Why B2B telemarketing is dead

When was the last time you called a company to find out something? Probably quite some time ago. Consumer behaviour has changed – our first point of call is to head online for information, regardless of what we need. From looking up your bin collection day, to researching cloud computing systems for your business, you start on the internet.

The decline of telemarketing

Traditional B2B (business-to-business) selling often involved the telephone, with the starting point a cold call, pitching the offer and shooting for a meeting. Telemarketing has been in decline for a number of years thanks to increased call screening and regulations such as Do-Not-Call lists, making it increasingly challenging for B2B telemarketers to reach their target audience. Then came the Covid19 pandemic…. 

Remote working has meant that many of your target audience are no longer sitting behind a desk, that switchboards can’t actually put your through; some companies no longer even have a landline. When telemarketers do finally reach a human, their cold calls are frequently met with disinterest or outright rejection, resulting in wasted time and resources.

Effective, targeted marketing 

As telemarketing has become less effective for B2B companies, business have pivoted towards strategies which don’t involve the interruption and intrusion associated with telemarketing. Getting in front of your target audience with relevant content and valuable industry insights is the most effective way of getting the all-important first meeting. So, how does it work? There’s effectively three ways to do this - they all involve content marketing:

1.    Organic. A regular, well written blog can bring highly qualified prospects to your website when potential customers are searching for products or solutions.

2.    Paid advertising. Campaigns clicking towards content can help fill your funnel with new prospects.

3.    Outbound / email marketing. Targeted outreach campaigns can send relevant content direct to the inboxes of your prospects.

What content should I consider?

Content marketing has become an integral part of B2B marketing strategies. By creating high-quality, informative content, businesses can establish themselves as industry leaders and trusted sources of information.

Blogs, white papers, case studies, and how-to guides provide valuable insights to potential clients, positioning the business as an expert in their field. Content marketing allows for ongoing growth and encourages prospects to engage with the brand willingly, unlike the intrusive nature of telemarketing.

Measuring success

91% of marketing pros surveyed by Semrush achieved success with their content marketing in 2021. Research from the CMI (Content Marketing Institute) in 2022 found 73% of B2B marketers and 70% of B2C marketers using content marketing as part of their marketing strategy.

Digital marketing methods generally offer a better return on investment compared to traditional telemarketing by precisely targeting specific B2B audiences. With campaigns and analytics tools, businesses can allocate their marketing budgets more efficiently and measure the impact of their efforts in real time. By optimising campaigns based on data-driven insights, companies can reduce costs and achieve higher conversion rates.

To discuss how Effective Media can do all this and more for your business, contact us today.