What Does a Telemarketer Do?
A telemarketer is a marketing representative that sells products and services over the telephone. Telemarketers get the attention of a consumer by pitching her a product and explaining how it can be beneficial to her; they then proceed to answer any questions the consumer may have. Telemarketers can sell a variety of products, which include memberships, supplies, goods and services.
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Duties
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Not only will they attempt to sell a company's products, but telemarketers may also be responsible for confirming orders and taking down payment information. Some telemarketers must develop their own scripts to use for pitching products, while others will use one issued by employers. Telemarketers are often issued leads by their employer, which are a list of names of individuals who may be interested in a particular good or service.
Environment
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Telemarketers work in large rooms and are often clumped together in large groups. Telemarketers may have to work days, nights, holidays and weekends to reach people at different hours of the day. Anyone working as a telemarketer must be able to handle the pressures of meeting quotas and sales goals, while dealing with nasty rejections from consumers on a regular basis.
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Education
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Employers require that anyone looking to become a telemarketer graduate with at least a high school diploma or its equivalent. Students who complete a bachelor's degree will be more attractive to potential employers beginning a career. While in school, students should focus on classes involving sales, business and communications.
Skills
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Telemarketers are required to have excellent telephone skills and must have the ability to make sales in a timely manner. Telemarketers must be influential and possess tremendous communication skills. As technology advances, telemarketers need to develop computer skills and understand how to use hardware and software programs. Telemarketers must stay organized and persistent in order to make the allocated number of calls a day.
Warning
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Individuals looking to enter this field need to be wary of unlawful business practices. Some telemarketing services have been known to offer the promise of goods and fail to deliver on these promises. Applicants should do research on any potential employers and ensure they are living up to their promise and delivering on products they sell. According to the United States Department of Justice, authorities have brought charges against thousands of telemarketers since the early 1990s.
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