How I became a telemarketing consultant 

I didn’t always plan on becoming a telemarketing consultant…

My interests in college where philosophy, history, and psychology (although I took a last-minute detour into computer science).

Fresh out of college, I got my first taste of telemarketing back in 1991 as an independent legal services representative.

Working from my home office, I used the White Pages and a telephone to set appointments for myself to close sales face-to-face.

Despite several harrowing experiences with oddball prospects (I feared for my life in one instance), my efforts started to pay off- just as the company I represented closed its doors without notice.

Despite this setback, I decided I enjoyed sales, particularly telesales- so, I set out to learn more about the industry (as well as pay my rent!).

I went on to work for several telemarketing outfits. Some were borderline questionable in terms of ethics and at least one,  I later learned, was an outright scam.

Exposed to the seamy underbelly of the telemarketing industry, I came to understand why this profession was viewed with such a mixture of suspicion and disdain.

Telemarketing Boiler Room Blues

I found my way to Time Life Books and Videos. At least here, I thought, I would be working for a real company.

Within a month or two I established myself as the top producer (by far) in a room of over 80 agents.

Before I knew it,  navigating my apartment became a challenge because of the pillars of books and videos I won in daily sales competitions. Even my friends and relatives got tired of all the books and videos I tried to pawn off on them.

One thing became clear though, I was not going to pay off my college loans with books and videos. The only upward path was to become a supervisor or manager.

One day, while watching my supervisor run up and down the aisles with a copy of “Fix-It-Yourself-Plumbing” held high above his head, yelling, cajoling, and all but begging us to close more sales to win this oh-so-precious tome of plumbing wisdom (of which I already owned 3 copies), I decided it was time to move on.

B2B Telemarketing Training Years

Fortunate to be one of just two selected from a group of over 25 applicants, I found myself telemarketing for a reputable B2B agency.

What a difference! Not only did they have a dress code, but I got my own cubicle and computer! I learned that telemarketing did not have to mean being sandwiched between four other agents with questionable hygiene and barely being able to hear yourself talk. Most of the other agents with my new employer had also worked in boiler room settings.

As one of their best agents, I collected many awards and letters of appreciation from clients during my nearly three-year stay with this B2B agency. One of the more memorable projects during my stay there was for Amdhal Education (the mainframe company), selling their technical training to engineers. I closed an average of at least $40,000.00 to $60,000.00 a month in sales before Amdhal quit the technical training business.

I Start My Own Telemarketing Company

Having paid my dues, it was time to strike out on my own.

I taught myself to build computers and computer networks, write my own telemarketing software, and manage databases. With the high-tech boom still in full swing (1993), I had clients within weeks of making my first cold call to promote my telemarketing company.

Since then, I have managed hundreds of telemarketing campaigns responsible for millions of calls, thousands of leads and appointments, and untold millions in sales. My clients included the who’s who of the technology industry as well as many smaller companies in a variety of industries.

One of my more notable achievements was managing a cold-calling project for Oracle where my team closed nearly a million dollars in sales within a month- $2,000 at a time.

My main strength as a telemarketing consultant is a willingness to experiment and come up with new solutions.  I am quick to admit mistakes, make amends and improvements, and learn my lessons. I am not afraid to ask “dumb” questions or question “dumb” assumptions. Our success is more important than my ego.

If you think I can help you with your marketing efforts, please contact me for a free consultation.

About the author: Mr. Call Center

Gene Gerwin is president of CCI Telemarketing- a B2B lead generation service specialized in the technology industry. Started in 1993, CCI is proud to have served companies such as Hughes, Oracle, Autodesk, Mentor Graphics, EMC, and many more top technology firms.