How to get the best results from your Telemarketing Campaign

“I’m running a telemarketing campaign, and it’s not delivering the results promised.”

This is a common frustration for many organisations in the tech sector who have been disappointed by underperforming telemarketing campaigns.

Before exploring how to maximise the success of a campaign, it’s worth taking a moment to consider the challenges faced by the people we’re targeting—Technical Decision Makers. Their roles have evolved dramatically, expanding from managing networks (LAN, WAN, WiFi) to overseeing almost every critical aspect of an organisation’s operations, including security, collaboration, cloud, data storage, backup, business transformation, AI, and more.

It’s no wonder they rarely have time to answer the phone—especially given how many vendors and resellers are competing to get their attention. This makes telemarketing an increasingly challenging task.

Common Complaints About Telemarketing Campaigns

  • “The project started off well, but then we started to receive poorly qualified leads.”
  • “The leads seemed promising, but no project materialised.”
  • “We disagreed on what constituted a ‘lead,’ and the relationship turned sour.”
  • “The end-user didn’t show up for the scheduled call, and follow-ups went nowhere.”

The underlying issue often boils down to the quality of the leads generated. However, many other variables can influence the success of a campaign. Despite these challenges, telemarketing remains a valuable marketing tactic when integrated into a broader strategy.

Here are some actionable steps to help you maximise outcomes from your telemarketing campaigns.

Before You Engage

  1. Choose the Right Telemarketing Agency
    • Assess Their Client Base: Are you a priority for them, or will you be a small fish in a big pond? Some agencies, once they secure large clients, often redirect resources away from smaller ones, impacting service quality.
    • Understand Their Incentive Model: How are telemarketers rewarded? Avoid agencies that push for volume over quality, as this often results in poorly qualified leads. Instead, look for agencies incentivised by the success of the opportunities they generate.
    • Gauge Their Experience: How familiar are they with your solutions or services? Agencies with experience in your sector will have more natural conversations and be better equipped to identify opportunities.
    • Consider Their Representation of Your Brand: Ask yourself, would you feel confident having them represent your business to potential clients?
  2. Build Trust and Rapport
    • Your agency should feel like an extension of your team. A strong, long-term partnership is built on mutual trust and a shared understanding of your goals.

The Set-Up Process

  1. Complete a Thorough Briefing
    • Be prepared to answer detailed questions about your business, brand values, target audience, USPs, and how your solutions address customer challenges. This information is critical for the agency to represent your company effectively.
  2. Conduct a Training Session
    • Once the agency creates a training presentation, present it back to their team in person, if possible. This ensures everyone fully understands your proposition and can ask clarifying questions.
  3. Define a Qualified Lead
    • Be realistic about what constitutes a qualified lead. A prospect likely won’t issue a purchase order after a single call, so expect a nurturing process. Leads may start small, but as trust grows, larger opportunities can develop.

Execution and Feedback

  1. Allow Time for the Campaign to Gain Traction
    • Telemarketing campaigns take time. On average, it can take multiple touchpoints to engage a cold prospect. Patience is key—don’t make drastic changes to the brief too early if results aren’t immediate.
  2. Maintain Open Communication
    • Regularly discuss leads with the agency. Provide feedback on what’s working and what isn’t. Experienced telemarketers will refine their approach based on your input.
  3. Listen for Quality Calls
    • Telemarketers should be skilled listeners who can steer conversations naturally. Avoid agencies where calls feel rushed or scripted, as these rarely yield meaningful results.

Closing the Loop

After a prospect call or meeting, always provide feedback to the agency. Let them know how it went—was the lead valuable, or did the conversation fall flat? This feedback loop is critical to fine-tuning the campaign and improving outcomes.

Final Thoughts

If you’re planning a telemarketing campaign or need help managing an existing one, we’re here to support you. Get in touch today to discuss how we can help ensure your campaign delivers the results you’re looking for.