Developing Telemarketing Success – Partnership Exploration

We have emphasized the importance of partnership as a means to increase the Inside Sales effectiveness for the telemarketer and generate repeat business not only for the client and B2B service provider but for the prospect as well by creating value added products and service to the latter’s customers.

The partnership is a three-way relationship between the B2B service provider, its client and the prospect. In this article, we deal with ways to work on partnership opportunities paving the way for a long-term productive and successful lead generation effort.

A three-way relationship

As mentioned above, the partnership is a three-way relationship between the B2B service provider’s client, the telemarketer and the prospect. In the beginning, the telemarketer acts as a fulcrum or the center to which all information flows between the client and the prospect.

The telemarketer feeds information back to the client which the client in turn uses to fine tune his presentation or make adjustments to his product or service offering according to the needs of the prospect. Creating a relevant and customized solution for each of the differing needs of the prospect ensures that the prospect’s specific needs are properly addressed.

Telemarketers can make as much number of calls to a prospect to ensure proper coordination and meet the expectations of both the B2B client and the prospect. In this kind of relationship, the B2B client must provide a 24/7 hotline to its telemarketers to help and assist them in their dealings with the prospect.

When the appointment is set and the face-to-face meeting happens between the B2B client and the prospect, the three-way relationship is established and thus the partnership is sealed.

Exploration

The exploration stage is the initial stage for developing the client’s partnership strategy with the prospect. Expectations for the client and the prospect are developed depending on what each one wants to offer. The prospect tests your client’s product, how the client responds to special requests and other similar actions after the initial contact. At this particular stage, personal relationships are being developed first by the telemarketer then by the client.

Having a good relationship from the start determines whether the relationship would prosper over time and consequently usher in a smooth face-to-face meeting by the client with the prospect. Remember that the prospect is eager about receiving the benefits promised by the telemarketer. If the prospect’s initial experience is not good, it would prove difficult to overcome.

Beginning the relationship correctly requires the telemarketer to set the proper expectations with the prospect.

Tips in exploring partnership opportunities

1. Do not inflate the prospect’s hopes unreasonably. Relationships are nurtured by making honest presentations of the product’s capabilities and eliminating any misconceptions before an order for the product is placed.

2. The telemarketer is responsible for making sure that the product or service his client is offering matches the needs of the prospect. It would be a waste of valuable time and effort for both parties if the expectations of both are not met.

3. Complaints can arise, but when complaints arise, the telemarketer has the opportunity to prove his commitment. When the B2B client and the prospect sense that commitment, either through the handling of a complaint or through other forms of special attention, the telemarketer has completed the partnership exploration cycle satisfactorily.

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