Have you ever received a call from someone you don’t know, telling you to buy a product or service? I’m sure you can remember how persuasive the person was—that you had no choice but to order a product you never thought you needed until that call, or maybe you had strong willpower and refused to buy the product. Well, everything I’ve just described to you now is the handwork of a telemarketer.
Telemarketing is one of those jobs that can be done from the comfort of your home, since it basically involves sending and receiving calls. However, it can be tasking if you are not meeting your target of making sales and after each hangup and string of insults from uninterested customers, you might want to give up on telemarketing.
This article today talks about telemarketing from home. It is written for those who want to know how to begin telemarketing and all it entails. Starting from the basics, everything about telemarketing is laid bare here, so sit tight and learn something you need.
What Is Telemarketing?
Telemarketing is the name given to a method of advertising goods and services to a client over the phone. It involves phone calls only, excluding text messages and emails. Therefore, as the name implies, the whole business of finding out whether a person wanted a certain good or service was to confirm through the telephone, isn’t it?
So, in telemarketing, the salesperson would usually find out people who would be interested in a particular good or service, then arrange for a phone call to the person’s number and try to increase this person’s interest, then follow up with the would-be client to get the goods or service sold as soon as possible.
In simpler terms, telemarketing helps to identify a customer’s need, collect feedback from customers, increase their interest in a particular brand and promote that brand’s offer to the customer.
Types Of Telemarketing
There are many ways a client can be persuaded to buy goods or pay for a service. Thus, the types of telemarketing include:
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Outbound telemarketing
This type of telemarketing is also known as “cold calls” because the customer might have an interest in the product or not. It is a way through which companies reach out to prospective customers as well as existing customers.
The sales personnel assemble a list of people who are likely to show an interest in the product, either through some form they’ve filled out online or onsite at other businesses. The sales personnel then call these numbers to talk about the product.
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Inbound Telemarketing
These telemarketing calls are referred to as “warm calls” because this set of customers are already familiar with the company or the product and have filled out a form to that intent online. The salesperson then calls them to follow up on their interests and sell the product to them.
On the other hand, this might also involve responding to incoming phone calls or messages from customers about the goods and services advertised by the company which the customers have seen and are interested in.
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Lead generation
This refers to the gathering of data about prospective customers by the sales representative of a company. Some of the data gathered are: demographics and interests of customers.
This would help them determine the best customized strategy to reach out to the customers and make them buy their goods and services.
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Sales
This involves reaching out to a prospective customer to sell them goods or services using persuasion techniques. The aim of this is to collect payment information from the customer and close the deal on the phone.
Simple Telemarketing Jobs You Can Do From Your Home
The following are some ways you can do telemarketing from home:.
1. Call Centre Representative
A call center representative is responsible for handling incoming calls from customers. He or she answers calls, redirects calls or provides the necessary support a customer needs.
Call center representatives address customers’ concerns and record their feedback. They may also be required to contact potential clients to recommend new products and services to them.
As the first point of contact between the customer and the company, he or she is also responsible for the following:
- Greeting customers on the phone
- Answering customer’s questions or transferring them to a specialist if necessary
- Ensuring and maintaining customer satisfaction
- Using the company’s provided software to update customer’s information and complete orders
2. Appointment Generator
An appointment generator is a person responsible for making contact with prospective customers. This person explains the goods or services to the customer and encourages them to make appointments with the sales team and make a purchase.
They are responsible for:
- Identifying prospective clients
- Making contact with these clients on the phone
- Schedule an appointment between the customer and a sales representative, either on the phone or in person
3. Customer Service Representative
A customer service representative is the first person a customer meets when the customer has a problem or needs clarification on a product or service a company offers.
They answer questions about products and services, payments or returns of purchases, processing of orders and further information about products and services. They also help advertise products to customers.
Some of their responsibilities include:
- Handle large amounts of phone calls
- Identify customers needs
- Build lasting relationships and trust with customers
- Provide valid and accurate information to customers and the company
- Provide appropriate solutions to customers complaints
- Generate sales leads for the company
4. Telemarketer
Telemarketers are responsible for contacting customers to advertise their goods and services through phone calls. They try to persuade the customer to purchase their goods and services.
Necessary Skills Needed For Telemarketing From Home
The following skills can help you with telemarketing from home:
1. Extensive knowledge of the product
A telemarketer should have extensive knowledge of the products and services the company has to offer. He or she has to know the benefits and disadvantages of the products and have the answers to any possible question customers might have to ask.
2. Empathy
In order to fully identify with the customers and their needs, a telemarketer needs to have empathy. He or she should listen carefully to them and put himself in their shoes to try and understand what they want and why they want it.
3. Motivation
Telemarketing can be hard at times because you would have to call a lot of people before making a sale. The hangups, insults and uncooperative customers can be a lot. It is only motivation that will help you maintain a positive attitude.
4. Persuasion
Persuasion is one of the most fundamental skills for the success of telemarketers. Of what use will your knowledge of products, empathy and motivation be if you cannot achieve your main goal of getting customers to buy your products?
How Much Money Can You Make From Telemarketing From Home?
Telemarketing can be hourly or per sale, depending on the type of job. Research shows a telemarketer can earn between $15 and $25 per hour. The average pay per hour is $18. Telemarketing is very flexible, especially for freelancers and part-time workers.
Why Choose Telemarketing From Home?
1. Better Work-life Balance
Working from home means flexible schedules and flexible schedules mean you can start and end your day as you deem fit, provided you meet your daily targets.
This means you will have better control over your work schedule and can give good attention to your personal life.
2. Less Commute Stress
Research shows that the average commuter spends an hour or longer than 90 minutes getting to and from work every day. Then, when you add that to being stuck in traffic with unruly and uncooperative drivers, you would understand why the average employee shows up at work with increased levels of stress and anxiety.
Working from home saves you the stress of a daily commute and supports your mental health as well. The time saved can allow you to focus on priorities outside of work, such as spending time with family, eating healthy and getting extra sleep in the morning.
Now, how do these benefits apply to telemarketing? It’s quite simple. More time for family and other personal matters, check! If your goal was to make two sales per day and you did that in less than four hours, that means twenty hours of extra time to do what you want. Save the stress of commuting, check! There’s already a lot of stress involved in telemarketing and you don’t need more. You begin work with a clear mind and a free heart, ready to win new customers and make more money. That’s a good deal, if you ask me.
One last thing, can I add that there’s no supervisor breathing down your neck every two hours? Sure, I can. As long as your targets are met, you clearly do not have any problems. You can find lots of telemarketing opportunities online and in the newspapers. If you have the skills and are up to it, go ahead and do it.
