The Expert B2B Telemarketer at work: Negotiating Effectively

In B2B lead generation and appointment setting, a telemarketer’s task is mostly about discussing a product’s features and getting to know more about a prospect. But aside from that, negotiating is also part of the job. It may be about the exchange of information, scheduling the meeting, or closing a deal – it all boils down to how good a telemarketer is in meeting the prospect halfway.

This is how an expert ‘negotiator’ develops his skills:

Grow a mindset

Confidence is important in conversations. A successful negotiator is secure, not easily disheartened, and free of feelings of anxiety and fear. Being confident does not suggest taking a position of power over others – only over yourself. You have to know what you want the outcome to be like and to work towards it.

Open your ears, close your mouth

When you listen actively instead of doing all the talk, you can better understand from what standpoint the other person is coming from. Sit back and listen. Understand their needs and their perspective, and then ask them probing questions that could be used in effectively customizing your pitch.

Do your homework

The more you know coming into the phone discussion, the more questions you will have, and in turn, the more information you will collect to negotiate with prospects. Aside from that technical advantage, prospects would also feel that it’s not a cold call since you know so much about them (although it may be as cold as it gets).

Be positive

Confidence and positivity go hand in hand. Successful people oftentimes find themselves in their positions because they believe that success is coming their way. Not a lot of people know that nurturing a negative attitude can b e reflected in the manner of speaking to people. Prospects will always know a telemarketer’s outlook just by having an off-putting tone of voice or choice of words.

Give and take

Every negotiator knows that the success of a conversation is always dependent on how much either of the party is willing to compromise for them to arrive at a fair deal. Now if you want your prospect to opt-in to your e-newsletter, or download your samples, or talk to your sales associate, you’ve got to give them something valuable in return.

Know when to fold

When a negotiation reaches a point when it is becoming hopeless, you have to recognize the difference between persistence and a graceful surrender. Conceding to a bitter truth can actually extend the life of a contact on your list for future conversations. 

5 Call-To-Action Criteria for Effective B2B Lead Generation

Back when dinosaurs still roamed the Earth, call-to-action elements in marketing are pretty much straightforward, just like when you hear something on the TV that says “If you call right now, we’ll slash off 15% from your total purchase, plus you’ll also get a limited-edition mug!”

Although you can still hear those lines today, most of today’s calls-to-action are web-based, and they are usually manifested by buttons and links strategically positioned on a web page. In Business-to-Business (B2B) lead generation, these elements are important to direct prospects into the next levels of the sales process.

But what makes call-to-action buttons and links effective in compelling prospects to dig in deeper and filter those who are truly interested?

1. The call-to-action must propose high value. Prospects must clearly see what benefit they would have if the clicked on the button/link. And that benefit must be of high value – something they have to go through to be able to get what they need. If they don’t see that value, what are the odds of getting them to take the action?
2. The call-to-action must be exclusive. Although this is a bit difficult to maintain, exclusivity is something that attracts people to commit. The action must offer them something they won’t find elsewhere. If it’s something others can also give, then make your version easier. They must be able to see something unique in your proposition that they couldn’t let it pass.
3. The call-to-action must distinguish real leads from casual passersby. Label your call-to-action buttons/links in a way that a semi-interested prospect would not take seriously. While this can definitely lessen the quantity of your leads, at least you could save time by not wasting it on prospects without real business potential.
4. The call-to-action must be positioned during the “research phase”. Timing plays a huge part in the effectiveness of calls-to-action. That stage of a prospect’s buying process where he or she is still collecting information to help in decision making – that’s where the potential lies. Make sure prospects are guided to the right direction during this critical phase.
5. The call-to-action must be easy. The likelihood of prospects pushing through until the end of the sales timeline could significantly decrease if you subject them into a difficult and complicated process. It’s a big decision for them, and the least that you can do is make things simpler for them.

How To Deliver Your Sales Leads Deadline In Singapore

We are all very busy, especially now that business in Singapore is challenged by the world economic downturn. And when it comes to delivering what you promise to your sales leads, this is a task that you need to work on quickly. You cannot afford to fail in this regard, since time is of the essence in a B2B lead generation campaign. Even if you have a pretty good business list , if you cannot perform what is required on your part, then all you offer will amount to nothing. There are many ways for you to approach this. Of course, there are only a few that really matter. And these pointers are:

  

1. Getting the details – as a manager, you would certainly be getting people under you who are assigned a task. Instead of telling them a simple deadline, outline the time you expect them to be done, what are the results you expected, as well as identifying parameters that will mark their performance as satisfactory. In this way, there are no ambiguities and everyone is clear on what they are supposed to do.
2. Negotiate with the clients – there will be times that B2B leads prospects set down unrealistic deadlines. Whenever possible, and for your own good, ask for alternative deadlines. It also helps if you could send the results piecemeal. Do not fear losing a demanding customer. The stress and effort that you might have to expend to meet their demands can damage your company if you really force yourself and your staff.
3. Break down tasks into smaller sub-tasks – for example, if you use B2B telemarketing to generate and nurture sales leads, it would be to your advantage if you could assign smaller tasks for each of your employees. In this way, you can reduce the burden that one carries, and increase the overall efficiency of the team. You can also monitor your people easily this way.
4. Create some slack – a neat mental trick you can try in the office is by moving the deadline a few days early. This creates a sense of urgency in your employees, compelling them to work harder and faster. Come submission date (that you have set), they can then use the extra time to slow down and attend to other, non-essential, tasks.
5. Be there to help them – your employees are no magicians, and if they are having problems with the work you assigned, you should make an effort to help them. Encourage them to open up early. In this way, you can resolve issues fast and avoid additional headaches.
6. Start now – once you have the customer order, you should get to it immediately. Pacing is essential here. If you start fast and early, you can put your company in better stead with your customers. Plus, you also get more orders.

Very simple, very basic. These are the most important pointers that you must remember for a successful B2B lead generation campaign in Singapore. Follow these tips, and you can make your appointment setting process easier to make.