“Respect is a nebulous term but we all know when marketers aren't giving us enough!” Thanks to James Gardner of One to One Interactive for summing up the rest of the SWOT team sentiments when they provided their responses to this marketing dilemma: Telemarketing: Dialing for dollars is harder than ever. Whether or not you choose to use this controversial marketing tactic, read below for your peers' best advice.

You may also wish to help figure out this issue's marketing dilemma as an established company struggles in a new niche market. Stumped with your own marketing problem? Ask our SWOT Team for help. Join us. We promise you won't be disappointed. When we tap into our collective experience, strength and hope—everyone benefits. And you could win a copy of our book, A Marketer's Guide to e-Newsletter Publishing.

This Issue's Dilemma

SWOT Category: External Opportunity

Established company struggles to enter a new market

There is nothing sexy about our dilemma. It is just real. We are a furniture company that supplies banquet furniture to high end hotels both nationally and internationally. After being in the business for more than a decade, we have established a good reputation and market share in our niche—hotel banquet furniture.

However, two years ago, we attempted to leverage our quality manufacturing processes and enter a new market niche—outdoor furniture to consumers. Our product is of high quality. Prices are marked neither too high nor too low. There's a lot of potential in this segment, but our attempts to penetrate this retail channel are going slowly.

We suspect it is because of poor product awareness in the market. We cannot seem to leverage our reputation in our primary market niche into this new market. There is a lot of competition in our new niche and we can't seem to find a way to differentiate ourselves. It is like we are a start up company trying to make our way.

Any help from readers is sincerely appreciated. What are the best ways for us to enter this new market? How can we transfer our reputation in our legacy niche into this new niche?

—Shelia B., Director of Marketing

Click here to offer your best advice to Shelia.

Previous Dilemma

SWOT Category: External Opportunity and External Threat

Telemarketing: Dialing for dollars is harder than ever

It's cheaper, quicker, and easier to communicate today than ever before. As a result, both consumers and business people are demanding tighter boundaries to limit access to them. Telemarketing and email marketing receive the most attention, as they are the most pervasive. Do-not-call and spam legislation is being passed in an attempt to shield people from undesired messages. Marketing practices that used to be just annoying are now becoming illegal and less effective.

So, what's a legitimate marketer to do? It is clear that doing the same-ole-same-ole is not working. Telemarketing organizations feel the pinch. Some are trying different tactics to stay in the “outbound” call business. Yet, it is harder to market to someone who fits the marketing profile, may be a legitimate buyer, but is on a do-not-call list.

We think we are not alone with this marketing dilemma. Would you ask your readers how they fit telemarketing and email into this new world? What is working? What's not?

— Scott J., Director of Marketing

Summary of Advice Received

Scott: Posing this dilemma was like engaging in a religious debate. There were many, many strong feelings and opinions about what's the right approach. Just as there is no one right religion, you will probably find the right answer for you in the responses we received. Responses seemed to fall into these buckets:

1. It's the value we create, not the tactic.

2. Use telemarketing, but do it better.

3. “Run away! Run away!” (from Monty Python).

4. Be innovative (or, as a reader suggests, “crazy and expensive”).

1. It's the value we create, not the tactic

A few members of the team reminded us that the tactic is not as important as the value we create for consumers and businesses when marketing. Whether you choose to use telemarketing, email, broadcast or print, recipients will buy only when they trust that the value you provide is applicable to them and your company is stable.

Respect is the key. James Gardner of One to One Interactive suggested this:

(Marketing) becomes an annoyance when it fails to respect the recipient.

Irrelevant. Why do we believe a recipient will have the slightest interest in our message or offer?

Intrusive. Why are we calling during dinner? Why are we intruding unasked into a private email box?

Deceitful. How did we acquire this name and profile information? Who are we calling on behalf of?

Insensitive. Why are we clogging someones email box or wasting their time? Why are we forcing ourselves into the worlds of our consumers?

So what's the right guiding philosophy? Be respectful! In practical terms, research best practices and adhere to both their letter and spirit. Get to really know things like double opt-ins, privacy policies and unsubscribe procedures! Ask for feedback and act upon it!

More pragmatically, don't hitch your wagon to only one horse. Direct response via telemarketing and outbound emails can be extremely powerful...but you also need to be exploring everything from viral and search optimization to trade shows and guerilla (along with dozens more).

No matter what your tactic, it should fit into your overall strategy. Cliff Langston, Director Marketing Services at Sigma-Aldrich, recommends this:

Back away from your current marketing activities (tactics) and look at your business proposition from an integrated marketing strategy perspective. It's not a question of how to use the tactics of email or outbound telemarketing but more a question of how to execute the marketing strategy that you've built around an understanding of your customers needs.

How does your product or service help solve the problems they face daily? What human emotions are linked to these challenges? If you can effectively position your product/service around questions like this, prospects or customers should be more willing to interact with you regardless of the tactic/vehicle you choose.

2. Use telemarketing, but do it better

Our readers told us that if you use telemarketing, learn from the trash that is out there. Don't repeat it. If you choose not to use it, find another way to target new buyers. Whatever you choose, show respect and build relationships.

For those who use choose to use telemarketing, your peer advice is divided into these categories:

• Build relationships

• Leverage partnerships

Build relationships

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hank Stroll (Hank@InternetVIZ.com) is publisher at InternetVIZ, a custom publisher of 24 B2B e-newsletters reaching 490,000 business executives.

Tamara is a writer at InternetVIZ and is available for freelance work.