Tele marketing versus cold calling in person?

nickie1105 · Oct 29, 2007

Hi all

I own a design and print business which is going well (mainly advertising material such as flyers and stationery items). I'm now considering taking someone on full time to market us to local businesses but I'm not sure which would be the best way of going about this. I would really appreciate some advice/ words of wisdom on this from you guys. I'm getting all kinds of advice off people but it's conflicting to say the least and has left me dizzy lol so here are some very basic questions which I hope you may be able to help me with.

How effective is tele marketing? Is cold calling on businesses personally better than telephoning. How would you react if someone just turned up unannounced at your offices pedaling their wares lol?

Many thanks
Nickie x

GreatSEO · Oct 29, 2007

Nickie

Telemarketing is a polite way of introducing yourself in the politest possible way but delivering an impact that sticks with the people you talk to. Telemarketing is a litle like science. If you dont get the formula right then it can be a waste of time. I would be happy to talk to you free of charge and give you a little advice from my 12 years in the business.

Please PM me your number and i will give you a call and try to help you in the best ways i can.

I hope this helps and look forward to hearing from you if you feel it will be a benefit to you.

Best Regards

Dave

SarahR · Oct 29, 2007

Hello Nickie. I don't want my reply to sound biased due to being a telemarketer.

Personally I would say that you would be able to market or sell your products over a larger area more quickly with Telemarketing. Due to the number of calls that can be compleated in a shorter amount of time as opposed to going into offices and offering your products.

You will also find that you will be able to build new business more quickly with Telemarketing and Lead Genration.

You will also find that you are unable to see the person or decision maker you need to turning up in person as opposed to a telemarketer arranging you a qualified appointment with the company.

EbonyBailey a UKBF member has written a very interesting article about telemarketing here http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=33730 which may also give you some pointers.

With regards to going into offices the only time I have come across this is with reruitment comapnies a few years ago. They used to bring sweets and fliers into our offices which was great for the staff but the Directors didn't really pay much notice!

maxine · Oct 29, 2007

Hi Nickie,
I also dont want to come across as being biased due to being a telemarketer

but its true that you can be efficient by phone and generate qualified leads.
However, have you thought about just doing some quick and easy market research at this stage and callilng a few companies and asking a few questions such as what their current arrangements are and if they were looking for someone in your industry where would they look, what would be useful to them etc. You could also ask a few companies how they would feel about door-knocking and get a reaction from the horses mouth as it were.

nickie1105 · Oct 29, 2007

Thanks Sarah, I really appreciate your help. I'll take a look at that article now. I've never had to do this before as my commercial cleaning business took off by word of mouth and flyer drops. I guess I just touched lucky though and the design and print isn't going to be so easy to crack. I've asked quite a few people their views on this and have got one of two responses as follows...

1. Telemarketing is crap..."how many times have you picked up the phone to someone selling something and immediately switched off and told them you're not interested or too busy to speak to them. If you want to make a real impact visit them in person. People buy from people, not voices on the other end of a phone and it's much easier to say 'no thanks' to someone on the other end of a phone line than it is to their face."

2. "You're likely to cover far more distance and more businesses with telemarketing than you are visiting them in person and they will be prebooked appointments which means people are interested when you arrive there to show them your products."

Maybe you can see now just why I'm confused here. I'd rather pound the pavements hitting 30 businesses per day and get more hits per day than spend 8 hours calling people to get less or no hits at all (if indeed this is the case). HELP!!! (excuse me while I just let out a scream!!!). I'll get reading that article though and thanks again Sarah.

Nickie x

nickie1105 · Oct 29, 2007

maxine said:
Hi Nickie,
I also dont want to come across as being biased due to being a telemarketer but its true that you can be efficient by phone and generate qualified leads.
However, have you thought about just doing some quick and easy market research at this stage and callilng a few companies and asking a few questions such as what their current arrangements are and if they were looking for someone in your industry where would they look, what would be useful to them etc. You could also ask a few companies how they would feel about door-knocking and get a reaction from the horses mouth as it were.

Hi Maxine

Yes, I've already done this and got that far. I know who they're buying from and who my competition is. In short, most companies have said they want the same products they're using now but at cheaper prices (nothing new there then). I haven't asked them their opinions on door knocking though. My personal thoughts on this are that I'd tell them to go away but maybe that's just me. I'm too busy in the working day to speak to someone who hasn't made a prior appointment. Friends however have a different view and say that they'd welcome someone who could save them money with open arms even if they turned up unannounced. I'm going to try a few 'door knocks' in my local town tomorrow and gauge the reaction by asking them outright what they think about me just turning up- I guess every business is different however so I may get shouted at but it's a risk I'm prepared to take at this moment in time lol.

Nickie x

nickie1105 · Oct 29, 2007

MytchMac said:
Nickie

Telemarketing is a polite way of introducing yourself in the politest possible way but delivering an impact that sticks with the people you talk to. Telemarketing is a litle like science. If you dont get the formula right then it can be a waste of time. I would be happy to talk to you free of charge and give you a little advice from my 12 years in the business.

Please PM me your number and i will give you a call and try to help you in the best ways i can.

I hope this helps and look forward to hearing from you if you feel it will be a benefit to you.

Best Regards

Dave

Hi Dave

Many thanks for your reply. I've just PM'd you and would really appreciate your words of wisdom. Call me whenever you're free- I should be around from lunch time tomorrow.

Many thanks
Nickie x

Shay · Oct 29, 2007

Why not try both? I have been doing telemarketing since I was in the motor trade and I was able to do both and that was selling cars to companies so the price difference was a major difference.

In person is great to create awareness, so perhaps not going there with intention to sell but to raise your profile. Most of my time in the trade was between cold calling and attending meetings. When time permitted either before or after the meeting I would do the rounds on the industrial estates and for me it worked.

nickie1105 · Oct 29, 2007

Hi Shay

Yes, I'll think I'll have a go at doing a bit of both- it certainly can't do me any harm can it! I'm going to start with the local restaurants and eating places since it's nearing that time of year where people like to go out. I guess it's like Dave says and there's a bit of a science behind telemarketing and even a bit of artistic talent involved too lol. I have the perfect person in mind should I decide to take the telemarketing thing further- she's really bubbly and flirty with a fab sense of humour and has over 10 years experience in sales (previously property sales). There's only one problem- I'd need to match her current salary which isn't exactly cheap lol.

Nickie x

maxine · Oct 29, 2007

Hi Nickie

The advantage that you have is being able to take the products with you as a sample to show or leave behind and also collect samples of what they currently have produced for them so that you can match/quote on that basis. Even if people are too busy to talk properly with you and place an order there and then, you will have introduced yourself and your products and you have got a basis to build on. The fact that you will be able to talk knowledgeably about your products, prices, with an awareness of competition will be a real positive in my opinion so good luck for tomorrow

One of the things referred to in the article is about building up a pipeline and that I think that is particularly relevant when you consider how many customers you want to gain in a given period and you might find that a combination of approaches will give the best results. For example, you may follow up your visits by phone or email or another visit. Or another time you may call or email ahead of your visit.

A good friend used to do door-to-door sales and feels absolutely confident in doing that but has found that for the business she runs now she gets the best return from telemarketing.

I would also recommend that you keep a record of the time spent, visits, responses etc so that you can look back on this an analyse against other future exercises.

My personal view is that I too would be too busy to talk with someone if they just showed up announced BUT I would probably put a sample to one side of my desk to look at later

You could always create a poll on here to get a general view on calls versus door-knocking?

Good luck and hope it goes well tomorrow and keep us updated wont you?

nickie1105 · Oct 29, 2007

Hi Max

Great idea about the poll- just got to figure out how to do it now lol. I'll definitely let you know how I get on- god my suits have got moth balls it's been that long since I've worn one. They remind me of my years in Care Management which I absolutely loathed. I'm more a jeans and boots girls these days but I shall dig my best kit out tonight and start pounding the pavements at first light lol.

Nickie x

maxine · Oct 29, 2007

get your comfy shoes on girl

Chris Ashdown · Oct 29, 2007

nickie1105 said:
Hi all

I own a design and print business which is going well (mainly advertising material such as flyers and stationery items

Does this not tell you something, great for your budget, Great with your knowledge, Easy to follow up with, flyer with free local paper delivering, sounds a great toe in the water for me, get noticed by the small companies and the bigger ones will probably find you on their own

Sales or Marketing profesional any good, are going to be very expensive, with no real idea of how good they will be, can you afford the risk

nickie1105 · Oct 29, 2007

Hi Chris, thanks for your input. No, I can't afford the risk at the moment Chris and that's the reason why I'm going to attempt it myself to begin with to gauge responses. If the telemarketing shows signs of getting me anywhere I'll look into it further. I'm also going to look into getting the local paper involved to run a free story on us which should catch the attention of local businesses. I need to wait until my website is up and running before I do this though as they'll need something to look at and full price lists for all products.

Does anyone know how how to create a poll on here?

Nickie x

CarolineICE · Oct 30, 2007

Hi Nickie,

I am going to try not to be biased either way! Our Company makes money by telecanvassing and by F2F cold calling. Personally I prefer the F2F any day. I can put a face to the product, guage the response, not only from decision makers but also from the secretaries and receptionists. I reckon its personal preference but faced with the choice of picking up the phone or knocking doors, I choose the door knocking every time. It's a selling tool that is sold short but one that is highly succesful. Having said that, there is still a need for telemarketing. Maybe what I am trying to say is that the ideal sales campaign incorporated both sales methods.

Caroline

nickie1105 · Oct 30, 2007

Hi Caroline

Mmm, it seems that while there are stats on telemarketing there aren't any real stats on door knocking (not that I can find anyway). I guess it also depends on what you're selling and maybe I can make my own statistics and post them on here a little bit further down the line. I know in my previous job as a Care Manager I used to get about 5 tele sales calls a day and I just felt like swearing at them and slamming down the phone (I didn't of course) but it used to really get on my nerves. I was a little snotty at times though I must admit and my attitiude has always been 'if I want something I'll look for it myself when I need it so leave me alone'. I'd have found this much harder to say to somebodys face however so I'm going to try this approach before the telesales idea and see where it gets me. Wish me luck- I've a feeling I'm going to need it lol!!!

Chris Kaday · Oct 30, 2007

I would do both phone and cold calling. If you will excuse me a trip down memory lane thats all I have these days (only joking) I used to work for a company called Kalamazoo Business Systems based in Northfield Birmingham. Before getting into management I carried the bag around Kent for the company and at the time they were printers of business stationery so similar to you. Our target was to get 20 quality appointments a week for unless we did it was unlikely we could get enough discussions and orders to make our sales target. So as well as my phoning day every week I was also popping into estates and knocking on doors every spare minute I had as I drove around. OK might sound a bit old fashioned but by maintaining this activity week in week out I was always in the top 10 salespeople from a total of around 400. My performance eventually got me that coveted management job but it did take 5 long but mostly enjoyable years.

Chris Kaday

Chris Ashdown · Oct 30, 2007

My point about the flyer is that whatever means you use to contact the company after the flyer has been sent, brings you a warm custermer who may well have read what you sent, knows what you are trying to sell and be more inclined to see you rather than a ice cold contact

Oct 30, 2007

if nothing else look at the costs of getting in your car and travelling round to companies who ar not expecting you and not getting to see people who you want to see, as these days its not really something many people are use to seeing,against sitting in the comfort of your own chair and speaking to those same people willing to take a call from you, it will all really depend on your message and usp's as you are against so many other competitors.

mumsbiz · Oct 30, 2007

Hi,

I'm no expert just personal view, I think these days we get too many of those tele sales or marketing call that as soon as they say to the point of hi you already know what to say to them politely of course.

I feel that if you send these companies a brochure on the first instance then follow it up with a call then you could do your market research there and then as at least they would have known or warm up to your call or company beforehand as they would have read your details & offering already prior to your call and then you could ask if they would like you to show them samples etc then make the appointment there and then as opposed to just turning up without prior arrangement or just cold calling.

Most of the time they would say no to your cold call or your cold visit as they don't know anything about you whereas those who said NO could have been a YES customer only if they have received some kind of info about your company or offering beforehand.

How often do we ask a business we come across by chance for their website or brochure - simply because we would like to get to know them a little more by browsing thru their website or their brochure firstly prior to using them.

regards

nickie1105 · Oct 31, 2007

Hi all

Just to let you know that I didn't go as planned today and spent it in the hospital with my mother instead- nothing serious thank goodness. She cut her foot quite badly on a milk bottle and she's on Warfrin so it wouldn't stop bleeding. She couldn't drive of course so muggins here spent the day in a waiting room instead of being out there making some money. I'm busy now until Friday with meetings etc so I'll let you know what happens once I get out there.

Nickie x

Oct 31, 2007

This may be worth a read:

http://www.ukbusinessforums.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=33730&highlight=cost+effective

Michael

nickie1105 · Oct 31, 2007

Hi Michael, someone recommended that I read this yesterday which I duly did. It's great advice, especially for me given that I have no experience in this area. I'm now looking into viral marketing which someone recommended earlier tonight lol.

Nickie

Oct 31, 2007

someone did suggest that we had that as a sticky on the marketing forum but nothing seems to have happened. i think its a good piece that sits on the fence nicely.

Michael

Shay · Oct 31, 2007

mumsbiz said:
Hi,

I'm no expert just personal view, I think these days we get too many of those tele sales or marketing call that as soon as they say to the point of hi you already know what to say to them politely of course.

I feel that if you send these companies a brochure on the first instance then follow it up with a call then you could do your market research there and then as at least they would have known or warm up to your call or company beforehand as they would have read your details & offering already prior to your call and then you could ask if they would like you to show them samples etc then make the appointment there and then as opposed to just turning up without prior arrangement or just cold calling.

Most of the time they would say no to your cold call or your cold visit as they don't know anything about you whereas those who said NO could have been a YES customer only if they have received some kind of info about your company or offering beforehand.

How often do we ask a business we come across by chance for their website or brochure - simply because we would like to get to know them a little more by browsing thru their website or their brochure firstly prior to using them.

regards

Not sure I would ever see sending out brochures as a cost effective tool. Firstly its spam and could even give your company a bad reputation and infringe on the mail preference service assuming of course stuff like MPS and TPS are important to people.

Aside from that brochures do not come cheap, plus if you do not have a named contact they may not even reach the intended destination so the cost of the brochure, envelope and postal costs are much higher than a phone call which may lead to a named contact actually saying yes to a brochure or even a meeting.

Chris Kaday · Oct 31, 2007

Not sure I would ever see sending out brochures as a cost effective tool. Firstly its spam and could even give your company a bad reputation and infringe on the mail preference service assuming of course stuff like MPS and TPS are important to people.

Aside from that brochures do not come cheap, plus if you do not have a named contact they may not even reach the intended destination so the cost of the brochure, envelope and postal costs are much higher than a phone call which may lead to a named contact actually saying yes to a brochure or even a meeting.

I agree, it will just be an expensive bin liner. However I have a theory that today so much is sent by email that a well written letter might get read especially if you could put something personal in about your target. If possible I would also handwrite the envelopes too. Just try a hundred and see if anyone notices them when you ring. But please remember to start the letter by writing about them and give them some interesting benefits from using your service not all about you which before you have motivated interest is just boring.

Chris Kaday

Chris Kaday · Oct 31, 2007

nickie1105 said:
Hi all

Just to let you know that I didn't go as planned today and spent it in the hospital with my mother instead- nothing serious thank goodness. She cut her foot quite badly on a milk bottle and she's on Warfrin so it wouldn't stop bleeding. She couldn't drive of course so muggins here spent the day in a waiting room instead of being out there making some money. I'm busy now until Friday with meetings etc so I'll let you know what happens once I get out there.

Nickie x

I am so sorry to hear that and hope she is better now. I really understand as I am on warfrine and funnily enough am off to the coag clinic this morning. I am a real baby and never look at the needle ....uugh

Chris Kaday

nickie1105 · Oct 31, 2007

Yeah, Warfrin is quite potent stuff. It's definitely a life saver but gees you know you're on it if you cut yourself don't you! I think she goes fortnightly to the coag clinic now which really gets to her as there's never anywhere to park at the hospital and she can't walk very far after a DVT damaged all the veins in her leg a few years back so it's all very ironic. Poor you- I don't admire you having to deal with that- life's hard enough without it. I've been tested for the 'sticky gene' myself and I do have it unfortunately but hopefully it'll be while before it affects me.

Nickie x

Chris Kaday · Oct 31, 2007

nickie1105 said:
Yeah, Warfrin is quite potent stuff. It's definitely a life saver but gees you know you're on it if you cut yourself don't you! I think she goes fortnightly to the coag clinic now which really gets to her as there's never anywhere to park at the hospital and she can't walk very far after a DVT damaged all the veins in her leg a few years back so it's all very ironic. Poor you- I don't admire you having to deal with that- life's hard enough without it. I've been tested for the 'sticky gene' myself and I do have it unfortunately but hopefully it'll be while before it affects me.

Nickie x

Went to my coag clinic today which is always chaotic. This time one analysis machine had broken so there was an hour to wait to get a result. However what had me rolling is that they are introducing a new system in January where you give your blood and you do not have to wait as they automatically send you the results. The name of this service? Bleed and go. He he he

Chris Kaday

nickie1105 · Oct 31, 2007

lol- it wouldn't surprise me if they named it something like that! They already have that system here now. You go and have the blood sample taken and they send your coag book back with the results in it 2 days later. It's still a pain though having to go to the hospital every fortnight to give blood and they won't do it at the doctors surgery anymore either- come to think of it, I don't know if the do anything anymore at the doctors surgery other than have you lounge in a germ ridden waiting room for hours on end. You can't even get an appointment now unless you're half dead and classed as a medical emergency and even then they just refer you to the walk in centre or A&E lol!

Chris Kaday · Oct 31, 2007

nickie1105 said:
lol- it wouldn't surprise me if they named it something like that! They already have that system here now. You go and have the blood sample taken and they send your coag book back with the results in it 2 days later. It's still a pain though having to go to the hospital every fortnight to give blood and they won't do it at the doctors surgery anymore either- come to think of it, I don't know if the do anything anymore at the doctors surgery other than have you lounge in a germ ridden waiting room for hours on end. You can't even get an appointment now unless you're half dead and classed as a medical emergency and even then they just refer you to the walk in centre or A&E lol!

Yes agreed but our surgery is fab! Only opened a few months ago and no one knows its there so you walk in and there are loads of empty chairs in a spotless waiting room and they say Hi Chris and the doctor comes out and ushers you into his room! Won't stay like that for long though and not telling you where it is lol

Chris Kaday

Chris Kaday

Oct 31, 2007

Chris

Good luck with your event tonight sorry i could not come.

Michael

ukstudent · Oct 31, 2007

I never quite got the hang of cold calling. Somehow, I know that I don't like to be solicited to unannounced and I wouldn't do it to other people. What if they are eating dinner? From a business standpoint, it is a great way to introduce yourself to prospective customers.

Get good advice from a pro before you try it.

WagAssoc · Nov 1, 2007

Hi Nickie

Firstly I'd like to say Good luck in your new venture! It's always an exciting and scary time.

Having read all the posts I think what I would do is make a call and get the DM name and use the call as a softly softly just want to introduce yourself and your services by offering to send letter/email to them so they then have more info about you. This way they are already warming to you for a follow up call for 'feedback' (which is masked really by you wanting them to ask you lots of questions and for you to offer to go and see them to discuss in more detail!)

Leg work is hard work and can pay off depending on the type of service you are offering. A tip I've found useful is that businesses will be sending out flyers etc which would be your kind of work however they plan ahead so you need to target these people in plenty of time.

Have you considered joining something like the Chamber of Commerce & Industry? They offer networking breakfasts/lunches and I've seen in my area that your line of work does well from it as well as benefitting from the other services.

It still comes down to 'people buy from people' whether it's the impression you give on the phone or face to face. I guess it's always worth doing a bit of everything to start with and then sticking with what works best for you.

Go for it!

nickie1105 · Nov 1, 2007

Hi Wendy

Thanks for your reply. I am going to try both and just see what happens. I'd love to hear a general view on this though. I tried to open a poll but couldn't- this maybe because I'm a relative newbie to the forum but I may try again sometime. I hadn't thought of the Chamber of Commerce thing but I'm going to give them a call and see what they say. You're right in the sense that it is an exciting time but also scary. I'm determined to make this work though by whatever means (within reason of course)!

In the middle or writing this I ran down the road after somone who posted a flyer through my letterbox and I thought 'god, that's awful'. I grabbed my portfolio and a business card and went running off after her down the road not even giving a thought to the fact that she was only delivering them and was probably not part of the organisation lol. As it turned out though she was a junior member of their staff and took my business card back to their offices. They have just called me to say they have looked at my website and wanted to make an appointment to see me which is set up for next Thursday. I'm chuffed (even if it is only one company lol). It's a start though and definitely motivation to get myself out there!!!

Just shows you were a bit of on the spot thinking gets you!

Nickie x

Nov 1, 2007

Nickie

Have you tried going to local networking events?

nickie1105 · Nov 1, 2007

The business centre who helped me set up hold these regularly but they have all their printing covered in house and would definitely not appreciate me turning up there with my samples and portfolio and taking work off them lol. What sort of places hold these networking events? Excuse my naivety here, it's just that I've never had to go to them before as the commercial cleaning business just took off through word of mouth and flyer drops and hence why I've never had the need to market in this way before!

Nickie x

WagAssoc · Nov 2, 2007

Hi Nickie

Just shows you were a bit of on the spot thinking gets you! Nice one!

As to the networking events - I've found that once you've been to one the people who attend usually do the introductions to others being held in your area.

Wendy

nickie1105 · Nov 2, 2007

Hi Wendy

Today I've harrassed the business centre that helped me set up and told them in no uncertain terms that I'll be attending their next networking event, portfolio, business cards, samples and all whether they like it or not lol.

No, I really didn't get on the wrong side of them, I just used my charm and wit and they agreed in the end to allow me to attend their networking event with my samples and business cards etc even if it means indirectly taking business off them. The fella I spoke to was really nice and I even managed to talk him into booking me onto several seminars for free that you usually have to pay for. I'm now booked on all kinds of courses such as 'Selling and Prospecting Skills' and 'How to Get the Best out of Business Networking Events' which hopefully will help me in my quest to become the next Richard Branson lol (wishful thinking eh but you never know!).

Nickie

Chris Kaday · Nov 3, 2007

ebonybailey said:
Chris

Good luck with your event tonight sorry i could not come.

Michael

Thank you so much for your kind thoughts Michael. The event went very well judging from the feedback and I enjoyed myself hugely

Chris Kaday

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