How to Succeed in Telemarketing

If you have experience as a salesperson or in customer service, or like the idea of working on the phone, then you might do well with a job in telemarketing. Each company will have its own sales etiquette for you to follow, but there are some general guidelines that you can benefit from regardless of what you'll be selling. They mainly involve how to practice and develop your approach to making calls, and ways to make adjustments once the call has been placed. By taking an organized approach to telemarketing and staying positive, you can establish yourself in the profession while developing excellent communications skills in the process.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Preparing for Your Shift

Before making calls, be sure to know just what is expected of you for that day, especially sales targets.^{[1]XResearch source} This will help you to plan out a calling strategy. And don’t be shy about asking your supervisor to clarify instructions. This shows that you’re detail-oriented, a quality which bosses and managers look for in their employees.
Once you have your daily assignment, set some hourly goals. These should be ambitious enough to reach your daily targets, without being so demanding that they’re unrealistic. Placing impossible expectations on yourself can cause needless stress and frustration.^{[2]XTrustworthy SourceEDISElectronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articlesGo to source}
3
Remove distractions. To create a work environment where you can focus, you’ll need to do away with potential distractions. Before you begin to make calls, remember to turn off your cell phone, close any web browsers on your computer, and tell co-workers that you’d prefer not to be disturbed during work time.^{[3]XResearch source}
- To help you limit your internet time, try productivity tools such as LeechBlock^{[4]XResearch source} or SelfControl.^{[5]XResearch source}
Sit at your desk with a good posture, not slumped back or bending over your keyboard. Arrange your devices so you can access them easily. Also be sure to have everything you need at your desk, such as calling lists and a bottle of water. This way you shouldn’t need to get up until your break time.
5
Be sure you’re sleeping enough. Try to get in the habit of sleeping for as many hours as you need to in order to function well the next day. This might mean not sleeping in too long on Sunday, if you’ll need to get up early for work on Monday. You’ll need to be in top form and focused to sound pleasant and convincing on the phone.
- Consider taking a walk during your break to clear your mind and to recharge your energy.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Perfecting Your Sales Pitch

1
Master your script. Your supervisor should give you a script to follow for your initial sales pitch. Or you may be asked to create your own script based on some guidelines. You’ll want to avoid reading the script word-for-word, since this an easy way to lose a potential customer’s interest.^{[6]XResearch source} Memorize it by reading it several times, then trying to cite it from memory one line at a time.
- In the telemarketing industry, the product offer is known as an “Elevator pitch” because of how it summarizes the product or service in a few sentences, which should be recited during the time it takes to ride in an elevator.^{[7]XResearch source}
2
Practice in front of others. If you're just starting out in telemarketing, you might have problems with shyness. To reduce any reluctance you may have to make calls because of shyness, ask your supervisor if you could practice your sales pitch in front of a group of fellow employees. Ask them to give you feedback on how clearly you’re speaking, the appropriateness of your tone of voice, and how convincing your delivery is.^{[8]XTrustworthy SourceEDISElectronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articlesGo to source}
- Ask one person in the group to act as the potential customer, and carry out a mock sales conversation with them.
- Another good way to build confidence is to shadow a fellow employee. Ask your supervisor about spending time watching, listening to, and taking notes on a top employee while they make calls.
- Asking your boss for extra help will show them that you’re a dedicated employee and interested in doing all you can to help the company.^{[9]XResearch source}
3
Get to know your product. In order to be able to speak convincingly about the product or service you’re pitching to the potential customer, it’s important that you understand it well. Ask your supervisor for a written summary of the product or service that you can study.^{[10]XResearch source}
- If you’re selling a physical item, ask to see the product so you can study its characteristics and afterwards describe it better to the customer.
4
Read up on your audience. Most telemarketing firms limit their calling lists to potential customers who are most likely to buy their products or services. Ask your supervisor for a summary of the backgrounds of potential customers you’ll be calling. They may all have several things in common, such as age, income, gender, or profession. Knowing these beforehand can help you to customize your pitch to the audience.^{[11]XResearch source}
- If you’re calling an existing customer, find out as much as you can about their purchasing history and product preferences. Be sure to use this information when making your pitch.
5
Be ready for negative responses. The majority of potential customers that you call will not be keen on what you’re offering them—at least at first, of course. That’s where your persuasion skills come into play. But you can't expect to be able to come up with replies to negative answers on the spot, so you’ll need to prepare a list of replies to potential rejections to your sales pitch.^{[12]XResearch source}
- For example, in reply to, “Sorry, I’m not interested,” you can keep them on the line with, “But I haven’t told you the best thing about [the product or service],” or “If you’ll give me twenty seconds I’d like to try to change your mind.”
6
Practice last names. Mispronouncing a potential customer’s last name is a sure way to lose their interest right away. If the name’s pronunciation is unfamiliar to you, ask a co-worker or supervisor for help with a possible pronunciation. If you’re confident you know how a longer, multi-syllable name should be said, practice reciting it a few times before making the call.
- If you’re not sure how to pronounce a last name, it’s best not to even try. Instead, simply address the person you’re calling as “sir” or “ma’am.” Or if it is permitted by your supervisor, address the person by their first name—it’s less risky to come off as too familiar with a person than it is to botch their last name.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Making the Call

Potential customers will tend be less bothered by a cold call if they’re greeted cheerfully. You will sound as if you’re smiling when you actually do smile while delivering your pitch.^{[13]XResearch source} To help you with this, have a mirror nearby to occasionally check your expression when you’re on the phone.
Try starting with the same greeting each time. There’s no need to try to get creative at this point, since you might risk setting an inappropriate tone for the conversation before hearing the respondent’s tone of voice. For example, try either “Hello, is Ms. / Mr. [last name] available?” or “Hello, may I please speak with Ms. / Mr. [last name]?” as greetings.
3
Get right to the point. When making cold calls it’s important to grab the potential customer’s interest in the first five seconds or so. You need to quickly give them a good reason not to just hang up. That’s why moving from the greeting right into your pitch is essential.
- Try not to follow your greeting with phrases like “How are you today?” These can only add to the potential customers’ sense that you’re taking up their time.^{[14]XResearch source}
- Avoid saying “Is this a good time?” or “Did I call at a bad time?”^{[15]XResearch source} You can assume that if this is the case, the person you called won’t answer, will hang up immediately, or will let you know that it’s bad time without your having to ask.
4
Speak in plain language. As you deliver your pitch and follow-up explanations, try to use a simple and straightforward vocabulary. Be careful not to use technical terms without defining them, and go with alternative phrasings if you can say same thing in more basic language. Even if you detect that the person you’re speaking with is well educated, it’s always more efficient to use the most direct and universal language possible.^{[16]XResearch source}
- Avoid using informal language that gives off an air of unprofessionalism. Make an effort to say "Good offer” instead of “Good deal,” “That’s fine” instead of “No worries,” “Yes” instead of “Yeah” or “Yep,” and “Please hold for a moment” instead of “Bear with me.”^{[17]XResearch source}
Try to get in the habit of listening to how quickly or slowly you’re speaking. This way, you can make adjustments to ensure that you’re being understood. Rushing through your pitch might confuse the potential customer, but talking too slowly could make them impatient or sound condescending.^{[18]XResearch source}
6
Emphasize the product’s results. A potential customer will want to know about not only what the product or service is, but also what it can do for them. When explaining the product in the pitch or answering questions, be sure to talk about performance and results. If you’re doing this right, potential customers shouldn’t need to ask you, “But what will this do for me / my company?”^{[19]XTrustworthy SourceState of WashingtonOfficial website for the State of WashingtonGo to source}
- To have some results-based information on hand, ask your supervisor for statistics on customer satisfaction and product performance.
7
Build on positive momentum. Once you make a sale, try to carry the confidence you build from it into the next call. This means not being tempted to feel satisfied with one sale, and instead moving right into dialing another number. If you feel frustrated or overworked, these would be times when a break could help you. But this isn't the case when you’re doing well, since you could lose whatever knack you’ve developed even during a short break.^{[20]XTrustworthy SourceState of WashingtonOfficial website for the State of WashingtonGo to source}
- To keep things going, don’t put the phone back on the hook after a successful call—just hang up and then dial the next number.
8
Avoid frustration by staying positive. Think on the bright side about what you accomplished even during a rejected pitch: you may have left the customer with a good impression of the company, or learned that a certain phrase or response probably isn’t effective. And at the very least you can feel good that you’ve crossed this person off the list of potential customers.^{[21]XTrustworthy SourceState of WashingtonOfficial website for the State of WashingtonGo to source}
- If a potential customer is rude with you, don’t take it personally. Remember, it’s the product that is being rejected, not you.^{[22]XTrustworthy SourceEDISElectronic database of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences's peer-reviewed articlesGo to source}
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Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Responding to the Customer

1
Don’t assume a gender. If the person you’re calling has a feminine-sounding name, and you reach a person with a feminine voice, try to avoid assuming that you’ve reached the person you’re looking for. The same goes for an apparent masculine name and voice.
- Making an assumption would sound something like, “Oh, hello, Mrs. Thompson?” If you’re correct, you risk sounding suspiciously familiar. If not correct, you could cause offense if you mistake someone’s gender.
2
Adjust your tone according to theirs. In order to give the impression that you’re speaking to the potential customer and not at them, try to adapt your tone of voice to the mood they present. If they sound upbeat, put some extra enthusiasm into your delivery. If they sound tired or angry, speak in a neutral but friendly tone to avoid sounding oblivious to them.^{[23]XResearch source}
- Don’t use a familiar form of address unless they address you with familiarity. Resist addressing them as “Mate,” “Guy,” “Sister,” “Brother,” “Man,” “Dude,” “Partner,” or “Pal” unless they address you in this way first.^{[24]XResearch source}
3
Learn to detect hesitation. An experienced telemarketer will know the signs of a person who is hesitant and one who is adamantly not interested. If the potential customer turns you down, but doesn’t hang up on you after your pitch, it’s possible they could be hesitating. Even if they’re just being polite by not hanging up, polite people are much more likely to stay on the phone if you can convince them to.
- To try to keep them on the line, try responding with "I think you might change your mind if you knew a little more about this product / service."
4
Show your gratitude. Whether you’ve just made a sale, or are dealing with someone who has insistently refused the offer, be sure to express your respect for the customer’s time. Even if they don’t seem interested now, they could always become a customer in the future. At the very least, you want to leave them with a positive impression of the company, so show courtesy by being thankful when ending the call.^{[25]XResearch source}
- If they’re not interested, thank them by saying something like, “I appreciate your time,” or “Thank you for your interest.” If they make a purchase, or ask to be called back, add intensifiers: “I really appreciate your time,” or “Thank you very much for your interest.”
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Question
Are there any tips to practice my speaking technique? How can I learn all the product details?
Community Answer
Have a script and have reference to all the product details available at hand. Practice your speaking with friends, family, or co-workers.
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How can I get my "hello" in before someone hangs up on me?
Community Answer
Be pleasant and courteous when you say "hello" and introduce yourself. Try to sound friendly instead of coming across like a salesperson.
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How do you get past the negativity given to you by your supervisor?
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The first thing you need to do is ask yourself if there is a valid point that you can take as helpful criticism. Also, before you go to work have a talk with yourself about just doing the best job you can and not needing validation from others. When you are being spoken too disrespectfully; be the bigger person. Practice taking what you need and brushing off what you don't want in your head.He doesn't have to own your mental attitude.
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Tips

If you believe in your abilities, then your attitude will remain positive and your calls will sound enthusiastic and more appealing to the person on the other end.
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Note the best times to call in terms of when you make the most sales. Be sure not to be taking any breaks during these times, and make as many calls as possible then.
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Stay focused on your calls and making sales. Don't allow yourself to become distracted by thoughts outside of your calls. Keep a notepad nearby to jot thoughts and reminders that come to mind.The purpose of this is to put aside the distraction so you can deal with it later, but still stay concentrated on what you are doing.
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Warnings

Avoid the “telemarketing voice”—a tone of voice that is flat and sounds uninterested. It's unappealing and lacks the emotional connection needed to relate to your customers.
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