Causeway Enhance are telemarketing specialists working exclusively in the construction industry. Our expertly trained staff use industry data from market intelligence sources such as Barbour ABI to generate the highest quality results.
We have put together our guide to successful telemarketing and how to utilise Barbour ABI sources.
1. Qualify your project data before making calls
Before making any calls make sure you filter your Barbour ABI data, making sure you are targeting the right companies, people and projects. Evolution allows you to filter the data in numerous ways. This includes site start and finish dates, project values and geographical areas.
2. Make your calls relevant to prospects
The first introduction is pivotal to the success or failure of your call. Using Barbour ABI data combined with your own research online to refine your contacts will help filter out those not relevant to your call. Once you are in contact with the relevant decision maker, you must engage with them in a knowledgeable and professional manner. This will ensure they feel your call is valuable and do not dismiss it as a cold call. You want to build rapport with the decision maker as this will open up opportunities for future conversations.
3. Build your own quality database of key contacts
Barbour ABI data will provide you with contact details for key decision makers for each project. This will provide you with quality information regarding who is regularly procuring the work and allow you to build your own database of relevant contacts. Your database of key contacts should be stored in an electronic form, along with any key information regarding the decision makers and the projects. You must ensure all your data is GDPR compliant and that you are regularly updating the details.
4. Ask the right questions
The type of question that you ask can determine the quality of the response therefore it is important to use the right language and the right type of question.
Open and probing questions are a friendly way to engage people in conversation.
Open questions include using words such as “who, what, where, when and how” and asking open-ended questions that require more than a yes/no answer.
Probing questions can be useful in digging for information, ask the caller if they are the relevant person to your call and if not then who is? These types of questions can often encourage the caller to divulge key information.
Closed questions, which require simple yes or no answers, can often end the conversation before it has begun. Try to avoid these types of questions until you have gained all the answers you need, you can then use closing questions to summarise your conversation and confirm understanding.
5. USPs and benefits
Successful telemarketing requires showing prospects how your products meet their needs. Highlighting your company’s benefits e.g. promoting the fact you are on the Contractors Supply Chain, discussing a sector-specific case study or introducing your accreditations (Construction Line Gold, CHAS etc.) helps you stand out from your competitors.
6. Send engaging emails
Keep your message clear and concise. Tailor your emails based on the sector you are targeting and the Contractor you are contacting – if you have worked with the company on another project in the past, highlight the details in your correspondence. Bullet point your product offering and benefits. Finish your email with a call to action.
7. Motivation + organisation = quality result
To be a successful telemarketing team you must make sure every employee feels motivated and informed about the objectives of the business and their own personal targets. This includes setting targets that are achievable yet challenging. Targets that are out of reach or unclear are likely to demotivate team members and impact the quality of your results. Organisation is key to generating quality results for your clients. This includes monitoring your callbacks and following up on leads, as well as ensuring all admin tasks related to the data are completed regularly. As mentioned previously, updating and refining your search filters for your data is vital to make sure you are targeting the most relevant projects.
8. Overcoming objections
Often as a telemarketer, you will come across objections, either from people acting as the “gatekeeper” to the decision maker or from the decision maker themselves. Objections are not always a sign of no interest, knowing how to overcome objections can be key to successful calls.
Acknowledge –You heard what the caller was saying and understand.
Isolate – Isolate and analyse the problem they have highlighted.
Diffuse Objection – Give a proper rebuttal of the objection and suggest a solution
Confirm – Ask the caller to confirm they are happy with the solution/recommendation
Gain Agreement – The caller must agree with your suggestion
9. Monitor results and refine your process
Telemarketing is constantly evolving with the introduction of new technologies, legislation and changing behaviours. Therefore, it can be easy to fall out of step with the market. Consequently, it is important that you continuously develop and refine your process and approach.
10. Making the most of a successful call
Getting through to the right person does not guarantee a quality result from the call. It is important to finish the call by reiterating the key details you have discussed on the project. This can include stating your interest in working with them and suggesting dates and times for the meeting. After you finish your call you must regularly keep in contact with each decision maker until you receive a final outcome. This can be either a successful meeting or a notification of decline.
