The telephone is still a very powerful tool for businesses. When selling or marketing a product or service, phone calls are the fastest way to penetrate any potential market. Direct to customer engagements will qualify leads and close deals faster than any other method of marketing. A recent Zippia study revealed that companies that do not utilize ‘cold calling’ will see 42% less growth than organizations that use cold calling as a selling tool. Outbound calling campaigns are most successful when a detailed and easily executable plan is created and communicated thoroughly to the calling team. Front line teams that are well trained and have readily available resources will deliver quality interactions on a consistent basis.
It All Starts With A Plan
Any business initiative should have a detailed plan behind it. Outbound calling campaigns are even more in need of planning as success depends on the calling team and their ability to convert ‘customers’ into ‘buyers’. Execution is also an important focus of any plan. Processes and tasks should be designed for easy execution as telephone interactions usually occur on the fly. Outbound campaigns that have well defined goals and expectations are easier to communicate to frontline staff. Some specific objectives to cover in the campaign plan are:
- Defining numerical expectations such as calls per hour and conversions per hour
- Establishing financial goals for the campaign
- Creating call quality control processes and feedback outlets which is critical for team development
- Developing easy to understand and execute call processes and tasks
- Ensuring metrics are easily trackable and communicated to teams regularly
- Availability of resources to call teams when they need them
Plans and processes are necessary in business but the keys to success are with how the campaign is communicated. Frontline staff performance is critical for the success of any call campaign and spending time to train callers thoroughly will reap benefits down the road. Call teams that have a total understanding of campaign goals and individual expectations are more likely to become high performers.
Effective and Evolving Scripts are the Keys to success
Reaching an actual person when outbound calling is a win in itself. Most potential buyers let calls go to voicemail. A recent study by Zippia suggested that only 28% of contacts will actually answer a call, making each interaction that much more valuable. Scripting is the core of the outbound call campaign and what the call team says and how they deliver can greatly influence purchasing decisions. One of the key points of campaign planning is defining the goal of the customer interaction and scripts should be built around that goal. Using simple vocabulary and grammar combined with easy to follow ‘what if’ scenarios will create consistency among the call team and elevate the customer experience. After developing a script, role-playing with staff is critical in fine tuning call flow and delivery. Training calls and role-playing can also optimize tone during delivery which can also influence the outcome of a call. After a few weeks of calls, numerical statistics should be reviewed to identify any potential areas of improvement within the script and calling process. Communication and feedback to frontline teams will ensure consistency when delivering the script to potential customers.
Inbound Call Teams Need Support Too
Customers still look for telephone solutions when it comes to inquiring about a product or service. Businesses that still employ telephone customer service can see further opportunities to boost sales and market presence. Effective scripting is also critical on inbound calls to maintain a high level of service on a long term basis. Part of the call campaign plan should cover any potential inbound call scenarios. Mapping out these calls in a flow chart format will help the call team easily identify the call type and the appropriate responses. Each inbound interaction should be considered an opportunity and scripts should be optimized to enhance the experience and increase transactions. Developing easy to follow and easy to find resources for the call time is essential to achieving goals and metrics. Frequent call sampling and feedback is critical to maintain high performance. Inbound call teams can greatly improve results by combining a structured plan covering all types of call scenarios with ongoing training and feedback on calls and stats.
The Bottom Line
There is a stigma associated with ‘cold calling’. The thought of contacting a complete stranger and pitching products or services can be daunting to most. The reality is that outbound calling campaigns are very effective at reaching potential customers and building market presence with very little investment. Small and medium sized businesses can quickly see increased sales or market presence through an effective outbound calling campaign. Even with a success rate of around just 2%, almost half of sales professionals consider their telephone the most powerful tool for the job. Some things to consider when developing an outbound calling campaign:
- Clearly define objectives for customer interactions
- Build scripts that are easy to follow and sales-centered
- Set expectations and goals for frontline teams
- Establish ongoing training, feedback and resources for the calling team
- Visually defining potential scenarios for inbound call teams will prepare them to turn those interactions into potential opportunities
‘Cold calling’ is still an effective and efficient way to make sales and build awareness but success can be positively influenced by having a detailed and easy to follow outbound campaign plan that covers all aspects of the initiative.