How Can You Ensure Your Marketing Promotes Ethical Values?

There are a lot of ways to market products, some of which are more effective in the short term, whilst others will ultimately prove to be more valuable and vital in the long term. 

We believe strongly in the power of relationship building, and our specialist telemarketing services are focused very much on long-term gains, building a positive reputation and maintaining ethical values throughout.

Ethics in telemarketing go far beyond regulatory requirements, and their effect is not only the moral choice but also financially lucrative; an ethical company is a trusted company, and customers prefer to buy from trusted companies they feel have their best interests at heart.

The best way to maintain these ethics is to follow a code of practice, focus on long-term goals and respect the customer and their time. But how can you put these ethics and values into action?

Here are some simple, actionable steps that can be taken in every telemarketing and lead generation campaign.

Avoid A Script And Speak With Empathy

What makes short-termism in marketing so damaging is that overly aggressive, cold or robotic telemarketing calls not only fail to close the sale, but they will create an impression of the company the marketer represents that will be shared with others.

They are, in many if not most cases, the first person from your company a customer will talk to, and they need to deliver not only a sales pitch but a statement of intentions and an expression of values. Scripts can sometimes do more harm than good in this respect.

We prefer a conversational approach that comes from a place of knowledge and empathy. The more you know the sector and know your products, the better you can relay that information to a customer and determine where their pain points are with the current product or service they use.

If you are empathetic, positive and put the customer first, the long-term effects could be significant. It could even lead to other customers getting in touch first.

Do Not Pressure The Customer

There are rather strict rules enforced by the Information Commissioner’s Office when it comes to telemarketing (or live direct marketing calls, as the law describes them).

This includes several rules when it comes to who you can contact, what data you can use for this purpose and what systems need to be in place for people to politely request that you stop marketing to them by this method.

Many high-pressure sales tactics that skirt legality are fairly self-evident, but in general, it is best not to place too much pressure on the customer, as it can cause harm not only to carefully built relationships but also to your reputation in a specialist field.

Do not be aggressive or pressuring to try to achieve sales targets. It is forsaking the potential for future sales by pressuring someone to buy now.

Be Transparent And Clear

Legally, you must state your name, the name of your organisation and contact details for said organisation, as well as not withhold your number when making a telemarketing call.

However, it is important to be transparent from the start of a conversation. Trust is one of the most valuable commodities in marketing, and most customers will either be more than happy to engage with a telemarketer and be able to reasonably consider the sales pitch, or they will politely end the call early.

Earnest positivity begets earnest positivity, and a two-way street of respect will lead to a better chance of a successful sale.

Being honest and clear also helps with sales, as it demonstrates expertise and allows you to more judiciously target a customer’s actual needs rather than simply aim to convert.

Be Respectful To A Customer’s Time

Ultimately, whilst telemarketing goals can sometimes vary, the goal is never to waste a customer’s time, and a key foundational part of successful marketing is to respect their time.

This not only means being clear about why you are calling and providing useful information rather than a sales script, but it also means being respectful to the customer’s availability.

A very important question to ask is, “Is this a convenient time for you?” It is such a simple question, but it helps to start the conversation on positive foundations. Either it is the right time and you have shown respect, or you can set up a better time for a follow-up.

Similarly, whilst follow-up calls are essential, overdoing it can lead to diminishing returns or even potentially be counterproductive, ending a potentially positive customer relationship.