Using Skype to Improve Your Cold Calling
This post is in: Marketing Tips, Misc
The benefits and use of Skype are certainly no secret to the majority of businesses. It offers an incredibly cheap alternative to standard call charges and has even been proven to improve calling efficiency and productivity. As such, Skype’s uses transfer ideally over to cold calling so if you regularly undertake any cold calling and you still use a standard land line or, and we find it unlikely but you never know, a mobile phone then you should consider the following.
Skype can work out considerably cheaper than standard call costs with any telephone carrier. Calls to other Skype numbers are free and you can get some incredibly priced packages that put BT, Sky, TalkTalk, and other service providers firmly in the shade. As cold calling is usually done en masse it can mean ringing hundreds, or even thousands of numbers, so the savings can prove to be incredible.
As well as cost efficiency, Skype cold calling has the advantage of being more productive too. Some figures estimate that you would be able to make 50% more calls in the same amount of time when using Skype. Browser plug ins, and even plug ins for Excel and other office software exist that enable single click dialling. Using these tools you will be able to quickly and efficiently work through lists of telephone leads from any source giving the best possible results.
Skype numbers can be registered with the TPS, or Telephone Preference Service, in the same way as standard numbers can. What’s more, it is vital that you check any number you have details of has not registered with the TPS because if you call a number that is part of the Telephone Preference Service then you or your business can face thousands of pounds of fines. No cold call is worth that kind of money.
Used properly, Skype can prove to be a highly effective and inexpensive business tool. As a cold calling tool, it can be used to greatly increase efficiency while also greatly reducing the call costs associated with your direct marketing.
