The Covid-19 pandemic and resulting lockdowns have forced businesses to adapt to new ways of working, with entire workforces currently operating at home and meetings moved online.

From a new businesses and lead generation perspective, traditional methods of building relationships have also changed, with face-to-face networking events currently on hold whilst the restrictions are in place.

Although the UK’s roadmap out of lockdown will see employees return to the workplace in the coming months, there are still question marks surrounding large scale events, meaning networking events will remain online for the foreseeable future.

Whilst businesses have adapted to the situation and are utilising online events, many of them are not experiencing high levels of engagement and prospect conversion, with an increasing number turning their back on online networking events altogether.

Instead, businesses are investing extra time and money into online marketing, with telemarketing and social media activities becoming increasingly popular in the current climate.

Telemarketing campaigns

Although for some, the lockdown has negatively impacted networking events, there is a lot of evidence to suggest that it could actually improve the effectiveness of telemarketing campaigns.

Instead of having to pass through a gatekeeper in order to reach your intended target, key decision makers are currently located in one place for most of the working day, with many welcoming incoming calls to break up the monotony of working from home.

Therefore, with the right approach and strategy, it could be worthwhile to build relationships through a carefully executed telemarketing campaign rather than attending online networking events where attendee interest is low.

This is where outsourcing to a team of experienced telemarketers could seriously benefit your business. Not only will this lighten the load from your workforce and allow them to oversee other important matters, but it guarantees that new business and lead generation will be handled professionally.

The time and money saved on ineffective networking events can be reinvested into finding a committed telemarketing team that understands your business and has the experience needed to convert prospects into serious opportunities.

Social media strategy

Another smart way for businesses to invest their budget is through social media, developing strategies for popular platforms like LinkedIn, so they can nurture potential leads.

According to statistics, LinkedIn’s audience skews towards university-educated higher earners, with over half of university-educated individuals actively using LinkedIn, and just under half of those earning over £55,000 with a profile on the site.

In other words, many of the decision makers that businesses would welcome a conversation with at an online networking event can be reached through LinkedIn, as long as they adopt the right approach with clever positioning and tactics.

Of course, generating organic engagement with these individuals is easier said than done, which is why outsourcing operations to a team that understands social media algorithms and how to enhance the visibility of your LinkedIn content is extremely useful.

There are a lot of businesses that ‘do’ social media, but there is a fine line between practicing it effectively to generate meaningful leads and posting content for the sake of it without any real strategy.

Finding the best solution for your business

If networking is not working, then it is important to reassess your situation to find a solution that delivers results for your business. What works for one business is not guaranteed to help another, and the only way to find an effective solution is to consult a team of experts and experiment with methods based on their advice.

That’s not to say that networking will never have a role to play in the future, but whilst businesses are operating in unprecedented circumstances, adaptations must be made to ensure they weather the storm and emerge in a strong position.

Whether it is telemarketing, social media or a combination of both, there are other alternatives worth exploring that could be more suited to your business in the current climate.

If you would like to discuss a potential telemarketing campaign in more detail, then contact our in-house team and explore the benefits with the help of experienced individuals.

Call: 0121 227 4766
Email: David.glennon@acompetitiveedge.co.uk