Telemarketing Tips – Ride on the Smaller Trends

For most people, telemarketing is anything but trendy. But for B2B marketers, not even the new trends of social and email have completely eliminated the importance of a live phone conversation.

Still, that’s not without any major effort on the part of telemarketers. Like other lead generators, they need to know what’s happening in prospect industries so they can tailor relevant messages. And like them, they face the same challenge when there doesn’t seem to be any particular trend at the moment.

A simple example can be the end of February. February itself is a no-brainer. You’ve got Valentine’s Day. But what happens when the season of hearts is finally over? What’s in store for March? Women’s History Month? American Red Cross? Mardi Gras?

Picking one isn’t easy is it? What’s even harder is tying it to an industry that you’re targeting. Contrary to what you learn in highschool, trends aren’t that easy to figure out. The good news is that they are when you learn to narrow them down. Here are some categories that might help:

• Trends by industry – Certain times of the year can be more important for some industries compared to others. You have awards season for media and entertainment but an alternative example would be the National Association of Social Workers.

• Trends by region – Some trends only occur exclusively on certain parts of the globe. You have national holidays, historical events, and even religious festivals. Location is always part of prospect information so why not give it a second look and see what’s happening on that side of the world?

• Trends by target market – Sometimes it’s the target market and not the industry that defines the trend. Take for instance, tax filing season, or last year’s Black Friday. Unlike trends by industry, you are viewing a trend from the perspective of potential customers. It’s definitely easier to be relevant when you see things from their point of view.

Never underestimate the power of a trend because of its size. Targeting isn’t really about size either. Sometimes the best market comes in the form of a select few that aren’t interested in what’s all the rage. Therefore, it makes sense to narrow down on what’s trending with them so you can have their attention.

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