When businesses hear the term ‘telemarketing’, they often think of cold calling and the process of making contact with a long list of prospects, despite having never previously spoken with the individuals being targeted.

However, there is another less familiar alternative that can often yield better results for organisations, especially if they have researched the appropriate contacts beforehand.

As the name suggests, warm calls do not come out of the blue, as the person being contacted is either expecting the call or has previously expressed an interest in your services.

Of course, the chances of converting a prospect into a serious new business opportunity are increased if the person receiving the call is interested in what you have to offer and has welcomed the opportunity to build a strong working relationship.

Increase your chances

For some businesses, cold calling can still be very beneficial, especially if you have a team of experienced telemarketers using their knowledge and expertise to establish relationships after an initial call.

However, with a shortlist of interested parties to contact, the same experienced telemarketing team will enjoy a much higher conversion rate, as less time is spent contacting businesses with little or no interest in your services.

Usually, an opportunity for a warm call is established after the person has expressed some initial interest in your brand or marketing campaigns. This may be through commenting on your social media content or attending a webinar your business recently hosted.

With an understanding of your organisation and the services it provides, there is a much greater chance of that person being receptive to the information shared, rather than dismissing the call after the first exchange.

Ultimately, warm calling should give you confidence in your conviction, as you are pitching your business and its services to people that have a genuine interest in what you have to offer.

Generating exposure

Before contact is made, businesses must ensure they are on the radar of the prospects they are targeting. In order to achieve this, there are a number of effective ways to generate exposure, providing the foundations for a relationship to flourish.

As previously mentioned, social media marketing and advertising can be a very effective way to build brand awareness before making the first call. If a prospect has interacted with your social media post, and this has then developed into a wider conversation around the services you provide, then they might welcome an opportunity to discuss future collaboration.

Meanwhile, email marketing campaigns are another great way to promote your business, as it gives you an efficient means of contacting a large pool of prospects, without the fear of being knocked back via telephone call.

Another option worth considering is hosting free online webinars or podcasts, which will give interested businesses a real insight into your organisation and the services it provides. By hosting regular events and sharing consistently high quality content, you will soon build a strong reputation as a thought leader within your sector, which will help you secure meetings with potential prospects.

Remember, if your business lacks the resources needed to deliver an effective telemarketing campaign, then the best advice is to outsource certain functions to an experienced team that has the expertise needed to convert opportunities.