B2B Marketing Frequently Asked Questions
How do you charge?
We charge by the hour. The fee is based upon several criteria including:
- Type of campaign, i.e., customer
touch, lead generation, market research
- Size of database to be penetrated
- Timeframe in which the campaign
must be completed
- Duration of the campaign, i.e.,
quarterly, semi-annual, annual
A one-time flat fee is charged for script writing, training, and database set up
and management.
Can we run a Pilot Program
to make sure it is going to be effective?
Yes. While it is essential to give any type of marketing campaign enough time to
ensure results, we can work out a pilot program so you can see for yourself how
beneficial an outbound calling campaign can be.
Do your Marketing Representatives
use a script?
We design and follow a script as a "guideline" to ensure we cover all
pertinent information. Our Marketing Representatives are skilled conversationalists
and have been certified in outbound calling best practices. They know how to present
products and services in a clear, confident and natural manner.
Can you provide a prospect
list?
A quality list is one of the most essential components of a successful campaign.
B2B is an authorized Third Party List Broker. We can research, select and license
a list that meets your prospect criteria, or append your existing list with key
contact information. We can also assist you in obtaining quality lists from publications
and associations.
Do you provide documentation
on all calls?
Absolutely. We will provide you with calling results on a daily basis. Comprehensive
reports are provided weekly showing the results of all the calling activity. And,
we even have a weekly telephone conference call with you to discuss results and
strategies.
How do you get trained on
our product or service?
We can typically get ample training in just a few hours. We will provide you with
a Training Session Work Book to ensure we get all the information we need. Training
can be done on site or via conference call.
Will I get to be a part of
writing the script and voice mail messages?
Absolutely! No one knows your product or service better than you do. This is going
to be a partnership – we will be a part of your team. By combining our expertise
we are sure to reach our goals.
On a lead generation campaign,
who will own the database you develop?
The prospect database, and all the information gathered during the lead generation
campaign, will belong to you. This information does not become the property of Business
to Business Marketing nor will it be shared with or divulged to any other entity.
How long does it take to
get a campaign started?
We can launch a campaign within a couple of days if necessary. However, we do need
sufficient time to establish a strategic plan, conduct a thorough training session,
craft effective voice mail and live presentation messages, and complete a role-playing
session. We want to make sure we are completely ready when we "go live"
The optimum time is 10 business days.
How long will it be before
I receive some qualified leads?
In many cases we can begin generating leads the very first day of outbound calling.
However this depends upon the market we are trying to penetrate, the individual
we are trying to reach and the level of qualification necessary.
Why outsource outbound calling?
Because it makes good business sense. It's more effective and in the long run can
cost considerably less than doing it in house. Here's why:
It gets results. Most salespeople don't do
enough cold calling to keep their pipelines full or enough customer touch calling
to ensure customer retention and add on sales. By outsourcing your calling you can
be assured that you will be in the hunt for new sales opportunities and that existing
customers won't get ignored, or worse, go to the competition.
It saves you time. Advertising, Interviewing,
hiring and managing an in-house calling team takes time and money. You have to interview
a plethora of candidates to find the right people for the job. And, if you're doing
your due diligence, you will be testing applicants and conducting extensive reference
checking.
It saves you money. In order to hire, maintain
and motivate telephone Marketing Representatives you must provide attractive compensation
plans complete with a competitive hourly wage, benefits package and incentive program.
You must also have an experienced manager training, motivating and managing to ensure
results. Not to mention the cost of office space, computers, and long distance charges.
You'll also save because you pay only for hours worked on your campaign (no vacation,
holidays, sick days, worker's comp, etc.)
It's fast. An outbound calling campaign can
be launched in a matter of days with little effort on your part. And, you can turn
campaigns on and off as your needs dictate.
Training is a key factor in a successful outbound
calling campaign. It takes time and a highly skilled marketing professional to train
others on outbound calling best practices. And, training must be on going to keep
everyone sharp and productive.
It's hassle free. You don't have to worry about
turnover. Losing a trained Marketing Representative can stifle your entire campaign
and cost you greatly in missed opportunities. By outsourcing you won't jeopardize
your campaign, or incur the cost of retraining.
Does B2B have a Closed Loop
Lead Management process?
Yes. B2B's Closed Loop Lead Management process ensures that the marketing and sales
processes remain synergistic. It is vital that the "message" stay the
same the entire way through the process. Further, it is essential that information
gathered about the target market be maintained in a format that is easily queried
and analyzed. A win/lose analysis at the end of the campaign will be an invaluable
tool in understanding the needs of the market place and in addressing any improvements
required to more accurately deliver the marketing message.
B2B imports the client's prospect database into a contact management system. Key
fields are imported to track SIC codes, database origin, territorial delineation,
previous marketing campaign participation/response, product/service interest, etc.
Custom fields and look up screens are established to document critical contact information,
degree of interest and responses to qualifying questions.
B2B maintains accurate daily records of all calls made and the results of each call.
Leads are sent electronically on a daily basis containing all prospect information.
Comprehensive Campaign Updates are sent electronically each week outlining all calls
and results. Detailed reports include a list of all qualified prospects generated
for the week and to date.
It is essential that the client supply B2B with a weekly update of the status of
each lead provided in order to complete the loop. This will make it possible to
generate analysis reports identifying which prospect lists, territories, SIC codes,
etc., generated the best results.
Leads are sent electronically in the client's requested format (i.e. Word, Excel,
DBF, comma delimited, etc). B2B can send the leads to one contact and/or to individual
sales representatives based upon territory/product offering, etc. If the client
so chooses, information can be posted on an FTP site so that information is available
24/7/365.
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