I generally respond well to telemarketing but I cannot stand getting cold calls from businesses, who’s opening line is “Can I speak to the person who deals with [office stationary, or, recruitment, or, couriers etc]”. I’ve just had another one this morning, which has led me to write this Blog.
Lets get this straight, I pick up the phone and it turns out the sales person calling does not even know who they have called, then presume to ask me to put them in touch with the correct person, in my company, so they can sell to them. I am not your personal receptionist! Am I just being a little negative towards enterprising firms? I think not and I am sure I am not alone.
I know what is going on here. These sales people are just going through the likes of the Yellow Pages or a 40 years old database where they know that the contacts must have left the company, if they are alive today at all!
Anybody out there doing this beware... to reiterate, I do respond very well to professional well-targeted telesales. Telesales calls, where knowing my name is a prerequisite, but knowing what my role in the company and my profession wins me over each time. I know you have targeted me for a reason.
Telesales IS a very powerful media if executed professionally. However, the phone is mine, the time is mine, and you are inviting yourself into my space. Hence, calling me up, without knowing who I am and then asking me to do your job for you i.e. telling you whom you should be targeting, just rubs me up the wrong way. Each time I get a call like that I LIE, even if the service is one I am interested in! As I do not do business with firms who engage with sloppy and underhand B2B marketing techniques.
What is the solution?
a) Stop being cheapskates and buy in some quality data to telesale … data which is preferably no more than 18 months old, with names, job titles and industry codes – that is the minimum requirement.
b) Then at least pitch me with your idea [by name], and if I am the wrong person, I am more likely to pass you to the correct person, as you have already engaged with me as a human being!
In short, cutting corners in marketing just damages your brand. Data and targeting is key to success. Spend more money and time upfront and you will get a better response and waste less of your [and my] time calling up randoms. You’ll also be able to open with a personal statement, rather than asking the god-awful question “Can I speak to the person who deals with…”
Related feature: Marketing to decision makers
http://www.b2bm.biz/features/?groupId=13226&articleId=25083&keyword=telemarketing
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James, I quite agree.
The worst offenders are those who ask that very question, then attempt to batter their way through the person who answers the phone, if they don't hear the response they are looking for.
This usually happens when an IT company trys to pitch us. If we tell them that we outsource (which we do) they often demand to be put through to our MD.
For the sake of two minutes research online it would be clear that we are not the size of company to employ a dedicated IT manager.
The worst aspect of this approach is that it tarnishes the well researched approaches made by other companies - including us.
Tim
What Tim and James seem to forget is that someone has to research the companies to find out who does what in order to build that wonderful database for the tele-sales people to call up. As Tim and James are not national figures, a researcher is going have to find out a little more about them and their company. Databases don't grow on trees.
James lies about his job function even if the product being offered is of interest to him!! I'm sorry chummy, but it's YOUR JOB to get the best information, prices and deals for your company/employer. Anyone here refusing to take a 'relevant' sales call would be looking for a job pdq.
I agree with you James. The thing I don't understand is that at some level this approach must work or else it wouldn't continue - I guess it's just a question of making enough calls to hit the right person at the right time. Maybe this is a more efficient way of doing it than investing time or money in researching your prospect. I've used telemarketing agencies in the past, reviewed tapes of their calls and been incredibly critical of how I or my company have been represented at times. Despite this they've produced some incredibly good and appropriate client prospects. Is success in telemarketing really just a numbers game and, if so, where is the incentive for them to change their approach?
Eddie
Hang on. There are two different things being discussed here. James is quite rightly giving the SALES people a caning who ring up without knowing who you are, what you do, who they need to talk to... and waste a lot of everyone's time including their own. CHUMMY on the other hand, has launched into a justification of his own existence. No one minds a well ordered, well meaning telemarketing enquiry for information to maintain a database - we all rely on those databases. What I think we all object to is numpty no-mark sales people working their way through the telephone numbers from Yellow Pages. I suspect we also object to the use of CAPITAL LETTERS, and being called CHUMMY. Or is that just me?