Far too often, people get the two terms ‘telemarketing’ and ‘telesales’ mixed up, with some going as far as to think the two are the same. However, while they both have huge benefits for your business, these two services have distinct differences. If you hire the wrong one, you may be left disappointed.
But there’s no need to worry about ever making that mistake, as we are here to help you figure out the true differences between telemarketing and telesales. So keep reading to determine which will be the best for your business.
What is telemarketing?
You know what a telephone is and what marketing is, so when you put the two together, you get telemarketing. Marketing involves promoting a product or service and gathering leads to target, whether it’s over the internet, in print, or in person. Add the word tele to the beginning of it, and you get the same thing, but over the phone.
A telemarketer will target a person or business who will most likely be interested in their product or service and share all relevant information with them. The whole aim of telemarketing is to make a sale eventually, but it isn’t the act of doing so. That’s where telesales comes into play.
What is telesales?
Telesales is a direct ‘sale on the phone’ approach, where an agreement or sometimes even deposit is taken during the call. It is the act of directly converting prospects into sales while on the telephone. This is different to the telemarketing service that Novus provide.
There are two types of telesales which you may be interested in – inbound and outbound. Inbound telesales involves your business receiving calls from clients and making a sale from there. On the other hand, outbound telesales is where you make the call to any prospective or existing clients.
What are the key differences between telemarketing and telesales?
There are a lot of similarities between telemarketing and telesales, so there is no surprise that the two get confused as being the same. They both involve speaking to prospective or existing clients over the phone with the main goal of receiving a sale. However, there is one fundamental difference between the two.
Telemarketing is the act of generating interest from clients. This involves telling them about the business and developing a relationship with them. Telesales is the act of direct selling, finalising the sale and often taking payment.
The responsibilities of a telemarketer
A telemarketer’s job isn’t simple – and it actually comes with a lot of different responsibilities. If you are considering adding telemarketing to your business sales or marketing plan, this is what you will have to look forward to:
- Calling both prospective and existing customers to educate them about what your business is offering and generating interest around it
- Providing the sales team in your business with quality leads that fit into your target market
- Alert clients of anything new you’re offering in your business to educate them in order to help gain a repeat purchase
- Ask customers for feedback about their experiences with your business to increase sales opportunities
- Research your target market and competition to improve your telemarketing and marketing quality
The responsibilities of a telesales representative
Just like telemarketers, telesales representatives have a lot they need to get done as well. Here are a number of responsibilities you’ll be in charge of if you introduce a telesales sector into your business:
- Communicating with nurtured leads and existing customers over the phone
- Researching what the leads are interested in so you can understand how to sell to them
- Trying to offer various different promotions to the customers so you can generate even higher sales
- Provide excellent service the entire phone call by asking the customer questions and paying attention to their needs
The benefits of telemarketing for your business
Here are a number of benefits you may experience when you introduce a telemarketing sector into your business:
- Saves you time and helps you find new customers more quickly
- Generates high-quality data to analyse
- Helps the sales and marketing team create an effective strategy and campaigns
- Provides your brand with a more professional stance
- Contacts and educates prospects who may have never heard of your business
- Increases the number of new business appointments
- Increases customer satisfaction and the chance of repeat customers
The benefits of telesales for your business
Here are a number of benefits you may experience when you introduce a telesales sector into your business:
- Increases your conversion rates simply over the phone
- Decreases your costs per sale and annual expenses
- Customers receive a more professional impression of your brand
- No need for travel expenses as everything is over the phone
Final thoughts
While telemarketing vs telesales is often a debate between businesses, the two shouldn’t be pitted against each other. Yes, they are different, and each comes with its own benefits, but they can and do work together.
