Telemarketing … the ‘Necessary Evil’

First, let me apologize to all of my friends and colleagues in the telemarketing industry for the above headline.

In fact, many of the telemarketers I know are some of the best and most ethical marketers in the business. However, I used this headline because too many nonprofit organizations view telemarketing as an untactful medium that should be avoided at all costs. A couple of donor complaints about dinner-time calls and a few jokes from late-night comedians usually are all it takes to turn a development officer against the use of phoning in his or her solicitation programs.

To those opposed to telemarketing, I have to defend this medium as a “necessary evil.”

The selective use of telemarketing is an essential element in getting the most out of any fundraising program. No other medium, including direct mail and the Internet, can achieve the same results as telemarketing in many key areas.

In building monthly giving programs, no other medium can successfully and quickly recruit as many donors as telemarketing. Nor can any other medium recruit as many higher-value monthly donors — those who give by credit card or electronic funds transfer.

Telemarketing also is the most effective medium in upgrading donors. The “give-and-take” that ensues between a telemarketer and a donor provides an excellent opportunity to better gauge a donor’s giving potential and his or her commitment to the organization.

And telemarketing is second only to e-marketing in generating the quickest response to a major event. Those organizations that have established telemarketing programs usually can react in a matter of hours to events that affect their purpose, such as hurricanes and tsunamis for relief organizations, or political events for advocacy organizations, political parties and candidates.

Telemarketing also has proven to be an incredibly effective bed-fellow of the newest direct-response medium: e-marketing. There’s no better way to gain the e-mail addresses of current donors, nor is there a better way to convert e-mail activists into contributing supporters.

No other medium is as flexible as telemarketing. Once a direct-mail campaign is in the mail, or a mass e-mail has been sent out, you can’t change your message. The script of a telemarketing campaign, however, can be adjusted throughout the process. If one message doesn’t work, another can be tested. If the circumstances change, the script can be altered.

Telemarketing also provides you with an unscientific yet quick read about what your donors are thinking. Many times, I’ve changed the subject of a client’s direct-mail campaign due to the feedback that I’ve heard from the organization’s telemarketing efforts.

Now, all of these positive points don’t mean that you can call your donors every month and expect a great reception. It’s easy to burn out donors through the over-use of telemarketing. And if you don’t heed the warnings of those donors who voice their displeasure with solicitation calls, you’ll get stung. However, the selective use of telemarketing at the right time with the right message will gain great results.

Some die-hard telemarketing haters undoubtedly will point out that their fundraising programs are doing just fine without telemarketing. Certainly most fundraising programs can survive without it. But they certainly will not be as profitable. To get the most out of your fundraising program, telemarketing is necessary … not evil.

Jim Hussey is president of Adams Hussey & Associates. Contact: jhussey@ahadirect.com.