Five B2B Telemarketing Lessons From Real Life

School is an excellent training ground for many marketers and business managers. It is where you get to practice your leadership and management skills, preparing you for the real world. But as much as school prepares you to succeed, real life has other ideas. Take, for example, B2B telemarketing . I know, this is not a popular direct marketing tool, but this works perfectly for businesses that want to sell to other businesses. It is a good means in generating B2B leads, and that many companies benefit from this. While you may learn how to be a good telemarketer during training, real life will tell you some things that school may miss. For starters:

  

1. Fear not the fail – okay, while most of us dread that big F on the report card, because it means the end of our illustrious career in college, failing in real life is not really the end. It only becomes that when you quit. Failures actually learning opportunities, of what not to do. Thomas Edison failed a thousand times in inventing the incandescent light bulb, but he only needed one to succeed. It is the same thing with B2B lead generation.
2. ‘No’ may not mean ‘no’ – when sales leads prospects say no to your offer, do not immediately give up. You should actually take this as an opportunity to learn more about them, find out why they are rejecting you. Who knows, they might actually change their minds if you can present your offer in a much more acceptable manner. You just need to ask.
3. Check all your avenues – as an old saying goes, ‘when one door shuts, another opens’. That is the reality ofB2B appointment setting. Even if you cannot get one prospect to meet with you, try looking for other people who might be interested. There is the possibility that the person you spoke with earlier was just the gate keeper. Just keep looking and you might hit the jackpot.
4. Be realistic – it is one thing to be optimistic over the future of your business, but if you do not have the means to make your plans a reality, then you will not achieve anything at all. Being realistic will keep your feet firmly to the ground. It can help improve your perspective of things. Just be yourself, focus on your business, and make sure that everything is working properly.
5. Money matters – yes, you might want to buy that potentially profitable shares in a company, or invest in new equipment, but you need to keep something for the rainy days. Besides, with the way the market changes constantly, money is the only real asset that you can rely on. And try not to spend all your earnings in one go. Actually, you should reinvest it into your business, help make it grow.

These rules are pretty simple in concept, but they do mean a lot for your B2B telemarketing campaign. Learn and live in the real world.

B2B Telemarketing Is All About Storytelling

For a B2B telemarketing company like yours, you need to get the attention of all your business prospects. Generating B2B leads is no walk in the park, and you know that it can take a lot of your time and effort. We all have heard about giving our best shot in the marketing field, but there are cases where you have to actively look for an excellent method to get your message across. And here is one strategy that you can employ: storytelling. It is old-school, so to speak, but when properly delivered, this can be an excellent way to keep your audience’s attention to you.

As for your appointment setting team to effectively use story-telling, there are some angles that you can employ:

1. The company story – behind the story of every product is the story of the people who created it. It could be full of drama, laughs, probably action if the situation merits it. Try to capitalize on those elements. Use it to garner the attention of your audience. Besides, your prospects might be able to relate your story with their own business. It can work.
2. The product story – ever watched Discovery Channel’s “How Do They Do It”? Your attention was probably riveted to how the featured product was made. Now that kind of story, you can use that kind of style for your own. It can be especially effective if you have an actual product to show. This is particularly useful during trade fairs and business events where you get to display your wares for all to see. It might be able to attract more sales leads this way.
3. The personal story – some business prospects are interested in how you got yourself involved in the business you are in, why you are doing it and what you actually do. These are excellent opportunities to put a human face to your company, to the products being displayed, as well as the message that you want to convey. You have to ensure that everything you say and do reflects your business well. While you may not get a deal with them now, at least they know who to go to when they finally decide to.
4.  The customer story – remember the Axe deodorant’s ‘Susan Glenn’ commercial? The message itself may be whimsical, but it still conveys its call-to-action effectively. A trained B2B lead generation specialist can make that happen to you, too. What is needed here is that you actively involve your business prospects. 

Remember, in this kind of story, the customer is the main character. Give them a reason to participate.
As you can see, storytelling is a pretty basic, yet effective, way of conveying your message. Of course, you need to make sure the situation allows you to do just that. It will not do to attempt a little storytelling skit if your business prospect is too busy, or if the location is not just conducive for it. As a lead generation strategy, you need to plan this out well.

Why Do B2B Lead Generation Employees In Singapore Leave You?

This is a question that a lot of business owners in Singapore are concerned about. Employee turnovers are a serious concern. And this can be made especially troublesome if the people leaving all work in a B2B lead generation  company.

For your company to survive, you need generate qualified sales leads. The problem here is to get your B2B leads people to stay. You have to understand how to best keep your people working for you. Some might see this as a mystery, but that is not so.

There are some things that you do or provide in the office that can cause them to jump ship. It is your responsibility to identify what these are.

  

1.   You have a big ego

Ego is not that bad, it gives you that personality that the market loves.

But if you let it up to your head, your employees will not be happy about it. They probably worked for you because you were nice or down-to-earth. Letting your ego get the better of you will only alienate your key people. Let your people know that the personality you are projecting in the market is different from the personality you are showing your own people.

2.   Your start-up turns corporate

It may be possible that your employees leave due to the change of business structure.

Small firms are nimbler, more willing to experiment. When you go large, you might end up stifling creativity because of the new rules, procedures, or titles put in place. That might give them greater reasons to leave you.

3.   You provide fewer opportunities

The thing about advancements is that an employee can only go high so much.

You need to make them understand that you have their best interests, and that even if they cannot go higher than their current positions, you can always give them activities or tasks that can keep their interests or expand their appointment setting skills.

4.     Your employees feel stagnant

This is a normal occurrence for your employees, especially if they have been in that particular job for many years.

For example, a B2B telemarketing specialist might feel stuck in their job because they just do the same thing all the time. Try adding variety or task opportunities. It will give them something to be busy about.

Related: The Qualities of Good B2B Lead Generation Hires

5.   You now have communication barriers

Not in the sense that you are blocking their voices, but it is more along the lines of changing communication lines as your company expands.

This can make them feel alienated, separated from you. Work on improving communication channels. Keep your links with them strong and steady.

6.     Your lead generation team weakens

This usually happens when you hire a new employee who may not interact well with your old employees. This friction might cause them to resent each other, which will in turn weaken your hold in the market.

Related: The Three People You Need In Sales Leads Marketing

Now that you know, it is up to you, as the manager, to provide opportunities for your people to grow. Do that, and you will not be having a lot of problems in your B2B lead generation campaign.

Be SEO Competitive: 5 Ways To Stay Strong in The Game

The truth is that SEO is not a self-paced game.

It is innately a competition of sorts – and a stiff one at that. You go against your competitors to win the coveted title of ranking #1 (or landing on page one, if you’re not being very ambitious). If you mind your own business without glancing at how others are doing, you might find yourself outpaced in almost all aspects, and if that’s the case, you can kiss your search ranking goals goodbye.

Hence, you and your marketing team should be on your toes when it comes to SEO activities. It’s a balance between constantly improving your own site while at the same time, looking out the window to get a taste of the competition.

1. Target keywords strategically.

   
   Getting the top rankings on Google is not the ultimate objective; you also have to know which keyword queries yield the most traffic for your site. Just because a string of particular articles gave you the top spot doesn’t mean you have to stick to that framework. If it has minimal effects on your site traffic, then the top spot is practically useless, and thus you have to look for alternative routes.

   
   

2. Keep an eye on your competitor’s on-site SEO activities.

   
   When your rival sites make dramatic changes to their sites, it could be that: one, they have stumbled upon a better way to optimize their site for search results, or two, they’re updating in response to penalties or failure to achieve high rankings. Either way, you have to be aware of their movements so you could respond (or not respond) accordingly.

   
   

3. Check if other sites are banking on backlink profiles.

   
   Sometimes, marketers accidentally discover new linking strategies they can use to try to beat you. By using tools like Majestic SEO (free, with paid plans starting at $49.99 per month) or Open Site Explorer (free, with paid plans starting at $99 per month), you can uncover if they’re working on unpublicized techniques behind your back. This can also identify potential linking partners for your own site.

   
   

4. Be updated with current SEO news and trends.

   
   If you haven’t noticed yet, SEO is a constantly-evolving field of marketing. For all you know, last month’s popular trends are already futile, and you have to stay abreast of what’s new. Make it a habit to regularly check Search Engine Land or Search Engine Watch for fresh nuggets of gold.
   Example: Twerk Marketing: Lessons From Miley Cyrus’ Infamous VMA Performance

   
   

5. Content is still king; focus on it.

   
   Did you really expect to finish off this SEO blog post without it telling you to that content creation is still the key? It’s a fact, and it remains to be. Making quality content as your priority is a win-win situation – it appeals to both the strict indexing programs and, most importantly, people who read your posts.

The Five Tips To A Better Telemarketing Performance

You will have to admit, B2B telemarketing can be a thankless job. The rate of success in generating sales leads is pretty low, while tensions and stress can be pretty high. 

This is the reality of marketing, one that has probably given a lot of people a hard time in the course of their work.

But really, is there a way to improve your chances of making a profit? How hard do you think would it be to manage such a successful B2B lead generation campaign? Despite what appears to be a daunting challenge, it is possible to be better.

The secret here is to know where to start. So, here is how we do it:

  

1. Research

   
   A lot of failed marketing campaigns can be traced to poor planning and study of the market one wishes to penetrate.
   
   Take note that each market segment can have different needs, even if they belong to the same industry. You need to do your homework first before you even start planning your B2B appointment setting campaign.
   
   

2. Naturalness

   
   At this point, you should remember that your sales scripts should only act as a guide.
   
   In other words, you should put some slack when talking to business prospects. You see, if there is anything that anyone hates, it is to talk to canned or scripted sales teams. No finesse, no chance to make any natural conversation, etc. That should not be your case, too. Let the conversation run freely. Let others speak their minds. You can never tell where you can get your next big idea, you know.
   
   Related:  Why Creating An Effective Script For Telemarketing In Appointment Setting Is Recommended
   
   

3. Presentation

   
   What is the difference between marketers and great marketers? It is all about the presentation.
   
   Great marketers believe that the way they present their ideas to business prospects will define whether they clinch that deal or not. You might want to check your own product presentations yourself, in case something is amiss or if you want to make some improvements.
   
   

4. Inquiries

   
   When talking to potential sales leads, you need to qualify whether these prospects can be converted into a deal, or what problems they face during the course of their normal business operations.
   
   To glean the information you need, you need to ask the right question. Based on what they tell you, only then will you be able to come up with a good solution.
   
   

5. Follow-up

   
   Another hallmark of excellent marketers is their prompt follow-up calls and business transactions.
   
   This can also be done for your business too. You just need to know just who you have called, what time you are supposed to call her back, as well as ensure that everyone is on the same page.
   
   

Yes, telemarketing can be a real pain, but this is one of the most reliable means to generate more B2B leads for your business. It is all about managing everything in the sales process, as well as ensuring that things and everyone is doing their part. It is a business investment that you should give a try.

Things Your Business Will Gain If You Hire A Dedicated SEO Expert Today

Recently, Search Engine Optimization or SEO has had its share of threats of extinction, but somehow it continues to survive. 

This is partly because of companies that never seem to lose faith in its potential to drive good traffic for their sites, and that’s despite of the fact that Google has waged a war against the search marketing industry through Panda.

The current landscape leaves companies no choice but to produce quality content instead of using “illegal” SEO tactics. This may be a new challenge especially for traditional companies, and it may lead them to a point where they have to decide whether or not to seek help from an expert. 

Below are a few reasons why hiring an SEO expert can be beneficial to a content-driven marketing:

• SEO experts have priceless in-depth knowledge of the entire strategy which makes them a very useful instrument in achieving your marketing goals.
• They also provide access to most of today’s most updated tools and approaches in SEO, which is very important in terms of efficiency and flexibility. These are inside industry privileges that can only be obtained from someone who’s “been there, done that”.
• With powerful tools and know-how, data will also be much significantly measurable and clearly analyzed.
• One of the obvious perks of hiring an SEO expert is task delegation. By getting someone who will work solely on SEO efforts, other personnel can focus on other marketing campaigns.
• SEO experts most likely also have the ability to provide creative input on making your site traffic-friendly and optimized for search. This can serve as added support for a more holistic SEO improvement.
• If you’ve been working with the same set of marketing people for the past few years, getting an SEO expert can supply fresh perspective and ideas to bring into the table.
• With an expert at your side, your chances of getting high-quality conversions also increase.
• Goal setting will allow collaboration in planning and making sure the SEO efforts will stay legitimate and will no longer employ black hat tactics. This system of evaluation will also set the standards for other marketing efforts as well.

Although there are other advantages to hiring an SEO expert, the decision will still depend on a lot of other factors such as budget and logistics. 

It’s a major decision that entails careful planning and deliberation, and in such situations it’s always helpful to compare the pros with the cons.

Monitor Your Lead Generation Competitors In Six Ways

In a business you involve yourself in, competition is an accepted reality. How you deal with them can make a big difference in the overall success of your lead generation campaign. 

 B2B leads can be hard to come by, so it pays to know the ways to maximize your productivity. This makes it even more important for you to know what your competitors are thinking. And how will you be able to figure that out?

There are plenty of ways to approach this concern, so you should give these a try before anything else. And if you really are in the dark, you can start with these six very simple tips:

  

1. Google Alerts
   
   Since you want to know what the latest activity of your competitors, especially online, you can start with Google Alerts. It is a free service that is easy to set up and monitor. Once everything is nice and ready, you can go ahead check on your competitors moves daily.
   
   
   
2. Social Media
   
   If this can connect you to potential sales leads with ease, so it is with your competition. Like or follow them on Twitter or Facebook, search for their key leaders, study the trends, and understand what exactly makes their brand attractive to customers. You might learn something interesting in this manner.
   
   
   
3. Mailing List
   
   Sign up in your competition’s mailing list so that you can receive regular reports about their progress and any other internal activities of your interest. There are so many things that you can learn from such simple news, and it will be to your appointment setting team’s benefit if you can learn something new about them.
   
   
   
4. Secret Shoppers
   
   Be a customer, buying their latest products and services. Try to reverse-engineer the success of their business, customer service, among others. See what it feels like when you purchase their products. What you learn there could be adapted by your business, which will help you a great deal.
   
   
   
5. Trade Shows
   
   
   If your competition is with you in a trade show, try visiting their booth. See for yourself how they handle it, how they deal with prospects, identify potential appointment setting targets, and a host of other things that you will not learn unless you are actually there watching them do it. It might even be entertaining enough for you.
   
   Related: Daily Stat Feed: How do Trade Shows and Event Marketing Fare Nowadays?
   
   
   
6. Market Surveys
   
   You can have your telemarketing team conduct a phone survey on your competition’s market. Learn how satisfied their customers are, what they like, as well as the pains they experience and opportunities for your business to take advantage of.
   
   

There is nothing wrong about adapting to your competitors’ moves. What makes it bad is when all you do is watch and mimic them.

To be an effective marketing and lead generation specialist, it pays for you to learn what your competitor is doing, and then do something else that will help you get ahead. Now that would be a more winning business strategy. You can never tell when you discover a blockbuster move.

Be An SEO Doctor: Content Writing Tips From Dr. Gregory House

He’s known for his cynical, biting wit and arrogance but House is nothing less of a medical prodigy. How he mocks people and certain realities have apparently no depreciating effect on his expertise as a doctor; in short, he’s a jerk but he gets the job done.
 

House uses metaphors in translating complex medical scenarios into a language that’s easier to comprehend, usually choosing odd examples but nonetheless logical. His funny antics will go down in history, but his less-famous, more serious words of wisdom are frank but surprisingly insightful.

In reflecting on how to write hard-hit ting and effective content, House’s words could serve as a mighty prescription:

“People choose the paths that grant them the greatest rewards for the least amount of effort.”

Blog marketers have lived an era of using keyword-saturated articles as a means of gaining site traffic, which is a relatively easier route compared to writing true and useful content. Eventually, though, loyalty from people will have to be hard-earned through writing something they find useful, and not just a snare for them to visit your site.

"Mistakes are as serious as the results they cause."

When a flawed post has been read, the idea will stick to the minds of the readers, which is something irreversible (even if you delete or modify the post). Once it’s out there, there’s no undo button. Sharing thoughts and opinions online comes with a huge responsibility, both to the readers and the company whose reputation you’re trying to preserve.

"If you can fake sincerity, you can fake pretty much anything."

Blogging should be all about a crusade towards genuine sharing of information and assistance. They need to know and feel that you’re sincere with what you do; otherwise they’re just going to think you are “bartering” for something from them – which is theoretically true, but not an idea that you would want them to plant in their minds.

“New is good.”

People appreciate fresh ideas and novelty approaches to delivering content. It goes to show how a company thinks out of the box and find new ways to entertain and educate their readers.

“Everything sucks. Might as well find something to smile about.”

House is a misanthropist of the real world, but he finds ways to alter his line of thinking and make grand lessons from it. Likewise, bloggers must also be adapting a behavior of buoyancy and encouragement, serving as a cure, rather than a disease, for the readers.