Telemarketing can be a powerful tool for Information and Communications Technology (ICT) marketing. When done right, it can be incredibly effective. Modern telemarketing isn’t about being in-your-face or calling unannounced. Today’s telemarketing script writers and call consultants understand the importance of good strategy and the right approach. The first step to a successful call is a good script. Below are some things to consider when developing one.
Avoid sounding “scripted”
There’s nothing worse than someone talking straight from a script and it being obvious. The best scripts allow callers to talk naturally. This means open questions, briefing your team with enough information to create off-script conversations and allowing staff to let their personalities shine through. At RAW, even if each member of the team is calling for the same campaign, everyone sounds very different thanks to their unique take on the script.
Asking the right questions
Questions are the bread and butter of your script. Make sure they are clear and concise but also allow room for movement. Evaluate if the question is better suited to an open ended response, or a pick list. By asking the right questions, you can guide the prospective client to take action and provide decision maker and company insights and information to the client. Our team take a flexible approach to scripts, ensuring the conversation is natural, while still getting to the important points to encourage action from the prospect.
Professional input
If you have staff making calls, make sure they have access to the people in your team who understand what is being sold so they are fully across the topic and can use this when writing a script. For agencies like RAW, briefing sessions with the client are vital and involving our telemarketing team in these can be very beneficial in fine tuning questions to ask on calls. Having an understanding of the industry and subject matter allows call consultants to have open-ended conversations with ease, rather than sticking to a script. Our team are also selected for their general knowledge of the ICT industry and market and a range of technology solutions
Objections
Handling objections on a call is crucial to a campaign and being prepared for possible objections for each campaign will ensure your team aren’t stuck without anything to say on the call. In our scripts, we list a number of possible objections and correlating answers to provide our telemarketers with the tools they need in any situation. Make the development of this an open discussion in your briefing sessions to gather everyone’s input. Again, having the industry knowledge and working closely with the client on the key product benefits in pre-campaign call briefings will arm the call consultants with the confidence to handle objections.
Understanding your team
The outbound telemarketing script should be written based on the skills and expertise of your staff. While there are certain aspects of a script that are essential, not every professional is trained and skilled to say things the same way so you need to build the script around that. Make sure they have input into the script because, after all, it is for them! The RAW team has people with different personalities and strengths, which allows us to provide unique calls at all times while still sticking to the core communication. To ensure the right message is delivered in a natural way, we always make sure the scripts suit everyone’s style.
Understanding your audience
The best scripts encourage prospects to act. Unfortunately a call to action is often forgotten in many telemarketing strategies. You need to focus on the prospect “wanting” to do something. You want them to feel something. Generate want feelings in the script that relate to their pain points and offer them something of value that meets their needs – this want is their reason to act.
Persistence
Getting through what we call ‘Gatekeepers’ (reception, personal assistants, etc.) can at times be difficult, but being persistent can help you get through to the correct contact. Choosing the right time to call is also important. For example Fridays, lunch times and late in the afternoon are not ideal times to reach people. Scheduling multiple calls allows our staff to reach busy people at the best time and get the best cut-through.
Record Keeping
At RAW, our team don’t just make calls and leave it at that – we also make sure to note down all the important information our clients requires. Detailed call notes are important to ensure that when passing on a lead or looking back on the client contact notes the notes are easy to read and understand for everyone. We include profiling questions in scripts as these can be valuable for future targeted marketing and nurturing programs.
A good script is, as strange as it may sound, all about avoiding sounding “scripted”. You want it to be natural, while guiding your team and the prospect effectively. With the above tips and a little help from a skilled team like RAW Marketing, you can see more success with your next ICT telemarketing campaign.
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