Call Center Decisions - When to Outsource

Many companies outsource certain back office processes such as payroll, accounting, or human resources to a third party as both a cost-saving measure and to keep their specific business goals on the forefront.

For many publishing companies, the idea of audience development is relegated to a secondary prioirty behind editorial content and ad sales.

But the fact remains that at the center of every publication is the subscriber. Acquiring and retaining those qualified contacts is of the utmost importance if a media brand is to become or remain successful.

To that end, telemarketing can and likely should be contracted to a third party.

A common concern among publishers that engage outsource telemarketing vendros is the ability to maintain their brand image because the third party may provide an inconsistent or unpredictable message to your current and future subscribers.

The key is to seek a specialized partner, such as Mark Facey & Company, that knows the publication's industry, can align in culture of your brand, and bring best practices and controlled circulation experience that deliver greater efficiencies providing more consistent staffing, scale, and cost-effective infrastructures than can be had using an in-house solution.

Is Telemarketing Cost Prohibitive?

Telemarketing, when compared to other contact methods such as mailings or email, can appear expensive at first glance but it also yields much better results.

Marketing messages often get lost or misdirected in a sea of direct mail and email. Return rates using these methods generally hover between 5 and 10 percent.

However, for controlled circulation, telemarketing usually nets a 60 to 70 percent return on requalifications which far exceeds any other contact method. Further, with clients and advertisers demanding more targeted, highly qualified leads, the phone method is much more effective than email or direct mail and far easier to verify.

With budgets being cut back, it is essential that you put your audience development dollars where you know you’re going to make the numbers is a far safer route than rolling the dice with an email campaign.

By Chris Rutsch