There is an opinion that B2B telemarketing is best suited to services, regardless of its proven effectiveness across a range of sectors. However, for manufacturers, telemarketing has much to offer and, as this industry changes, it could be a decisive factor in how businesses involved in it survive and thrive.
Increasingly, manufacturers are turning to servitisation to enhance their marketability. This means they add on a service element to what they produce and offer; or even make service an integral part of their proposition.
“Adding value to products by including service propositions makes sense, but the issue is then how you communicate these benefits,” says Paula Bates, Managing Director of Toucan Telemarketing.
Explaining the USP
“If turning your product into a service seems like a logical step, then you require the most effective means of communicating this to leads and prospects,” Paula says.
“Manufacturers must find ways to differentiate what they can offer in a crowded and fiercely competitive marketplace”
“Essentially, it’s about extending the concept of customer service so that it becomes integral to the offer surrounding the product, suggests Paula. “Then it’s about ensuring that you can explain this USP.”
Another misconception around telemarketing is that it is solely focused on selling.
“Effective outsourced tele marketing, done well, has a range of applications, including gathering accurate data for marketing purposes,” says Paula.
As a form of personalised, two-way communication, tele marketing is ideal for extracting useful information, such as who the key decision-makers are, and at what stage a business will be ready to buy.
Being Ready to Buy
B2B telemarketing works as part of an integrated marketing strategy because of how it can engage prospects.
“Manufacturers can struggle to explain the benefits of their products, even when they have added service value attached to them, and for many, social media proves not to be a comfortable fit”
“Tele marketing can resolve communication issues using experienced agents who will engage prospects on a personal level and build relationships, without the use of a pre-prepared script,” Paula explains.
Therefore, tele marketing has a key role to play at various stages of a sales process, from data-gathering and introductions to relationship-building and preparing the ground for a sale.
“As manufacturers diversify their offers and seek stronger customer links, so their ability to personalise their communications becomes vital,” concludes Paula. “Whether it’s lead generation or customer relations management, outsourced tele marketing has much to offer manufacturers.”
To discover how outsourced tele marketing would improve your lead generation and customer relations management, please call Toucan Telemarketing on 01260 294444 or visit toucantelemarketing.co.uk.
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