It takes an average of eight calls[1] to reach a prospect – so it’s easy to see why outbound calling can feel frustrating, or even thankless, and why it may even fall off the to-do lists of your team. However, it’s important to ensure franchises businesses are doing all they can to supercharge their sales efforts – and that means getting a head start with outbound calls.
Whether it’s booking appointments or qualifying leads – proactive outbound calls are essential. It’s how hard-fought opportunities are converted into business.
Here, Jess Pritchard, head of corporate sector from Moneypenny, which offers outbound as well as inbound call handling to franchisors and franchisees across the country, shares five tips to maximise outbound activity.
1. Categorise calls. Think about the different types of calls you need to make. Perhaps it’s to qualify enquiries, get feedback on quotes, reawaken old data or gather client information to speed up onboarding. Categorising calls will help to ensure the right person makes them, identify how promptly calls must be made and where support might be required.
2. Set targets. If you’re faced with a huge list of calls to make it can feel daunting. Set targets so that the team feels motivated. They might relate to the number of calls or the conversions you want to hit (this could be incentivised), but they could also be in relation to how much time will be spent on the task each week.
3. Be prompt. If your outbound activity is following up leads, then it’s important to be prompt. We know that 30-50%[2] of sales go to the firm that responded first. Make sure your outbound team knows the urgency of different types of calls. Responsiveness wins business.
4. Embrace CRM. Most sales teams know the value of CRM systems, but it’s important to ensure everyone tasked with sales calling is using it properly. Put CRM guidelines in place, stipulate the core information that must be captured and ask for calls to be recorded directly into CRM as they happen. It will save trying to decipher hand scribbled notes at the end of the day.
4. Remove the headache. 2022 has been billed as the year of franchise growth by Forbes[3] magazine. Capitalising on this opportunity when teams are already busy is no easy feat – particularly as staff shortages due to self-isolation continue to put businesses under pressure. For franchisors and franchisees feeling time poor and over-stretched outsourced support is the answer, and it’s why we launched our outbound service. Using our experienced employees to qualify leads, provide detailed quotes, convert enquiries, assign the matter to an account handler or department, and input the relevant data into CRM – we take the headache out of outbound. We respond to leads from any source, calling them promptly from the franchisor or franchisees’ office telephone number and guaranteeing a professional experience. Problem solved.
Jess concludes: “Failure to prioritise call backs and follow ups can lead to a leaky sales funnel, as well as bad sentiment. Outsourcing outbound as well as inbound calls provides the perfect solution for busy franchisors and their franchisees and offers valuable extra support when they need it most. After the economic turbulence of the last couple of years, businesses must prioritise client care and progress all opportunities before a competitor gets to them.”
To help boost your outbound activity this year, find out more about Moneypenny’s Outbound Calling service on 0333 202 1005 or email [email protected]
[1] Stat from Sirius Decisions as quoted on The Brevet Group website
[2] Stat from Inside Sales as quoted on The Brevet Group website
12 Feb 2024
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