Telemarketing is a crucial aspect of IT channel demand generation — there’s no doubt about it. Even in a world where we have Facebook pages, Twitter accounts and e-mail campaigns, there’s definitely a place for having a bunch of guys work the phones … effectively. The problem with most telemarketing efforts is that they are basically random. Even if you buy or rent a list, you know very little about the names on it except company, title and telephone number. Fill your telemarketing campaign with actionable sales intelligence, and you’ll get better results.

Our approach is that telemarketing is best paired with something else — like a steak that’s screaming out to be joined by a glass of cabernet. Each on its own can be good, but together, they create an unbeatable taste. So, we tend to use telemarketing as part of an integrated program that includes direct mail and online surveys. The result is that our telemarketing team is able to focus on prospects who have already opted into the sales cycle. They’ve told us exactly what interests them about a particular IT challenge or solution set. In the end, we’re able to drive higher quality appointments for IT solution providers.

Telemarketing without other marketing tools lacks substance. Pour some intelligence into a vacuous telemarketing campaign, and you’ll get more than just calls: you’ll get results.