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The Truth about Telesales

Feb 20, 2014 | Telesales

Business people shaking hands and sealing a deal

Telesales, especially in the B2B space, is not about making a sale over the phone.  It is about using the telephone to support and influence a B2B sale.

As a B2B sales marketing firm, VSA uses the range of our prospecting services to help our clients make sales, often when other approaches are not effective.  The telephone is particularly successful as a prospecting tool when their products are relatively unknown, have unique and superior benefits and the clients are not generating enough sales traffic through other means.

Let’s take some examples.  We work as the inside sales team with a specialty medical billing provider.  This company is large, but not as large as its national competitors.  It is well known, but not as well known as the giant firms it competes against.  Sure, this firm generates leads through trade shows, Internet marketing, and other sales activities.  But, there are so many physician practices in its area of specialty who have not heard of our client.  This company needs the boost of VSA’s prospecting services to find decision makers who are considering switching billing companies.  Our client has a great offering and can frequently outperform competitors.

We are the prospecting engine that seeks qualified opportunities for this medical billing client.  Once we find sales leads, we forward them to our client’s sales team, and our client closes the sale.  We are our client’s inside sales team.  Without our prospecting efforts, our client’s sales pipeline would be far emptier, their name would not be nearly as well-known, and the sales team would talk to virtually none of the leads we identify.  The telephone is a vital instrument in this client’s sales toolbox, and they are well aware of this.

We also work with a firm who sells an extremely unique and attractive marketing service to community banks across the country.  This client is an excellent communicator and sends emails to any decision maker title that can be found at each bank.  The company is able to generate leads this way.  But as a B2B sales marketing firm, we know not everyone responds to emails, no matter how unique and attractive the offering is – and this client’s offering is truly exceptional.

Once again, we serve as the sales and prospecting team for this particular client and make calls to the multiple decision makers at the banks.  Our outbound B2B telephone calls have uncovered innumerable opportunities, and our client pursues each until the sale is made.

Neither of two clients above could ever make an immediate sale over the phone.  Their sales cycles are lengthy, often over a year long.  But, our activities produce leads for these clients that they would never otherwise find, nor be able to pursue.

As a B2B firm, we do not know enough about the benefits, features, pricing, or competitive arena to begin to close these sales.

That’s why to VSA, telesales is not a one-shot effort. It’s a partnership with our client.  It’s a key component in the prospecting and sales process.  The two clients we highlighted would not uncover the leads without VSA as their constant outbound cold calling team providing invaluable services to help prospecting efforts.  That’s our contribution to our client’s sales growth.