What does a telemarketer do? (All you need to know)

In the modern business world, telemarketing is a norm when it comes to sales.

But, have you ever wondered ‘what does a telemarketer do?’

And more importantly, what does it take to be an effective one?

In this article, we will explore and answer both of these questions while also further examining telemarketing as a whole.

Who is a Telemarketer?

A telemarketer is an individual who is a phone-based sales representative. They either work in employer call centers or for third-party call centers.

The primary aim of a telemarketer is to try and sell your business’ products or services to prospects. 

As they never meet their customers face-to-face, telemarketers must be masters at convincing customers. This is so that they take interest in and buy what they’re selling.

With the vital role they play, telemarketers are regarded as the main source of sales and profits by various companies. In fact, they are widely considered to be the backbone of the telemarketing industry.

What does a Telemarketer do?

Telemarketing has become one of the largest industries across the world. Furthermore, it provides many many people with a source of employment. 

Telemarketers are responsible for generating sales for various businesses. They do this by cold calling or answering inbound calls from potential or existing customers.

As a telemarketer, you’ll be responsible for influencing current or potential customers to buy your business’ products and services.

The Responsibilities of a Telemarketer

The main responsibilities of a telemarketer include:

1. Outbound Calling

Telemarketers reach out to prospective or existing customers via telemarketing phone calls. This process is more commonly known as cold calling.

2. Inbound Calling

Inbound calls are those calls based on inquiries regarding your business’ products or services. Typically, they are prompted by sales efforts or advertising. 

They are considered as ‘warm’ calls as they’re generally received from people who’re already familiar with your business.

3. Lead Generation

Here, telemarketers collect data regarding the profiles, demographics and interests of potential customers. This data can then be analyzed and new leads generated accordingly.

4. Sales

Perhaps one of the biggest responsibilities of telemarketers is actively selling. This is where telemarketers are trained and actively aim to close sales deals over the phone.

What Skills Do You Need to be a Telemarketer?

Telemarketing can be a very demanding field of work. It can entail a range of activities like telesales, surveying, database management, appointment setting and even providing CTAs.

As such, not everyone is suited to be a telemarketer. Being a telemarketer requires a certain set of skills. 

Telemarketer skills include a variety of soft as well as hard skills. Moreover, developing these skills can help you grow as a professional alongside increasing customer satisfaction. 

These skills include:

Active Listening

All good telemarketers practice active listening. This is so they can engage with customers more effectively. 

Moreover, active listening skills can help in understanding and responding to information given by customers. 

Listening to customers can help telemarketers in providing information that interests customers. As such, this can then lead to them making their final decision to purchase.

Good Communication

Having good communication skills is absolutely essential to be a successful telemarketer. You should ensure that you’re easily understood while also coming across as personal and relaxed rather than rehearsed.

Communication skills like being able to read spoken cues can help draw potential customers into a conversation. 

Furthermore, telemarketers should be patient. You should be willing to explain details and respond positively to any customer queries at any time.

Customer Service

Another crucial element for telemarketers is good customer service skills. Being able to relate to customers as well as reassure them can sometimes increase customer satisfaction and their comfort.

These skills include using a positive tone, forming connections with customers and more. Not only this, it also involves adapting to your customer’s needs.

In fact, building good relationships with customers may lead to an increase in positive outcomes and sales.

Product Knowledge

No matter the product or service a telemarketer is selling, knowledge about your product is vital. You should be familiar with a product’s selling features and be able to explain the specifics to potential customers.

Additionally, telemarketers should be well aware of product lines and ready to answer common FAQs. A telemarketer who’s unable to quickly answer a customer’s query is always at risk of losing a sale.

Persuasiveness

As they work in sales, telemarketers should be able to convince customers about the necessity of what they’re selling. This requires a persuasive attitude alongside being able to demonstrate the specific need your product will fulfill. 

A good telemarketer is able to think on their feet, overcome customer objections and successfully close sales deals.

3 Ways to Improve Telemarketing Skills

Here are some useful ways you can improve telemarketing skills:

1. Enrolling in courses.

Courses in sales, marketing or communications are quite a helpful way of developing your telemarketing skills. 

These courses are especially effective as they can teach students how to use advanced strategies. Furthermore, they also enhance the skills students need for effective telemarketing.

2. Seeking out a mentor.

If you’re a novice or looking to improve your skills, you can always look for a mentor. An experienced mentor can provide you with advice and answer any questions you may have.

Moreover, they’d also be able to give you feedback regarding your communication style, marketing tactics and more.

Observing a mentor as they’re conducting a call can be very enlightening. It can show you many telemarketing strategies that you can then incorporate into your own.

3. Practicice, practice, practice.

As with any type of skill, telemarketing too can be much improved through actual practice. 

Making as many calls as possible alongside reviewing your pitches out loud can be immensely helpful. Additionally, it can also help boost your customer service and communication skills.

Reading and rehearsing your own conversations can help you realize areas of improvement regarding your delivery of information. Not only this, it can also help you be ready with answers to common FAQs.

Conclusion

Telemarketing, when done properly, can be a highly effective way of promoting your business. 

Moreover, it represents a great launchpad for a career in sales. This is because it provides you with all the necessary knowledge and skills. 

But, what skills do you need to be a telemarketer? As you can see, being a good telemarketer includes quite a variety of responsibilities, communication and persuasive skills.

Just remember to keep the above skills in mind when hiring or applying to be a telemarketer. If you follow our tips and tricks, your business sales will surely take off in no time at all.