It's important to use the most accurate data when running a telemarketing campaign. There's nothing worse than numbers that are no longer in use, businesses that have moved on or even calling people up who have actually passed away. These bad data calls can be very embarrassing for your business and set back your telemarketing campaign.

So it's good practice to source reliable data from a reputable supplier. Your conversion rates will be severely affected if all your data is unreliable, out of date and generally a bit useless. It can even cause de-motivation amongst your telemarketing staff since targets can become impossible to achieve.

There's nothing worse than having a team of embarrassed, red faced telemarketers trying to achieve their goals and objectives but struggling to achieve even the most basic things such as getting through to the right person to speak to. So what's the worst that can happen with bad data? Does it really affect a campaign that badly?

People or businesses that have moved on

If you call a phone number and ask to speak to a certain person or business, the last response you want to hear is "That person/business no longer resides here". You're then left in the awkward position of apologising to the recipient on the other end of the phone, possibly asking "Do you know where they moved to?" if you're feeling really brave!

Wrong number

If you've called a specific business but it's the wrong number there's going to be immediate confusion. Depending, of course, on how the person at the other end answers the phone. If they introduce the business first then you should know fairly quickly that you've made a mistake. If not, be prepared for a long phone call.

Bankruptcy

If you phone a business that's gone bankrupt you might get away with no response, a dead line or even a voicemail. However, there's nothing worse than getting through to the business owner that has to deal with bankruptcy. You won't be aware that they're probably very stressed out before delivering your sales pitch.

People that have passed away

One of the worst times to attempt a sales call is when someone's passed away. The situation can become even more difficult when you speak to their widow. Asking if you can speak to their partner is likely to cause upset and make you seem very uncaring.

Wrong target market

Phoning up an accountancy firm asking if they need an accountant almost seems like a practical joke! But it's surprising how often this happens. It's frustrating for both parties involved and it can be so easily avoided. What's the name of the business you're calling? Check your data first and make sure you've got the right target market.

Wrong name

Having the wrong name can result in different outcomes. The name you have might be for an admin clerk. The conversation is unlikely to result in a sale and you'll probably feel very rude asking the clerk if you can speak to someone higher up in the business.

The most important thing in any telemarketing campaign is sourcing the correct data – if you need help with that, Virtual Sales Limited can help.