Many businesses are revisiting their marketing plans and assessing what, if anything, should still go ahead and is appropriate. This is sensible, as it’s always a good idea to be agile and responsive to your clients’ needs.
As an agency, we’ve responded to a large volume of change required in marketing execution, particularly with the cancellation of events to meet the current health, isolation and distancing guidelines. As we divert our focus to the breadth of resources of digital and traditional resources we offer our clients, telemarketing remains an essential pillar of our programs.
Of course, we know that outbound calling is a core component of the vendor and channel marketing mix. One reason being, that telemarketing offers the most direct connection with your community of IT decision makers, business owners and end users.
Our clients are asking, and you might be wondering, how telemarketing is faring in recent weeks, and whether you should be continuing with your own telemarketing activity. We say: Absolutely.
Before delving into the metrics we’re seeing in our telemarketing, what can we learn anecdotally from our team? RAW Marketing’s Director of Client Services, Leona Heslehurst has said the account management team is spending a great deal of time in recent weeks reworking plans – but not canceling them.
“In most cases our clients, both vendors and their partners, see the value in continuing a level of activity. Most clients want to see their coverage maintained, and we wholeheartedly agree with this view.”
“The most successful outbound activities have momentum and take time to really get to that nurture-stage. Switching it off can dilute the connection with the audience and it isn’t so easy to turn it back on and pick up where it was left,” says Leona.
As part of this process, RAW has carefully reworked campaign messaging in consultation with every client. This means account managers and the content team are identifying revised value propositions that are more sensitive to the disruption and challenges end-users are experiencing.
Michael, a RAW senior call consultant, says his current experience is that IT decision-makers have adapted quickly to the ‘new normal’. In fact, it is the more C-level and Director-level contacts who are the most willing to identify business-as-usual and consider their role in planning and budgeting to be a continuing requirement.
We’ve found this means thinking along the below lines;-
- How can we support our community?
- What value can we bring?
- What do our customers need to minimise disruption?
- Do they need technology or just advice?
Obviously, this involves an overall softening of sales call to actions (CTA) to represent a more helpful tone of voice. We’ve made it our priority to create checkpoints to ensure we’re aligned with our clients’ expectations in this area.
Statistically, our contact rate from October ‘19 to March ‘20 has dropped by just 2%. We are still reaching people in their WFH environment. Our opt-in rate is tracking 5% stronger in March and the combined nurture and lead conversion is equal to pre-Christmas.
We can’t say what tomorrow will bring in this quickly changing marketing situation, but we are concentrating our resources towards:
- adjusting campaign strategy and messaging
- monitoring the success rates daily
- planning for both positive and realistic outcomes
Above all, we’re supporting our clients to protect and strengthen their brands during this time. Together, we can build momentum towards throwing open the door and rolling out the welcome mat as this situation resolves.
