.
In the past, telemarketing implied calling prospective clients to sell products or services. However, with technological advancements, we now see the possibility of having more interactive sessions with a potential or existing customer, especially through means such as video conferencing calls.
1. Tap into Social Intelligence During Outreach
Prior to reaching out to your cold leads, there is something you can do to find some answers to the unknown, fill gaps and make the customer service journey a smoother one - research. It is always good to be prepared. Visit their social media profiles and look out for interests that are aligned with your company's products. Whilst researching, highlight situations or circumstances where your products may be of use to solve the dilemma or offer opportunities.
Through such a search for information, you can build up your confidence as well. As you now have motives and aims that did not exist before. Therefore, give yourself time to gain this valuable industry knowledge and become a valuable resource to your prospective clients.
Use all this information to your advantage during the call. However, be subtle. Do not let it be known that you have perused through their online profiles before calling them.
2. Do Research on Prospects' Industry
You can also go beyond researching your prospective client's company and look into the industry they are in. This is an effective method for B2B calls. Read up on relevant news and the latest market trends that will apply to your prospects' business industry. Find out about the challenges the industry is facing and how your solutions have the potential to impact their business positively. Through this research, you will be able to build up knowledge about the industry and create ideas for you to present solutions based on the real needs of the industry.
Having this intelligence on industries is a powerful tool to identify how customers and potential customers might view your business. It also helps to identify the gaps in their expectations. As a telemarketer with this valuable information at your fingertips, you can come off as an expert on whatever is essential to the prospect.
3. Personalise Your Sales Pitches
The effectiveness of telemarketing in this digital world lies in the personalisation and exclusivity that it offers to the customers. Forget about cookie-cutter sales pitches or scripts. Personalisation goes beyond addressing your prospects by their first names, as what works for one person is not guaranteed to work for another. Thus, personalised sales pitches are such an essential part of telemarketing in the 21st century.
Clients respect due diligence - it shows them that you are not just a vendor but are invested in their success and providing great customer service. When crafting a pitch, demonstrate a deep understanding of your audience. Pitch solutions that target their specific problems. Customise all the elements of your call in a way where it is directed to your prospects' business or to them as an individualthem as an individual.
Pay careful attention to your prospect's personality and behaviour if possible. This will largely help in determining how to communicate with them most effectively.
4. Leverage on Digital Tools
Digitalisation in the workplace doesn't mean that businesses should scrap telemarketing. Conversely, using telemarketing as a strategy doesn't mean that you don't use technology to your advantage. There is a way to work both strategies into the picture to your advantage.
Digital sales tools can be used to automate and optimise your research to prepare yourself for calls, while telemarketing provides that personal touch. By combining the benefits of using technology with telemarketing strategies, telemarketing will continue to thrive in the digital age.
Find out how you can best incorporate technology into your telemarketing strategies by tapping on Velox's virtual phone systems for small businesses and phone systems on cloud-based platforms. Work with us and Improve your telemarketing methods with Velox's solutions today.
