Telemarketing Tips for Generating More B2B Leads

Telemarketing remains one of the most effective platforms on which to promote a B2B product or service. Whether you are selling a forklift, office furniture, or an enterprise level software, you should pick up the phone to call prospective customers. Granted, not every prospect you call is going to be qualified but telemarketing is a numbers game, meaning the more calls you make the more leads you'll generate.

But there are two different types of sales calls that you should be recognized: cold calling and warm calling. Cold calling occurs when a salesperson makes contact with a prospect for the first time, whereas warm calling refers to the practice of conducting a sales call with a prospect that has engaged with your business in the past. 

Benefits of Cold Calling

So, what are the benefits of cold calling? Arguably, the greatest benefit is the simple fact that it can be done on the fly, without investing the time and resources into “warming up” the prospect. Assuming you have the prospect's name and phone number, you can cold call him or her to introduce product or service. This makes cold calling a fast and effective way to generate new sales leads.

Benefits of Warm Calling

On the other side of the fence if warm calling. Although its more time-consuming and resource-intensive, warm calling offers the benefits of a higher response/converse rate among prospects. Not surprisingly, prospects are often wary of making a commitment during the initial conversation with a salesperson. By nurturing the prospect through warm calling, however, you can establish trust and confidence – two characteristics that are essential for industrial sales.

The Bottom Line...

Rather than focusing your efforts strictly on cold calling or warm calling, why not use them both? You can reach out to prospects for the first time using cold calling, and later follow up with warm calls. Doing so will essentially create a sales funnel through which you can nurture and guide prospects into making a purchase.

Here are some tips to improve the effectiveness of both your cold calls and warm calls:

• Experiment by making sales calls at different times of the day.
• Don't make it a one-sided conversation. Ask prospects questions so you'll gain a better understanding of their needs.
• Record yourself making sales calls. You can play them back at a later time to hear yourself from the perspective of a prospect.
• Be honest and upfront in your sales calls.

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