Marketing is a unique function for business. Marketing may be direct or indirect based on how a salesman does it. Telemarketing is a method of direct marketing; here a salesperson uses the telephone to satisfy prospective customers and persuade them to buy a products or services. Telemarketing was extensively in use since late 1970 and has created huge impact on various businesses.
The two major categories of telemarketing are Business-to-business and Business-to-consumer.
The following are the sub categories of telemarketing:
1. Lead Generation – Involves gathering of information about the prospective customers.
2. Sales – Persuade others to buy a product or service
3. Outbound – This is a proactive marketing in which prospective and preexisting customers are contacted directly.
4. Inbound –This is a reactive reception of incoming orders and requests for information.
Telemarketing may be done from a company office or from call center or even from home. It can be done either manually or automatically. In manual method, the salesperson makes use of information like phone numbers of prospective customers, and persuades them to buy by highlighting the features of the product.
The other method is use of pre recorded sales pitches which are programmed to be played over Telephone. This is known as automated telemarketing. Robocalling is a form of voice broadcasting which is used for political or social awareness programs.
Mostly telemarketing involves two basic operations, determining the needs of the customer and second is persuading them to buy the product if they are interested in such services or products. The prospective customers are identified by past purchase record, request for a service or information, credit limit, and various forms (application or survey). Names may also purchased from other partner companies (e.g., a computer seller may lend his customer details to warranty service providers) or by referring telephone directory or public list and the list is analyzed.
Telemarketing is often used by charitable organizations, associations and political parties. Many survey and research organizations use telemarketing as their source of information.
