Telemarketing - Why They Can Take "No"

Getting a "no" is one of the common fears people have about telemarketing. But in turn, many telemarketers say that getting one isn't such a big deal. Rejection is a natural part of their work experience.

Yet why is it that they can stay so positive? Can any group of people (or even a single person) be that optimistic? Well if you really want to be realistic, there are good reasons for why a single rejection isn't enough to discourage telemarketing. More than that, it should give you reason not be discouraged either.

Reason #1: They CAN try again.

If optimism comes off as unrealistic, well so does the pessimistic image of telemarketers always hearing a phone slam. Telemarketing can be a little more complicated than that (especially when it's part of a larger B2B marketing effort). Not every "no" is absolute. It could be a "No, not right now" or "No, we can't afford it". The trick is to see if they're open for follow-ups. Do they respond positively to questions like "When is a better time to call?" And even then, the certainty of rejection hasn't reached the level of absolute.

Reason #2: They did their best

Contrary to what cynics might say, this is where you really get to measure the capability of telemarketers. Good telemarketers know more than just how to talk over the phone. They know the purpose of the conversation and have a grasp of how it relates to a larger sales process. They're aware of the typical dos and donts when talking with a business prospect. Finally, they're also capable of integrating new skills and using alternative means of getting a message across. If they've shown themselves capable of all this (and maybe even more), then you'll at least know that the rejection was due to factors on the prospect's part and not on theirs.

Reason #3: They have more opportunities

A professional telemarketing company has more than just a bunch of telephones and people standing by them in their cubicles. They need numbers to call for one thing and no, they obviously don't consult merely a phone book when they're calling. They have their own large contact database that they use to store information on prospects. And not only that, they have data analysts who make sure this information is legal for them to contact and even narrow their selections down for accurate targeting. Finally, these series of numbers represent the shots they have. These are actual chances to make successful calls. And given the effort they're supposed to exert (as explained in Reason #2), what you have is both quality and quantity. Even if they get a "no", there'll be plenty of other calls that can give them a "yes".

So as you can see, even if a telemarketer can come off as too optimistic, they're not as unrealistic as some people say. They take measures to minimize the chances of rejection and have plenty of things to see on the bright side. They know there's more to a simple "no"; they have the skills to avoid always getting them; and their database offers them as many opportunities to succeed. Blind optimism isn't their only reason for why they can take a "no".