Companies outsource many business processes that take time, knowledge and specific expertise, including sales and lead generation, which are often perceived as one and the same.
However, where third-party sales companies may take a heavy-handed approach to clinch deals, lead generation firms may be more relaxed in finding the best prospects. Somewhere between these two styles of business development are appointment setters, which include companies such as Toucan Telemarketing.
“Appointment setting is quite a niche sector,” explains Paula Bates, Managing Director of Toucan Telemarketing. “There are a lot of companies that said they do it but in most cases, they don’t do it properly – they’re usually just lead generation firms. We’re more like introducers, or match-makers if you like.”
“We speak to prospects as though we’re part of our clients’ team—because that’s how we see ourselves—and explain who we are, what we do and how our product or service can help their business. The end goal is to physically book an appointment for our clients.”
Rethinking sales tactics
Paula believes the art of selling lies not in the gift of the gab, but in the ability to listen.
“Because of our unique approach, prospects often tell us about their nightmare experiences with other telemarketers and it always comes down to the fact that they never listen and they don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. That’s not us – we do listen and we can accept people saying ‘no’,” Paula explains.
“There’s an art in what we do but the idea is to deliver an impactful message while remaining conversational and not being pushy – nobody likes an aggressive sales call. Of course, there is an element of being persuasive but there’s a lot to gain from simply talking to people and, more importantly, listening to them.”
There’s a lot to gain from simply talking to people and, more importantly, listening to them.
Paula Bates, Managing Director, Toucan Telemarketing
The results
With Toucan’s team working in the background on back office sales support, their clients can focus on other key processes, while freeing up valuable time, resources and giving the sales team the freedom to focus on closing deals.
“Because we’re able to strike a rapport with our prospects, it’s very rare that we get a flat out ‘no’. In most cases, we’ll be asked to call back in a few weeks or months. Then, when the time comes we call them again and we’re usually able to book the appointment.”
To find out more about how Toucan Telemarketing’s appointment setting services, call Paula on 01260 294444 or email paula@toucantelemarketing.co.uk.
