The power of outsourced lead generation and telemarketing
The power of outsourced lead generation and telemarketing
Firstly thank you for taking the time to read this article as the age old saying goes time is money!
Why did we do this?
So you have had your latest sales meeting and it has been discussed that your sales team need more opportunities & face to face meetings. Whether it’s with specifiers, main / sub-contractors or end users, getting time in front of key decision makers is a fundamental requirement for your business, its future and its strategic long-term goals. This is not an uncommon dilemma that companies come up against within the construction sector and built environment, in fact we hear this all the time.
It is vital for every business to proactively promote their brand by raising awareness, driving demand and educating their customers, continuously creating new opportunities.
Having a dedicated sales team is an essential part to achieving this, however you have to ask yourself where do your sales teams’ skills lie?
Question?
Did you & your company advertise, recruit and train your sales team in order for them to spend exhaustive hours researching opportunities, trawling through endless reams of data and countless hours on the phone attempting to create leads? Most likely they are receiving significant salaries, in exchange you expect them to be closing key deals.
Therefore, setting lines of demarcation between lead generation and field sales and providing your sales team with cohesive support is vital for your business to grow. Let your sales people sell, they know your business & your products better than most, their skills lie in closing sales from face to face meetings.
So what’s the solution?
Option 1: Carry on as normal
Sit on your hands; turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to legitimate complaints from your beleaguered sales team that they don’t have the time. But let’s face it; if you are a professional operation, to remain stagnant is a sure fire way for failure, in this competitive industry you can be sure that the competition will not be choosing this option.
Option 2: Recruit internal Lead Generators / Telemarketers
Undoubtedly this will alleviate some pressure on your sales team and eventually create some leads. However, between the recruitment process and agency fees, it can prove both time-consuming and expensive. The person/people you hire will inevitably have to undergo some form of training and will take time to learn the processes and culture of your workplace. What’s more, they will need to be managed. Structures such as a comprehensive call management systems will have to put in place to evaluate and analyse their performance. The list goes on;
- Contingency plans for when an employee is sick or on annual leave
- What if they quit unexpectedly
- What if they want promotion and no longer want to be on the phone
- What if there was a more straight forward plan?
Option 3: The Power of Outsourcing
Traditionally most medium or large organisations have little to no problem with outsourcing certain elements of their day to day operations to specialist companies or agencies. This should be seen as an investment in the services of dedicated professionals that have in-depth industry knowledge and a track record of delivering high quality results.
However despite this, when it comes to elements of lead generation, telemarketing & business development, there is often internal resistance to outsourcing this aspect of the business. Whether it is from sales teams feeling threatened or from marketing or sales directors wanting to keep it “in house”. Outsourced lead generation should be looked at no differently, it is dedicated specialists helping deliver growth within existing sales strategies. Under the right circumstances, this is a very effective option.
Choosing the right partner
There are a multitude of B2B telemarketing agencies that can provide outsourced support for your lead generation efforts; How do you identify the one that is right for your business?
Hiring a generic B2B telemarketing agency has no guarantee of success. In fact, it may even be counterproductive. This is especially true if they have been trained in the regressive, out-dated philosophy such as Always Be Closing (ABC) or rely heavily on following generic scripts.
Probably the most vital consideration and most significant deterrent to employing the services of a generic B2B telemarketing agency is the inherent lack of specialised industry knowledge.
Every sector operates in a nuanced manner that may not be obvious or rational to those on the outside and this is especially true within the construction industry. Generic B2B telemarketers will not understand the subtleties of the industry;
- Who the decision makers are
- What are the drivers behind making certain decisions
- What the route to market is for the products, stages, sub-sector or given situation
These variables are not static; they constantly shift depending on the context of the project, company and sub-sector. For example, it is worthless securing an appointment with a main contractor if the final decision lies with the architect.
What is required, is genuine market intelligence, knowledge / understanding and a want to listen to the clients, YOU.
This is where the merit of hiring a strategic, intelligent, industry-specific lead generator / telemarketing partner lies. You are not hiring someone to endlessly bash phones with no insight and they are not starting at ‘ground zero’ when it comes to understanding the markets you operate in. Rather, you are investing in vast expertise, consultancy on routes to market, valuable data and resources that cannot be replicated by generic telemarketers.
Why choose Advance?
Advance TM Group are the chosen partner for many companies within the construction sector and built environment, we have dedicated teams with an in depth understanding and years of experience scheduling high quality appointments day in day out. The simple fact of the matter is if we do not produce a return on investment our clients won’t continue to use our services, however we build long lasting relationships because we deliver on our commitments.
Once again thank you for your time, if this article has been useful and of relevance to you and your business, please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you wish to discuss this in more detail, contact our office on 0151 357 2166.