10 Outbound Telemarketing Mistakes You Should Stop Immediately!

Are you a telemarketer making sales calls all day? If you answered yes, there are two possibilities – either you’re closing deals, or customers are hanging up on you.

If you can’t convince customers to buy your products/services, you’ll hear them hang up more often. So, you need to figure out what’s not working and switch things up.

You can start by targeting a specific customer base, preparing a better call script, and being a good listener. Working on your shortcomings will help you gain more leads and develop a better clientele.

Here are the top outbound telemarketing mistakes you need to avoid to improve your sales.

1.    Not Having a Target Customer Base

If you don’t have a specific customer base, you might end up trying to sell your product to everyone. Talking about your product to someone who doesn’t need it won’t seal the deal.

Instead, try focusing on the type of users who might be looking for a service similar to what you’re selling.

For instance, if you’re selling Bluetooth speakers, targeting teenagers will be better than senior citizens. By focusing on a customer segment, you can refine your marketing strategies.

2.    Being Underprepared

It’s extremely crucial to be well-prepared before calling potential customers. You must know all product details, advantages, and the customer pain points it can tackle. Moreover, it’s good to be aware of the market trends and customer requirements.

54% of customers said they liked detailed information about the products on the first call. So, if you come off as underprepared or lacking in knowledge, the customer won’t be impressed. You might seem unreliable, resulting in more hang-ups.

3.    Trying To Be Too Convincing

One of the most common outbound telemarketing mistakes is professionals seeming too pushy. If you’re going in full-throttle with your product details, the customer might feel you’re aggressive.

It makes them think that you’re trying to sell something that might not be worth it. So, stop trying to convince customers and have a pleasant conversation with them.

Talk about your offerings in detail with confidence and honesty. This way, even if the customer isn’t interested in the product, they’ll remember you as a respectable service provider.

4.    Not Listening to the Customer

Do you talk about your products without letting the customer respond? It is one of the biggest outbound telemarketing mistakes that’ll make customers reject you. Remember that a sales call is a two-way conversation, so try to keep it that way.

• When the customer asks a question or has an objection, try answering it properly.
• If you always try stating that your product is perfect, the customers will look elsewhere.
• Also, not listening to the customer makes you look unprofessional, so avoid it.

5.    White Lies

Amongst the top outbound telemarketing mistakes is telling white lies. Many professionals try making claims they can’t back up just to loop in the customer. Even if this works for a while, it destroys your image when the customer finds out.

So, if you’re a new entrant in the market, don’t claim something like “you have decades of experience.” Avoid exaggerating your details and instead highlight the benefits of your service to the customer.

Remember that honesty is one of the best policies in outbound telemarketing.

6.    Following the Same Telemarketing Script

Do your sales call scripts sound extremely robotic? It can happen if your company has advised you to follow a specific script to convince customers.

Understand that the strategy is always successful, as the customers might feel that they’re just a target amongst others. If your call script is flexible and allows you to have a conversation with the customer, your chances of success will be higher.

7.    Too Much Following Up

Making follow-up calls is important to remind the customer about your conversation with them if it went well. However, you must remember not to make too many follow-up calls, which can irritate the customer.

While 48% of professionals don’t make a follow-up call, some overdo it. Here’s what you can do –

• Call the customer after 4-5 days from the initial call.
• You can also ask the customer when will be a good time to talk again.

8.    Forceful Telemarketing

Suppose you call a customer and start delivering your sales pitch. A customer says it’s not a good time to talk, but you go on without listening. Result? The customer hangs up and plans to never speak with you again. They might even block your number!

It is one of the worst outbound telemarketing mistakes that can ruin your company’s image. So, don’t try to initiate a conversation forcefully when a customer is uncomfortable. Instead, politely ask for a better time to reconnect and in the call.

Even if you never talk to the customer again, they will remember you for your politeness. You’ll be in their good books!

9.    Asking Close-Ended Questions

If you always ask your customer close-ended questions that might have a yes/no answer, you won’t succeed. So, instead of asking them if they would like to try out a product, ask if they would want to enjoy a specific benefit.

It increases the call duration and helps you connect with the customer better.

10.    Pitching Too Early

Before you start delivering your pitch from anyone on your phone database, ensure all the contacts are valid and updated. Also, it would be best if you built a rapport. So, after the customer picks up, introduce yourself and shift the focus of the conversation to the customer.

Try using more “you” than “I” and “we” to slowly develop a connection with the customer. If the customer feels important, they will listen to you and what you offer.

Final Thoughts

Seth Godin said,

“Selling to people who want to hear from you is more effective than interrupting strangers who don’t.“

So, before you start searching your customer phone or email database, be prepared.

Try to develop a customer persona and always keep upgrading your telemarketing script. You’ll see the differences in your sales calls and business performance with time.