Among the activities planned for the inside sales team, we find calls to prospects, to try to transform them into actual customers, and to customers, with upselling proposals. But isn’t this also the definition of cold calling and telemarketing?
At a superficial glance, in fact, inside sales and telemarketing might seem quite similar, but analyzing them more deeply, significant differences emerge. Discover them by continuing to read this article!
The Differences Between Telemarketing and Inside Sales
Telemarketing activities usually consist of cold sales calls to lists of telephone phone number list numbers – very often purchased or collected over years by companies – which may include lines that are no longer active, former customers who no longer want to deal with the company, people who have no idea who is calling them and why.
It is for these reasons that cold calling today, in addition to being perceived as a nuisance by most people, turns out to be more of a waste of time and money for the companies that practice it. The difficult to find someone who willingly answers an anonymous call or from an unknown number and who was really just waiting to receive that offer. It can happen, but it is rare, and today’s b2b companies can no longer afford to “shoot in the crowd”.
No effective inside sales strategy involves purchasing contact lists
Instead, the inside sales team will find a series of potential customers , through b2b marketing pills collaboration in the company a search on the web and on social networks and selecting the contacts present in the database, created with lead generation campaigns .
The research phase also includes contact qualification , a strategic activity in B2B, because it helps salespeople to get in touch only and exclusively with potential customers ready to purchase , who have already found answers to their doubts and overcome most of their objections.
An in-depth study of the prospect’s interactions is essential to prepare the call and create a series of messages depending on the needs expressed, more or less directly. Using an identical script for all calls – as almost always happens in telemarketing – instead, lacks that component of personalization that is required today in every b2b sales process .
By always following the same pattern
In fact, it is difficult for an authentic conversation to occur and for the b2c fax potential customer. The perceive the sincere desire on the part of the company. The listen to him and help him overcome a challenge or achieve a goal.
To be effective, the inside sales team’s call must focus on the prospect’s needs. The necessary to know the company’s situation. The aspects of the business that can be optimized. The priorities and perhaps even the available budget. The necessary to plan questions focused on the interlocutor and above all to be available to listen to the answers. The build a complete picture of his needs and qualify him, before the possible meeting with the sales force .
Portrait of businessman talking on mobile phone in office
If there is one area where bot technology can be applied and results can be achieved. The is chat and conversational marketing . Being always present and available. Theanswer users’ questions and guide them through their navigation. Theone of the essential characteristics of websites. The optimized from the user experience point of view, and chat helps a lot in this.
When telemarketing is done mainly in outsourcing, the experience and in-depth knowledge. The solutions proposed by the company are missing, while with an inside sales team you have the guarantee. Thepeople are trained and can offer real advice to potential customers. The risk of having unprepared sellers speak. The block at the first objection of the interlocutor, immediately losing his trust .