Tips On Telemarketing

Telemarketing Tips: How to Get Past a Gatekeeper

Telemarketing Tips: How to Get Past a Gatekeeper

There are many telemarketing tips that you can use to convince people to buy your products or services. You can plan your introduction, presentation, and closing script to be more effective.

But what if at the beginning of the call you’ll already encounter a secretary, an administrative assistant, or a receptionist who wears the gatekeeper’s hat.

Here are telemarketing tips that can help you get pass a gatekeeper:

Formulate an original spiel. Tailor your script according to whom you are targeting. Sound original and show some personality but remain professional.
Practice your opening script. Talking to a gatekeeper would be much easier once you’ve mastered your opening spiel.
Be quick and confident. Don’t let the gatekeeper hear even a single reluctance in your voice. Long pauses and fillers give gatekeepers enough reason not to put you through the manager.
Be polite. Since you’re the once asking a favor, it follow that you’re the one who need to be as courteous and as polite as possible.  While being polite, be mindful of the tone of your voice and the way you deliver your spiel.
Sound like a VIP. Perhaps, this is the most effective telemarketing tip. Any person who acts and sounds like a Very Important Person is given more attention. So think and talk like you’re a VIP who wants to talk to the company’s president.
Flatter the gatekeeper. Let them know that they are vital in making a business decision. If not for them, you won’t be able to speak to the CEO at all.
Learn then call again. If the gatekeeper is quite really strict, it will really hard to talk to the decision-maker. In this case, you need to learn the basics: the gatekeeper’s full name, the decision-maker’s schedule, etc. Knowing those things will certainly help so just keep on calling and eventually you will be able to get those details. Once you get those information, you can use those to give out a more effective and convincing spiel.

Most importantly, treat the gatekeepers as you would like to be treated. Always be enthusiastic in reaching out those decision-makers. Remember those telemarketing tips provided and believe in your products and in yourself.

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Tips for Successful Telemarketing

Tips for Successful Telemarketing

Telemarketing is an interactive marketing strategy conducted over the telephone to inform potential buyers about new products, discount offers and to encourage them to buy products or services. Telemarketing is a proven way of efficient and effective marketing and is widely used by various industries to make contact with their clients. Successful telemarketing can be done by following the tips given below:

* Find Qualified Prospects: Finding qualified prospects to make sales is imperative to a telemarketing campaign. So, search for prospective clients who would be interested in buying your product, because the main purpose of telemarketing is to make a sale. You can search for the prospective clients from the newspapers, websites, directories, etc. and can create your own database for such clients who can buy your product or service.
* Calling Essentials: It is essential to get information about the customer and understand what their needs are before pitching in for a particular product. Call the prospects when they can be easily reached and can spare some time to listen to you. It is also necessary to carry the conversation in a proper format – introduction, product description, product features, product price, ordering, and most importantly ending the call. Thank the customer before closing the sale and give him the essential detail regarding the product delivery. Write down the important information as in case you may have to make a follow up call. It is a good idea to let the customer say goodbye and hang up first as this will help you do away with the impression of rudeness.
* Voice, Tone and Words: Successful telemarketing is about using words to your advantage to hit sales. Don’t forget that your voice, tone and what you speak are most important to do the entire job of getting the sale. A pleasant and relaxed voice can encourage a customer to have interest in your product or service and get better results more easily. Greet the person and introduce yourself and the company while initiating the call. Make sure you are talking to the right person and if not ask politely for the prospective customer. If the customer is not available leave a message.
* Stay Focused & Listen Attentively: Stay focused and be clear about the purpose of your call. The telemarketer may encounter open ended questions like: What, When, Where, Why, but he should stay confident and tackle them professionally. The language used by the telemarketer should be simple and understandable. Listen attentively to what the customer has to say and make him feel important. Give the customer enough time to explain his queries and or ask questions. Also let the customer finish speaking before replying to his concerns. This process will allow you to gather information about what interests the customer. Finally, provide feedback and close the sale.
* Record the Progress: You should record your progress on daily basis and identify the areas that need improvement. This approach will also help you to keep record of the contacts for future reference. It is advisable to note the date and time of follow ups for caring out an effective telemarketing strategy.

Like us on Facebook! www.facebook.com Follow us on Twitter! twitter.com This is why you should always be nice to customer service reps. Featuring Second City Alumni Josh and Nyima Funk Director: Josh Funk ——- Producer: Mark Kienlen ©2010 The Second City Inc./Josh Funk.All Rights Reserved. The Second City Network is quickly becoming one of the hottest channels on YouTube. Our work has been featured on Tosh.0 on Comedy Central, G4′s Attack of the Show, Inside Edition, NPR, MSNBC, CNN and more! Many of today’s biggest names got their start at The Second City main stages -including Tina Fey of 30 Rock, Stephen Colbert of the Colbert Report, and Steve Carell of The Office. Do you want to be a better improviser, actor, and comedy writer? Then sign up to take a class at one of our training centers! Chicago: www.secondcity.com Hollywood: www.secondcity.com Toronto: www.secondcity.com Study comedy for college credit at Second City: www.comedystudies.com Watch videos created by our current students: www.youtube.com
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The Gatekeeper: A Telemarketer’s Dilemma

The Gatekeeper: A Telemarketer’s Dilemma

If you’ve been in the Telemarketing industry for the longest time, then definitely you’d be familiar with that dreaded term ‘Gatekeeper’ by now. No, they don’t belong to any secret order, although oftentimes it feels like they do. These are the individuals whose job mainly is to prevent people, especially telemarketers, from getting in-touch with the Decision-Makers. In some cases, these are receptionist or switchboard operator. But in some companies, it may be a personal assistant or a secretary.

What’s with the Gatekeeper that every telemarketer finds it imperative to avoid like the plague? It’s because of that psychological barrier inculcated in the minds of the telemarketers that Gatekeepers are enemies. With that in mind, they’re already half-right.

Here are some helpful tips for getting past the gatekeeper:

JUST LIKE YOU, THEY’VE GOT A JOB TO DO

Remember that the Gatekeeper is just like a uniformed guard to a posh mansion, they’ll let you know that, unless you are invited, you are not welcome and believe it or not, it’s actually part of their jobs. And understanding the Gatekeepers even more will make the telemarketer’s work a little more bearable.

SOUND REALLY IMPORTANT

If someone believes that you are important, they will treat you differently. Speak slowly and articulately, don’t forget to relax, calm your voice, and don’t divulge more than is necessary. During the opening seconds of your conversation, if the Gatekeeper senses that you’re nowhere near their pay grade, you run the risk of getting nowhere near the DM. Management almost always gets preferential treatment.

ITS NOT WHAT YOU KNOW BUT WHAT THEY KNOW

One important fact about a Gatekeeper every Telemarketer should know is that they do know a great deal of important information about the DM and the business. Are you certain that the person you’re looking for is the Decision-Maker? If you play your cards right and get on the Gatekeeper’s good side, they might direct you to the proper person you should be talking to. Check your facts with them. Including the Gatekeepers in the decision-making process by asking for their opinions on certain aspects of their company might do you some good.

RELAX

Being nervous, stressed or tense easily translates over the phone. Your voice, your behavior and choice of words are visibly affected by it. All of these will significantly impact on how the Gatekeeper sees you and therefore how they are to treat your request of information. Breathe, Inhale and exhale, this will put you at ease and put an air of confidence. What’s the worst thing that could happen to you anyway?

ESCAPE AND EVADE?

Trying to sneak past the Gatekeeper is like escaping from Alcatraz, chances are you’ll get shot down immediately. Actively engage with the Gatekeeper. Use humor to establish rapport. You can gently probe but don’t get too personal and don’t pry. If you can’t get through to the DM immediately, engage the Gatekeeper so that they remember you and will retain a friendly and positive attitude towards you when you call back. In some small companies, gatekeepers are sometimes the DM’s wife, girlfriend or daughter. It’s highly unlikely you’ll become best friends, but building that friendly and positive attitude might get you through to the right person.

Never be rude or sarcastic, you’ll never know if the Gatekeeper is really just a Gatekeeper or the actual DM pretending to be a Gatekeeper. Oftentimes their job isn’t so easy (try sending letters, emails, faxes while keeping the DM’s tight schedule), but If they warm up to you, they will more than likely help you. It all depends on your approach and conviction.

Then again, telemarketing is personal and is very subjective; what works for one, will not necessarily work for another. These tips should get you started on having a rewarding and fruitful encounter with the Gatekeeper. Be like a sponge, absorb what is useful and reject what is useless as far as understanding and working with the Gatekeeper is concerned. When all else fails, the last best solution is to always treat Gatekeepers with respect and compassion, contrary to what you believe in the beginning, Gatekeepers are also human beings, just like you.

The word tele-marketing generally conjures up images of annoying call centre staff from non-English speaking countries phoning in to market you with irrelevant rubbish. But telemarketing is also the simple act of picking up the phone to speak to your customers or prospects, an art form being lost by the minute. See this segment for more information on why telemarketing doesnt have to be a dirty word.
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Top Ten Tips for Getting Past the Gatekeeper

Top Ten Tips for Getting Past the Gatekeeper

Top Ten Tips for Getting Past the Gatekeeper

If you are involved in the Telemarketing industry, you will undoubtedly be familiar with the term ‘The Gatekeeper’.  This is the individual whose job it is to prevent people getting access to the Decision-Maker.  Typically, this is a personal assistant or a secretary, but in some companies, it is even the receptionist or switchboard operator. Here are Ten Top Tips for Getting Past the Gatekeeper:

TIP 1:            THE GATEKEEPER IS NOT THE ENEMY

Whoever is acting as the Gatekeeper between you and the Decision-Maker (DM) is just doing their job.  Part of that job is managing demands on the DM’s time.  Seeing the Gatekeeper as the enemy creates a self-imposed psychological barrier that it will be difficult, if not impossible to remove.

 

TIP 2:             SOUND SENIOR

Management never gets treated the same as the workers.  If someone believes that you are important, they will treat you differently.  Using a relaxed and calm voice, speak slowly and articulately and don’t divulge more than is necessary.  During the opening seconds of your conversation, if the Gatekeeper senses that you are their senior, they will not risk offending you by probing too deeply.

 

TIP 3:            THE GATEKEEPER IS A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE

Remember that whilst the Gatekeeper’s role is to restrict interruptions to the DM’s daily routine, they do know a great deal of important information about the DM and the business.  Use this opportunity to check that the person that you want to speak to IS the decision-maker.  Check your facts with them.   Ask simple, non-intrusive open questions to try to build up a picture of both the Gatekeeper and the Decision-Maker.

 

TIP 4:             DON’T SELL TO THE GATEKEEPER

The Gatekeeper has several distinct ‘powers’.  One of them is the power to connect you with the right person.  However, they do not hold any decision-making powers. When the Gatekeeper asks ‘Can I tell him/her what it’s regarding?’ – do not try to pitch your product or service to the Gatekeeper. Firstly, it will waste your time.  Second,  it will irritate them because they will just be waiting for an opportunity to tell you that they cannot help you.  No matter how desperate to connect with the DM you are, do not sell to the Gatekeeper.

 

TIP 5:            ENGAGE DON’T EVADE

Don’t be awkward, don’t try to sneak past the Gatekeeper, the chances are you’ll get cut off at the knees.  Actively engage with the Gatekeeper.  Don’t get too personal, don’t pry, but you can gently probe.  If you can’t get through to the DM, engage the Gatekeeper so that they have a positive and friendly attitude towards you when you call again.  You’re unlikely to become best friends, but building a relationship and a rapport with them will help them want to help you.

TIP 6:            EASY DOES IT

If you are nervous, stressed or tense, you will transfer those feelings to your voice, your behaviour and choice of words.  All of these will make an impact on how the Gatekeeper perceives you and therefore how they receive your request for access or information.  Take some deep slow quiet breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth to put yourself at ease.  When the Gatekeeper answers, smile and confidently greet them with energy and ease.

TIP 7:             DON’T SCRIPT, PLAN.

Unless you are a particularly good actor, don’t use a script on the Gatekeeper.  They are likely to hear the scripted tone in your voice.  Instead, plan how you will approach them; what approaches you might take depending upon the range of responses that they might make.  Plan your responses to key objections but leave yourself room by improvising the dialogue.

TIP 8:             WHAT’S YOUR TRANSITIVE VERB?

Do you know that whilst you are speaking to the Gatekeeper, you are consciously or unconsciously employing a transitive verb to do something to them? A transitive verb is, if you don’t know, a verb that can be done to someone else such as ‘I CHARM You, I AMUSE You, I PRESS You’.  In Oral Communications, verbs are used as tactics to get results from other people.  It’s essential that you be in control of the tactics that you are playing.  Think about what tactics you will play throughout your PLAN.

TIP 9:             IS SHE EXPECTING YOUR CALL?

This is largely irrelevant because you want to speak to the DM nonetheless.  However, in order to bypass the Gatekeeper, use the DM’s first name only.  Ask ‘Can I speak to Jenny please?’, it sounds like a personal call. Remember your goal is not to inform the Gatekeeper; your goal is to bypass them to get to the DM.  Next, they might ask ‘Is she expecting your call?’. Simply and easily reply ‘Yes, I sent him some information through from our Head Office, we need to discuss it before close of business today’.

TIP 10:           THE LAST BEST SOLUTION

It’s not the best solution, and this tip often splits Telemarketers down the middle. You can always ask if you can be put through to the DM’s voicemail.  Just like in a sales environment, quickly point out a benefit for the Gatekeeper of doing this.   If they say that the DM is ‘out to lunch’ or ‘in a meeting’ and you’ve already called several times, point out that you’ve already taken up a lot of their time and ask if they can put your through to voicemail to save bothering them further. 

Of course, Marketing is a personal art and what works for one, will not necessarily work for another.  These Top Ten Tips should be the starting place for developing your own personal method of bypassing the Gatekeeper, rather than seeing them as rigid instructions to be slavishly followed.

Telemarketers rely on tools such as computers, the Internet and scripts. Explore telemarketing tools with tips from a telemarketing manager in this free career video. Expert: Travis Caldwell Bio: Travis Caldwell has been in telecommunications for more than nine years, and has been working his way up to a managerial position. Filmmaker: Michael Burton
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