When is the \u201cbest\u201d time to call leads? By now, we know the answer to be between 8 and 9 in the morning as well as 4 to 5 in the afternoon. The best day of the week for a sales call? Everyone now knows it\u2019s Wednesdays and Thursdays. That\u2019s based on a widely-cited study from Dr. James Oldroyd and InsideSales.com, whose findings have now become woven into conventional marketing wisdom.
\n\n\n\nWhile Dr. Oldroyd\u2019s research has certainly given us B2B folks some fresh insights on timing our calls, the way that most marketing blogs and news outlets have reported the study\u2019s results leaves a lot to be desired. It\u2019s not hard to find posts that try to promote the study\u2019s findings as the de facto standard for every inside sales rep on Earth to follow, regardless of industry or context.
\n\n\n\nWill Thursdays work equally work for both an HR manager in the United Kingdom and a CEO at a startup in Singapore? Maybe. But then again, maybe not. The fact is that there\u2019s no single, universally valid \u201cbest\u201d time for reaching out to different prospects via phone calls. The right time to talk to leads will depend on a whole set of factors unique to each individual prospect.
\n\n\n\nThis is where a SMART telemarketing platform comes in handy. SMART is a technology for managing outbound calls that tell inside sales reps which prospects on a call list will most likely pick up the phone and are interested in listening.
\n\n\n\nRelated: Keep Prospects Glued on the Phone Like Bees to Honey
\n\n\n\nThis is based on a prospect\u2019s reachability score\u2014computed from that prospect\u2019s lead score, time elapsed since last contact, positive phone contacts, email responses/actions, and website activity. This means SMART calling determines the \u201cbest\u201d call schedule for every single prospect instead of assuming that it\u2019s the same for all leads.
\n\n\n\nSMART calling clearly brings some measurable benefits to an inside sales team\u2019s performance. Here\u2019s a rundown of six ways it boosts sales team productivity (arranged in no particular order):
\n\n\n\nWith a SMART telemarketing platform, inside sales agents no longer need to carry out many non-value-added (NVA) activities in their workflow. That\u2019s because the system updates reachability scores and lines up calls in real-time.
\n\n\n\nThis means that reps avoid wasting time manually scrolling for the next call or dialing up unavailable prospects. In other words, SMART calling keeps a steady flow of willing and interested prospects on cue.
\n\n\n\nRelated:\u00a0SMART Calling: What\u2019s the Edge?
\n\n\n\nLattice Engine estimates that 42%of sales reps feel they don\u2019t have enough information before making a call. That\u2019s a shocking statistic, especially with today\u2019s buyer-led purchase process where prospects expect to speak with knowledgeable sales people.
\n\n\n\nWith the time freed up by SMART calling, inside sales reps can review notes or brush up on a prospect in preparation for a call.
\n\n\n\nRelated: Who Says Telemarketing Can\u2019t Drive Leads Further Down the Sales Funnel?
\n\n\n\nDepending on whom you ask, it takes 6 to 13 touch points to generate a viable lead. What\u2019s even more interesting is that these touch points take place across different marketing channels.
\n\n\n\nA SMART telemarketing platform gauges a prospect\u2019s reachability not only through her lead score but also with her responses and activities on past touch points such as calls, emails, and website visits.
\n\n\n\nHelpful Guide: Weed Out Junk Leads With Predictive Lead Scoring
\n\n\n\nSMART calling prioritizes prospects not only on availability. It also ranks contacts according to their willingness and interest as well. Prospects with higher reachability have higher lead scores and tend to be more engaged on previous touch points.
\n\n\n\nThis implies that leads higher up the calling cue have a higher likelihood of responding or converting once reps interact with them in live conversations. Learn more about our lead qualification services.
\n\n\n\nRelated: Classification of Sales Leads: Hot, Warm or Cold
\n\n\n\nWe\u2019ve already become a little familiar with how reachability scores work. The key thing to consider is that reachability is based on actual prospect data. That\u2019s why a SMART calling system is able to measure reachability for each prospect in the calling database.
\n\n\n\nThese computations are made in real-time, so that reachability scores are kept up-to-date once new data points on any of the attributes become available.
\n\n\n\nRelated: Using Social Signals to Spot Sales-Ready Leads
\n\n\n\nBy helping inside sales reps focus on what they do best (having meaningful conversations with prospects) instead of doing mindless and repetitive tasks, a SMART telemarketing platform helps develop a more motivated team.
\n\n\n\nSMART calling removes the barriers that get in the way of most sales reps. Rather than spend a huge part of their day making a ton of calls to unavailable or uninterested contacts, reps can now give their full time and attention to what really matters.
\n\n\n\nIt\u2019s not very smart to simply follow one-size-fits-all tactics in sales and marketing. The best way to find out what\u2019s going to work for you is to test it out using your own data. SMART calling builds on this idea by finding the different \u201cbest\u201d times to talk to every decision-maker. It\u2019s no longer just telemarketing, it\u2019s smart telemarketing.
\n\n\n\nGet our FREE sample telemarketing scripts for All Industry types. This includes scripts for appointment setting, event telemarketing, and data profiling:
\n\n\n\nSMART calling clearly brings some measurable benefits to an inside sales team\u2019s performance. Here\u2019s a rundown of six ways it boosts sales team productivity.
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