Telemarketing Tips – Never Presume Hostility

One of the most irritating assumptions about the telemarketing profession is that everyone gets angry to hear an agent. Not all gatekeepers are rage machines aching to slam the phone! Many telemarketing campaigns fail to get off the ground because of the fear that gatekeepers are never going to give them an inch.  

What Gatekeepers Lose When They Rage At Telemarketing Calls

Suppose you are a firm using telemarketing to generate tax consulting leads. As taxation is a touchy subject as they are, you would think you were on a suicide mission! One can only imagine the hostility that gatekeepers will show the moment they smell a telemarketing pitch. Oh wait! There is no such thing.   Gatekeepers have a lot to lose with the kind of behavior just described above. Just because there had been telemarketing companies that broke the rules does not mean they have to break rules as well. Here are just some of the cases where an angrily rejected telemarketing call could spell bad news for a prospect:   

• It is hypocritical – Gatekeepers do not just receive telemarketers. They receive clients of their own bosses. They receive customer complaints if need be. So if their behavior to you contrasts with the behavior they show the others, what do you think that means for their business? You do not even need to bring it up. Just have them confuse a customer for a telemarketer and watch the PR storm.

Related Content: Telemarketing Tips – Do Not Always Buzz With Buzzwords  

• It denies opportunity – The opportunity in question is not in reference to your opportunities. Your B2B telemarketing calls are simply notifications that are targeted towards prospects who are likely to have a certain need. In this case, it could be better understanding of tax laws. Angry gatekeepers shut themselves off to solutions that could be what your prospect is looking for. 

• It gives a bad image about a prospect – A dour gatekeeper can give the worst impression of a prospect. Such impressions do not help telemarketing efforts nor will they help the business of a prospect. Hence, it is important that a prospect be made aware (even if it means using things besides telemarketing to send a message).

Related Content: Telemarketing Tips – Focus On Where Prospect’s Really Are   Gatekeepers should never be presumed to be enemies. But if they insist, their behavior will have a negative impact on the business they are guarding. That is why you should not be afraid if your telemarketers run into gatekeepers. Not all gatekeepers show hostility for that very reason!