Radio Sales Café

Radio Sales Café member Kathie Easton, with WIXE Monroe Broadcasting in Monroe, NC, poses this question to fellow RSC members:

"Do you have any suggestions on finding, hiring and possibly keeping a good telemarketer? I have found that an older voice works best, but I've certainly seen the door swing over the years."

Please post your advice and suggestions here. Thanks!

perhaps an older voice is one way to express it, but a questioning voice might be another way and perhaps a young voice can't get there. a polite voice isn't always an older voice; some older voices act like they know best and that might not be the right approach. a polite voice and sometimes a suggestive voice - i don't just mean sexy - "is this something i could help you with?" kind of voice.

good question.

Kathie,

Over the years, I've heard of station operators successfully recruiting telemarketers by targeting:

1: students (part-time, after school and summers, to earn good money for college or whatever)
2: retired folks (call from home or station, set own hours, supplemental income)
3: stay-at-home moms (ditto)
4: service clubs and non-profits (to raise awareness and money; usually a specific project; proceeds split between club and station)
5: receptionists, operators, CSRs, and others whose voice and demeanor while on the phone with them made a favorable impression
6: last, but not least, DJ's and other non-sales types already working at the station who would like to try their hand at telephone sales and earn some extra cash

That said, from very early in my own career as a full-time radio advertising salesman, I participated regularly in both "phone blitzes" and "foot blitzes" - terms I first heard used by the late, great sales trainer Jim Williams.

As their names might imply, a phone blitz was a concentrated, focused telemarketing effort, whereas a foot blitz involved hitting every store on the block, up one side of the street and down the other, offering whatever the special package happened to be. In both cases, we set aside our normal routines and devoted 100% effort to the blitz, which lasted generally for no more than a day or two, whereupon we simply picked up from where we left off.

I generally viewed these blitzes as opportunities rather than obstacles. Often they'd provide me with a great chance to talk with a lot of prospects that I hadn't visited in some time, resulting in additional business beyond the immediate sale. So, from my perspective they were a good thing.

Thanks......I'll keep suggestive and questioning in mind. And you certainly have a good point about
an older voice acting like they know best. A young person just doesn't sound credible, depending on the campaign (drinking and driving would be an exception maybe) An older person, the right older person 70+.....would have more loyalty to us - where else do they have to go... LOL.....and an older voice lends more credibility. Thanks for your comments......

It's tough sometimes to find the "right" person. However that being said I have found that finding someone who is "friendly" on the phones is a good place to start. Also, someone who can take "rejection" well and move right on to the next call. I don't think "age' is major factor but we have had success with "older females" thus far in our telemarketing.

Ya know...hiring is always fun! I do telemarketing here at our radio station along with part times sales and promotions for the station. I enjoy the telemarketing because it can be 'easy money'. I don't know if it helps any, but prior to me, one of our on air talents also did telemarketing because it was extra money in his pocket. People on the other end really recognized their voice and it was 'fun' for them to talk to the on air personality. Just a couple of ideas.....to look for someone who wants extra cash in their pocket and isn't afraid to hear no and move on...an on air personality who wants extra cash or possibly an intern at a local college who wants some extra money. We have a gal who is helping us out with promotions who was interested in doing telemarketing because she was interested in marketing and sales and didn't know what direction she wanted to go. This isn't a good suggestion when looking for a long term person...but food for thought. Good luck in your search!

Hi Kathy
I started my sales career as a phone sales rep. over 12 years ago. I never considered myself a telemarketer, because they are pesky and annoying. I was made to feel as if I were a vital part of the sales team from the beginning and as a result what had been a $1,000 monthly revenue within 3 months I was selling between $7,000-$8,000 monthly on the phone. The one thing that made me successful was persistance. Now as a sales manager, I look for persistance as a more important quality, than sales experience. Pleasant voice, willingness to accept no today, not no forever, relationship building skills, and a true passion for whatever they are selling, the format or the package. Young mothers with children in sports sell sports. College students sell "green" packages and cause related marketing. Using the seller's passion makes your station a #1 sports station or a #1 cause marketing station. Target your market and your telemarketers!!!!!

In my experience as advertising manager at our station the person on the phone needs to be aggressive, but not pushy. Here we have a man and woman on the phone, and they are both older voices. I believe they also have to have the passion for the business they are selling for. Like here in radio....it has to be in your blood to sale advertising for radio...I have had several come through, but the ones that stayed have been the two with older voices and have a passion for radio.

I'd put my money into a good printer, postage and a mail merge program that generates a "personal" letter. I believe people hate telemarketers more than anything. Know this sounds old school but it allows the sales person to make a follow-up call and ask, "Did you receive our letter?"

Unless you're doing call out research. But I assume you're talking about drumming up new business?

A pleasant and professional voice works well. Two things that have worked are: 1) having someone that knows the community, the businesses and a lot of business decision makers. 2) having someone that understands the benefits to the client of the product. It is very important for the "voice on the phone" to portray a good image for the station. A telemarketer can affect all future relations with the client.

You're great.....thanks so much....and you're exactly right. That's exactly what I'm gonna do. I'm looking for a teenager or just graduated young person to sell......Drinkin and Drivin or Parents talk to your children about drugs...campaign.

and yesterday I talked with a passionate veteran who will sell Veteran's Day messages for me for November 11th.

There's got to be lots of others. My current telemarketer won't like it, but too bad. She generates about $3,500./mo in revenue and is burning out quickly anyway.

Please let me know if you can think of other categories.

Response posted elsewhere, moved to this thread:

Kathi
I have a book that's been on the market for over 10 years. I have updated it some and sell it for $99.00.
Bob Doll
1746 Rosewood St.
Seguin, TX 78155
Any questions? Call me at:
830 379 7549..
I will tell you, my system is pretty simple and has proven itself over the late 20+
years. I'll give you some references.

Best
Bob Doll
(I hope this is permissable. I don't want to abuse my membership)