3 B2B Telemarketing Pitfalls to Avoid 

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B2B Telemarketing Pitfalls

No one likes receiving telemarketing calls—least of all busy company executives whose time is already limited. Make your calls more compelling and harder to ignore by avoiding these 3 B2B telemarketing pitfalls.

3 B2B Telemarketing Pitfalls to Avoid

1. Giving a Features and Benefits Presentation

Whatever you do, do not give a features and benefits presentation. 

Successful, value-added B2B sales happen when there is a conversation and complex problems are understood—not when a company executive feels as though they are listening to a lengthy, scripted features and benefits description.

A good telemarketer will listen more than they talk, especially when qualifying prospects.

For complex sales, it is imperative to uncover business pains before offering up solutions. And the only way to do that is to listen to the executives that you are cold calling. 

Listen to their specific needs, and at that point, offer tailored solutions that have a track record of success.

2. Not Knowing the Target Industry

This might sound obvious but it’s surprising how many B2B telemarketers out there are calling to speak with C-level executives in industries they know nothing about. This is a big mistake.

C-level executives will not take your call if they feel you know nothing about their industry and their terms. Period. 

You need to be able to speak at a higher level to make complex sales, and that means understanding the industry—its terms, its common pains, and similarly situated companies within the industry that have benefitted from your product or service.

Not only do you need to know the industry to discuss its problems and solutions—you need to know the industry to effectively answer follow-up questions.

Effectively answering follow-up questions will allow for a deeper, more meaningful conversation and is one quality that will make you stand out amongst the many bad calls that executives receive daily. 

Be better than the bad call. Be more than just a sales pitch.

Meaningful Interactions Download

3. Asking Yes or No Questions

Asking yes or no questions is a surefire way to kill a call before it even starts.

Complex B2B telemarketing calls are successful when the caller is able to guide an engaging conversation with a decision-maker

This involves asking open-ended questions and utilizing those active listening skills we mentioned earlier, to better understand any business pains they are experiencing.

To qualify a lead, you need to ask open-ended questions. Get the conversation started by prompting the prospect to speak. 

This will provide them an opportunity to reveal real business pains for which you may have a product or solution, and allows them to steer the conversation in a direction that will be most mutually beneficial.

The Bottom Line

High-level decision-makers—those a B2B caller should be trying to reach—are bombarded with bad calls and bad pitches every single day. Don’t be one of them

Call with the intent of uncovering information and offering solutions rather than pitches.

Looking for a team that can engage decision makers in meaningful interactions and qualify leads? Consider outsourcing to an experienced team of professional B2B cold callers.

John

 

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