April 2017 | Blue Donkey

We’re delighted to have won runner up in the inaugural SME Cambridgeshire Business Awards!

Posted on 28 April 2017 by bluedonkey

Blue Donkey were awarded second place in the Training and Development award at the SME Cambridgeshire Business Awards. Winners were announced during a ceremony at the Huntingdon Marriott Hotel in Huntingdon and the evening’s host, Jules Breach, welcomed us to the stage at what was a really exciting evening.

The SME Cambridgeshire Business Awards were open to all sole traders and businesses in the region with less than 250 employees. The awards were considered an opportunity to raise the profile of hardworking and enterprising businesses in Cambridgeshire and it’s a huge honour for Blue Donkey to be nominated in the training and development category.

We love sharing in the success of other passionate businesses and the awards ceremony gave our talented team a chance to celebrate in their success and receive recognition for their commitment to the work we do.

Preparations are already underway for next year’s awards and we’ll be working as hard as ever to make sure we’re able to once again stand on stage alongside some of the most successful and hardworking companies in Cambridgeshire.

Brand building by telephone

Posted on 25 April 2017 by bluedonkey

Unlike social media marketing, exhibitions, seminars, and events – telemarketing allows you to go to your customers instead of waiting for them to come to you. As well as making the telephone a powerful sales tool, this also makes it the perfect way to build your brand and reach a whole new customer base. Instant, affordable and effective – the telephone and brand building go hand in hand.

Reconnecting with existing customers

Even if you offer an outstanding product or service, your company name can sometimes slip the mind of your existing customers. If you’re involved in an industry that’s especially competitive, it’s possible your clients’ heads could be turned by competitors with more aggressive marketing strategies. This could cause a drop in sales and a drop in return custom.

Running regular telemarketing campaigns will help to ensure your brand stays at the forefront of your existing customers’ minds. Giving them a call every few months will help to keep the lines of communication open, prevent your clients from turning to your competitors and keep brand awareness high among one of your most crucial demographics.

Reaching out to potential customers

Though a strong digital and analogue marketing strategy is important for all ambitious companies, most rely on potential customers seeking out your social media profile, website or printed marketing materials. When using the telephone however, the power is in your hands. You decide who to call, how to represent your brand and how to describe the benefits you’re offering.

This makes the telephone unique among marketing tools. Placing you firmly in the driver’s seat, it means that – with the right call list and the right approach, you have the power to exponentially increase brand awareness and really get your name out there.

Putting a face to the brand

Another benefit of using the telephone to build your brand is that it gives your company a face and a personality. Everything from the tone of voice you use, to the words you choose will have an impact on how these potential customers view your brand. Get it right, and you could really make your company stand out while building a solid customer base for the future.

Answer instant queries

Unlike other forms of marketing, the telephone gives you the opportunity to answer customer queries instantly. So if one of the businesses or individuals you call has a question about the products or services you offer, you can answer their queries and use the call to demonstrate to them how your product or service could benefit their situation and offer a solution to their needs. If you’d just sent out an email, direct mail campaign, or social media post, you’d never have the chance to argue your case and help customers see how beneficial your company can be.

As the telephone offers an immediate and personal way of communicating with your target audience, it’s a great choice for businesses looking to grow their brand. To find out more about the power of the telephone, contact a member of our team today.

Closing techniques

Posted on 18 April 2017 by bluedonkey

Aside from your opening sentences, the way you close a call is one of the most important skills in telemarketing. The words you use, your tone of voice and your manner will leave a lasting impression on the person you’re speaking to. So whether you’ve managed to seal the deal or not, it’s important to make sure you get it just right.

Don’t pile on the pressure

The last thing you want to do at the end of a call is pile on the pressure. Putting too much pressure on the person you’re speaking to can make them feel like they’re backed into a corner. This can put even the keenest customers off and can make your business come across as aggressive, or desperate. Ideally, your call should have been so positive, productive and persuasive you won’t need to put any pressure on anyway. However, if the decision maker you’re speaking to is still not convinced by the end of the call, ask if it’s OK to call back another time or get the name of someone else in the organisation who can help instead.

Remember they’re busy

A lot of the time telemarketers are so focused on their call they forget that the person they’re speaking to has a busy day of tasks to take care of themselves. Once you’ve finished discussing the benefits of the product or service you represent, say something along the lines of, “I know you’re busy, so I’ll let you get back to work” – before slipping in a quick request for a follow up meeting, a commitment to a trial, or a small purchase order. By showing you’re aware of the decision maker’s busy schedule, you can demonstrate that you’re thinking of their needs at the same time as moving the call towards your ultimate goal.

Sum up

If the call has been a long one, a good way to close it is to sum up the benefits offered by your product or service. Make this section of the call snappy and compelling. Keep your language simple and easy to understand and stick to your core USPs. This summing up will remind the decision maker you’re talking to about all the points you’ve covered in your call and should help to nudge them towards making a purchase and sealing the deal. If not, it provides a positive note for you to end on.

End with a question

Just like your opening question, an end question can be used to keep the lines of communication open and offer an opportunity for future contact. Ask if there’s anything else they need to know, if you’ve answered all their questions and if they can see how your product is right for them. Asking these questions crystallises the benefits of your product in the mind of the decision maker and can offer an opportunity for further dialogue.

Be positive

Whether you’ve managed to achieve your goal or not, always close your call on a positive note. These last few sentences will form a big part of the impression you leave with the person you’ve been talking to – so make sure you’re polite, positive, and personable.

To learn more about powerful telemarketing techniques, or if you think your team could benefit from a bit of expert help, take a look around our site or contact a member of our team to find out more about what we do.

The magic of open questions

Posted on 11 April 2017 by bluedonkey

In order for a telemarketing call to be successful, you need to get people engaged as quickly as possible. The faster you can get someone talking, the easier it will be for you to build a report and begin laying the foundations for a business relationship. However, as a lot of decision makers are incredibly busy throughout the working day, getting them to sit down and talk isn’t always easy.

Over the years, we’ve tried out lots of different ways of getting telemarketing calls off of the ground. We’ve found by far the best method is the ‘open question’. Simple but effective – this tried and tested technique has been helping the Blue Donkey team to achieve outstanding results year after year.

What is an open question?

An open question is a question that can’t be answered with either a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’. It plays on the fact that most people, regardless of how busy they are, don’t want to be impolite on the phone. If you ask them an open question, they’re very unlikely to cut you off and it’s probable they’ll enter into a conversation with you. Once you’ve got them talking, you can direct the dialogue, begin to introduce your business and get your relationship underway.

Examples of an open question

When thinking of open questions to ask, remember that a lot of them begin with ‘who’, ‘why’, or ‘what’. These simple words require an answer that offers a little more information that just a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’. Your open question could be something as simple as asking the decision maker how their day is going. You could also ask what specific challenges their business faces and what services or products could make their life easier. Keep your questions relatively simple so the person you’re talking to doesn’t lose interest halfway through your opener.

Using your open question to gain an insight

As well as helping you to get the decision maker talking, open questions can be used to gain an insight into the person and business you’re trying to connect with. If you ask the right question, it could open up opportunities within the conversation and give you the chance to tailor your pitch to suit the needs of the company you’re calling. Do a little bit of research before you pick up the phone, or as you’re dialling, to identify questions that could lead onto something more. Spending a few minutes looking through the business’ website will also arm you with a better understanding of who they are and what they do, two things that can make a big difference to the success of your call.

Open questions are a simple but powerful telemarketing tool. To learn more about improving your telemarketing technique, or to find out more about what we do, contact a member of our team today.

The art of getting past the Gatekeeper

Posted on 4 April 2017 by bluedonkey

Getting past the gatekeeper is one of the most important skills any sales professional can learn. Though no technique will work 100% of the time, learning a few practical tips and tricks will help you to improve your success rate and get your message across. To help get you started, here are some of our most tried and tested techniques for getting past the gatekeeper.

Give the gatekeeper the respect they deserve

Though trying to get past a receptionist or PA can be frustrating and time consuming, it’s important you don’t become impatient, rude or dismissive. Though you might want to speak to someone higher up in an organisation, remember that the gatekeeper can make or break your ambition so make sure you give them the respect they deserve. Be polite, friendly and engaging when they pick up the phone. If you can get the gatekeeper on your side, it’s far more likely your call will find its way to someone who can really help.

Add a personal touch

If you don’t get through the first time, try not to be disheartened. You can still make your initial attempt count by using it to learn more about the person you’re trying to engage with. Make a note of the gatekeeper’s name, the name of the person you’re trying to speak to and any other information you think could be relevant. The next time you call up you’ll be able to add a personal touch to your call and get a rapport going much more quickly.

Be honest

Remember that gatekeepers field sales calls all day, every day; they can smell a cheesy line, or a white lie a mile off and it’s guaranteed to make them less likely to put you through to the decision maker. Instead of trying to manoeuvre your way past the gatekeeper with lies, half-truths and evasive answers – be honest. Your integrity will speak volumes about you and your company and it’s likely to help you achieve your sales goals. Remember though – don’t pitch to the gatekeeper, you should only have a meaningful discussing about your business with the person who has responsibility to make decisions.

Be concise

One of the most important techniques you can ever learn in sales is how to be concise. It’s important to remind yourself that the gatekeeper is busy and probably doesn’t want to spend ten minutes listening to your spiel. If you can cut your intro down to just a few seconds, while getting all of the important information across, you’ll be much more likely to get a conversation going and be put through to the person you’re trying to connect with.

Confidence is key

If you sound confident and authoritative, the gatekeeper will be much less tempted to fob you off with an excuse and will be more likely to put your through to the decision maker. Even if you don’t feel confident – take a deep breath before you pick up the phone, put a smile on as you dial and have courage in your convictions.

If you think your telemarketing team could do with a little coaching and support, we can help. Alternatively if you would like to outsource your outbound calls to dedicated professionals, explore our site today or get in touch to find out more.