DRTV Outbound Telemarketing
By: Mark Swanson
The Direct Response Television industry has long enjoyed the status of being considered some of the most innovative marketers and most impressive data collectors. With inbound telemarketing long becoming a staple for the industry several widely used and effective outbound techniques have often been overlooked. With technology becoming more and more prevalent in customer data collection, the used for that data often comes second.
Because DRTV works so amazingly well for generating responses from customers. Marketers are often left to only wonder what to do with some of the data that has been collected but not yet properly utilized. In the inbound call dropout rates are seen with the inbound agent almost as often as they are seen with the IVR system. These leads are often noted as inquiry leads. They have clearly demonstrated an interest in the product and have chosen not to buy for a myriad of reasons. Additionally, more and more customers are visiting product pages on the website but not ordering, these leads too can become valuable sources of customer data to follow-up on.
Customers that call in to inbound centers and speak with agents, but sometimes hang up or decide not to buy one of the best things a company can do is offer a discounted solution and then call back the customer using sales agents to get them to ultimately order. This process works best with continuities were the cost per sale is typically made up by future customer orders.
From the internet, leads that are captured typically get o the point where a credit card is required. Sometimes it simply takes a live person on the phone to call these customers back and take their credit cards. Others simply did not feel the push to buy, that outbound telemarketing agents can give them.
Inquiry leads are covered in Federal fillings as safe to call for three months after they have placed and inquiry into an inbound center or on a website. This approximate 90 day widow provides companies ample time to call interested customers for additional sales. DRTV companies have been using phone and internet leads successfully for years and this process can be applied to almost any product or service.