Not long ago, I answered my cell phone to hear the exciting news that I could have a free new home security system.
Now, as annoying as these telemarketing calls are to me, I have a certain amount of empathy with the callers because shortly after graduating from college, I was making similar calls on behalf of a direct marketing company. Telemarketers can get a lot of abuse, so I always try to be polite and let them talk through their script so they can at least get credit for completing a call.
I also know you can have a lot of fun with these calls if you get telemarketers off their scripts.
As I listened to this enthusiastic young lady talk, I lost track of how many times she used the word “free.” Finally, she reached the end of her script.
“I just have one question to see if you qualify—are you a homeowner?”
Notice that she didn’t ask if I already had a home security system, and if so, was I satisfied with it.
“I have question for you,” I replied, slightly irritated at having my intelligence insulted like this. “How does your company make money if everything is free?”
After a moment of stunned silence, she said she didn’t hear what I said, so I repeated myself.
“Are you a homeowner?” she asked, completely ignoring my question.
“I’ll answer your question after you answer mine—how does your company make money if everything is free?”
“Are you a homeowner?”
Our conversation ended shortly after her that.

“Are you a homeowner?”
Now I realize that telemarketers typically are not trained to engage in “off script” discussions. They may have a section in their scripts where it gives instructions about what to say if the prospect asks X or says Y, but if you ask them anything not included in the script, they usually are lost—like this poor lady.
I’ll bet you’ve gotten calls like this yourself, so I have a question for you:
Would a call like this make you more or less likely to do business with the company?
Now envision a scenario where you don’t own a home security system, and several houses in your neighborhood have recently been broken into by criminals. You are suddenly aware of a new problem and interested in a solution that will protect you and your family, so you begin to think about purchasing a security system.
Would you trust a security company that told you its services were free and wouldn’t answer a simple question? I know I wouldn’t.
Like a lot of people, I would begin talking with friends and neighbors about home security systems, and start doing research on the Internet.
Now suppose I come across Sam’s Safe & Secure Inc. Several of the people I talked with mentioned Sam’s as being honest, dependable and reasonably priced, with great customer service, so I already have a favorable impression of the company.
I start my research by going to Sam’s website (which is easy to navigate) and find lots of impressive testimonials; community awards for being a good citizen; sponsorships of local school bands and athletic teams; helpful and easy-to-understand videos about home security; and blog posts about everything from how to choose a security system that’s right for you to tips for forming a neighborhood watch to ways you can help keep kids safe while using the Internet.
When I leave the website and use a search engine to find home security systems in my area, Sam’s dominates the listings.
- Customer reviews are very good—4 ½ out of 5 stars, with lots of favorable comments.
- Next up: a community calendar that includes a listing of places where Sam’s does free seminars about ways to keep your home secure.
- Then I see a news story where Sam’s CEO was interviewed about simple steps homeowners can take to make their houses more secure and less likely to be burglarized. The CEO didn’t say a word about his home security system; rather, he used the publicity to educate (and in the process gain awareness and credibility) without make a sales pitch for his product.
- The next hit comes from someone blogging about how Sam’s has partnered with the local police to do free home safety checks for the poor and elderly, with discounts on home security systems for those who can’t afford to pay the full price. On that post I notice a comment from a reader who has a Sam’s security system, where he shares about how well the system worked when someone tried to break into his home.
My findings indicate that Sam’s Safe & Secure has a great reputation, and the company knows all about security. Chances are, I’ll call Sam’s to discuss the next step for my home.
What a contrast: A company I’ve never heard of interrupting my day with a sales-driven telemarketing call about a product that doesn’t interest me vs. a company I call because I have a need and am interested in the product it offers. I’ve heard good things about the company from others I know and trust, and I like what I see online, so I don’t need anyone to sell me anything; I’m already sold.
The same principal applies to ad agency PR for new business: It’s far better to be discovered by prospects and have them approach you, and the best way for that to happen is to have a good reputation and a robust online presence.
If your agency cold calls a prospect, there’s a good chance the call will go to voicemail. If you send a sales email at a time when the prospect isn’t looking for what you offer—and therefore is not interested—it probably will be deleted and your email address maybe blocked. If you send direct mail, odds are it will end up in the trash.
And even if you manage to get through to a prospect, is this really an effective way to present yourself and position your agency? I don’t think so.
The buying process has changed, and trying to sell services through aggressive cold calling makes an agency look desperate and out of touch. A more effective approach is to use public relations to complement your new business initiatives and build your agency’s brand.
A consistent PR effort will enable you to more effectively generate awareness among the decision makers you want to reach, when they are ready for what you have to offer.
Best of all, when a prospect asks you a direct question, you’ll be able to answer it clearly and confidently, rather than replying, “Are you a decision maker?”
photo credit 1: Chris Pirillo Should I Take the Call or Not? via photopin (license)
photo credit 2: aqua.mech Call center operator via photopin (license)