Telemarketing Is Cool, Too

Telemarketing gets a bad rap, for sure. It’s got a reputation for being unduly pricey and intrusive, among other things. But before you cast judgement, it might be worth your organization’s time and money to hear about some innovative ways it can use telemarketing.

Simon Rowland, CEO and founder of Direct Leap, a telecommunications technology company, says nonprofit organizations most definitely should integrate telefundraising with their existing fundraising efforts. Why? Because, according to Rowland, organizations that send an automated phone call either before or after sending a print piece tend to get a lift of typically 1 percent to 2 percent in response rate.

What’s more, volunteer phone banks are a great way to do general outreach efforts, especially advocacy and grassroots community organizing. Traditional telephone marketing is expensive, so if you’ve got a way to train a group of volunteers, it can be cost effective to have them do your general outreach and develop a targeted lead list that you can then give to a professional call center. In addition, volunteer phone banks are great peer-to-peer communication tactics that can add a high-touch feel.

“It makes more sense if you have a bunch of volunteers on the phone inviting people out to community events or saying, ‘Would you like to get involved with this campaign?’ or asking some other way to move them along this ladder of engagement, to move them closer to becoming somebody who would be eligible to donate,” Rowland says.

Simon Rowland can be reached via www.directleap.com