How to get more from your sales call

In the information age, telemarketing has come on in leaps and bounds. For appointment-setting experts Toucan Telemarketing, data and technology go hand-in-hand, despite favouring the more ‘traditional’ approach.

If there is one thing that the ongoing pandemic has taught us, it’s that we need to be adaptable. Nobody knows this better than Toucan Telemarketing founder Paula Bates, whose agency has weathered the storm while larger competitors struggle.

“We’ve seen a lot of our competitors in hot water – either making redundancies or declaring profit warnings. Much of this is down to how we adjust. Some are taking to the changes better, but others rely on traditional methods like door-knocking, which simply isn’t an option,” says Paula.

By looking at more ‘modern’ methods, Toucan Telemarketing has been able to extract more value from its telemarketing process.

Understanding the value of data

“Making calls isn’t always about sales,” says Paula. “Often, they are simple check-ins, letting the prospect know that you are still there, and more importantly, checking that the information you have is still correct.”

Paula cites a large ‘data cleaning’ project for one of her clients, wherein Toucan checks to see that they still have the most up-to-date contacts.

“There might be clients who have gone quiet over the last few months. Part of the data cleaning process is checking that you’re still in touch with the right people – the decision-makers, and those with whom you’ve built up a good working relationship.”

Categorising clients

According to Salesforce, modern-day account managers spend just 33 per cent of their time selling. Much of it is spent instead on data analysis, rather than relying on intuition alone.

Toucan Telemarketing takes a data-led approach that helps to categorise contacts into three groups: existing, lapsed and new customers. In turn, by checking in with contacts regularly, sales teams can refine their connections and find out how best to approach them.

“We like to find out what situation they’re in,” says Paula. “Some people are working from home, while some are in the office.”

With this data in mind, Paula says, now is the time to “make hay while the sun shines”. Sales teams need not only to know who’s buying, but to understand their prospects’ current situation.

“If we continue to adhere to government guidelines, there’s no reason why businesses can’t work together.”

For more advice on adapting your approach during the pandemic and beyond, contact Toucan Telemarketing.