Does B2B telemarketing still work?
Does a one-legged duck swim in a circle?
It’s a solid ‘yes’ regarding those poor amputee ducks. An equally solid ‘yes’ re B2B telemarketing; we can vouch for the fact it’s a powerful lead gen tool with exceptional ROI and it certainly does still work in 2022.
The reason it’s still relevant in this digital age? Because it’s kept up with the times; the kind of telemarketing you’re thinking of no longer exists. At least, it doesn’t in our universe. You might still find antiquated practices in many telemarketing businesses in the UK, but not here – we’re a script-free, automatic dialler-free zone.
A modern approach to B2B telemarketing
Telemarketing businesses who still see it as “telesales” and a numbers game often still use tactics you should avoid like anthrax. This kind of telemarketing company will kill off your potential client relationships faster than they will their poor telemarketers’ sense of self-worth. Yes, B2B telemarketing works today, but only when the approach is modern and sophisticated.
If you’ve tried using B2B telemarketing services in the past and you’ve not had the results you’d hoped for, it’s probably been down to the calibre of the sales professional who’s undertaken the work for you. No B2B telemarketing professional with great credentials wants to work for telemarketing companies that devalue their skills and devalue everyone’s time. There’s a better way.
B2B telemarketing services are only as good as the salespeople providing them
When you work with a B2B telemarketing partner, you need to be certain that the people who will be representing your brand are as professional as the people you would employ directly yourself. The skills and experience of our people are our greatest business asset, and we know it. We don’t take on anyone who doesn’t have demonstrable success.
The single biggest difference between telemarketing services that “get it” and those that don’t is the outlook of the salespeople working on the front line, and their KPIs. Generating “leads” isn’t actually the aim – it’s achieving business growth for our clients. This is why you want a lead generation service that prioritises value over volume.
The value of a lead is based not on its mere existence, but on its revenue potential. One account that converts is worth infinitely more than thousands of leads that don’t. So, your needs are for a lead gen service that understands how to create the best possible opportunities with the highest possible potential for turning into revenue-generating accounts.
Modern-day marketers would have you believe success comes from data
And they aren’t wrong. It does. And as you would expect, we work with high-quality account data to pick out the best accounts to target in the first place. So data is critical. But – and this valued reader is the entire point of this whole blog. The entire point of our business, in fact: Having conversations is what makes telemarketing so powerful. We still need to be TALKING to our prospects. Even today. Data isn’t enough.
The art of conversation is not dead in the digital age
There’s no time to pause, review, edit, amend, filter and deliberate in real-time.
Maybe Generation Z is to blame for this misconception. As they famously stare at a ringing phone in astonishment that it should be used for its intended purpose. Perhaps it’s fear about needing to think quickly and respond in the moment. Perhaps it’s a fear of being real?
And that’s precisely why real-time, live conversations are exactly the kinds of communications you must be having with your prospects from as early on in your sales process as possible. Besides, Gen Z doesn’t make the business world go round (yet) and almost two-thirds of C-suite buyers prefer sales contact to be on the phone, according to research by RAIN Group.
Make sure you entrust the services of a B2B telemarketing company that has a zero-script policy. You don’t need scripts when you employ fantastic people who understand that structured conversation techniques, not scripts, result in natural conversations.
Conversation, not data, is the key to gathering sales intelligence
As much as intelligently-sourced data helps you to mould conversations and target the right people to start conversations with, this data cannot replace organic, real-life consciously (and subconsciously) imparted information.
Data may form the basis of sales intelligence. However, nothing captures intelligence faster or more efficiently than real-time conversations between real people. When you’re on the phone, you don’t get a canned response. Real conversations give you true insight into your customer, their pain points, their buying behaviour and exactly where they are in their relationship with your brand.
No matter how much data you have on your customer’s behaviour, and believe us, we LOVE data – but data doesn’t mean you are able to read their minds. You need to talk to them, understand them and steer the conversation in the optimum direction in order to truly hear the real voice of the customer.
B2B telemarketing is about lead nurturing and intelligence
B2B telemarketing is more than instant gratification. The conversations you have simultaneously build relationships and brand awareness, whilst capturing this all-important first-hand information. Just because the answer is not now, doesn’t mean there isn’t potential in that account. If your B2B telemarketing journey begins and ends with appointment-setting goals, then rethink all the value that’s missed in the other conversations.
You need a B2B telemarketing partner who does things differently
We believe that B2B telemarketing is like singing in that if you can’t do it well, you shouldn’t do it at all. Poorly executed telemarketing campaigns can not only result in no leads, but they can also result in reputational damage. It’s a cliche for sure, but you do never get a second chance to make a first impression.
For B2B telemarketing to work in today’s business climate, a modern approach is non-negotiable. Eyes not simply on the “prize” but on the big picture instead. Understanding the importance of deepening conversations and relationships over time, and gathering organic insight and intelligence is crucial.
Make meaningful connections with prospects through B2B Telemarketing – contact us to make it happen.
