Telemarketing
Telemarketing is the direct marketing of goods or services to potential customers over the telephone, Internet, or fax. Telemarketing may either be carried out by telemarketers or, increasingly, by automated telephone calls or” robocalls.” The intrusive nature of telemarketing, as well as reports of scams and fraud perpetrated over the telephone, has spurred a growing backlash against this direct marketing practice. Telemarketing may also be referred to as telesales.
Key Takeaways
-
Telemarketing is the direct marketing of goods or services to potential customers over the telephone or the Internet.
-
Four common kinds of telemarketing include outbound calls, inbound calls, lead generation, and sales calls.
-
Due to the intrusive nature of telemarketing, including spam calls, many customers do not prefer telemarketing. Countries such as the U.S. and Canada have federal “Do Not Call” lists where individuals can register their phone numbers to avoid telemarketing calls.
Telemarketing Activities
The act of telemarketing can be divided into four subcategories:
-
Outbound: Customer prospects and existing customers are actively reached out to via outbound telemarketing calls, also known as “cold” calls.
-
Inbound: These telemarketing calls are based on inbound inquiries about products or services as prompted by advertising or sales efforts. These are considered “warm” calls, as customers will typically have submitted an interest form online or already be familiar with the company.
-
Lead generation: The collection of intelligence about the profiles, interests, and demographic data of potential customers.
-
Sales: The persuasive activity engaged in by salespeople, in which telemarketers are trained and aim to close a deal on the phone.
