In addition to the usual aspects of hiring new personnel, such as an application, identification, and a resume, special details need to be considered in hiring a telemarketer. As with any type of position in your company, a list of requirements or qualifications will help make this placement easier.
First, it depends on what type of telemarketing program your company uses. Is it an inbound or outbound call center? Is it for calling business-to-residential customer or business-to-business?
For inbound telemarketers, are you expecting them to just take an order for something the customer has seen in a catalog or will the telemarketer need to actually persuade and convince the customer to buy today? In either case, a telemarketer is your company's front line communicator and represents what the telephone customer knows about your business. The telemarketer's speaking voice must be clear and understandable. The telemarketer needs to use good grammar and be fluid, and not halting, when they speak.
If the telemarketer needs to sell a product or convince a customer to set an appointment, additional qualifications are necessary. The telemarketer needs to lead and direct the prospect to the right product by asking questions to find out that information. Once the correct product is identified, the telemarket needs to be able to discuss the benefits of the product for that customer and to speak knowledgably about the pricing information.
When hiring a telemarketer, it is best to first speak with them over the telephone by having them call you to set up an interview. By talking with them on the phone, the speaking ability of the telemarketer can be assessed. You might ask them about their experience or why they are interested in the job, to see how they handle answering questions. And you might ask they why they think they would do well in this job. This will allow you to see if they can "sell" you on themselves and if they are persuasive. Or you may want to have them come in for an interview without having these preliminary questions over the phone first.
When you meet with the prospective telemarketer, ask about their past telemarketing or telesales experience. Notice how they speak and if they are focused. Being talkative, charismatic, friendly and having a good speaking voice can be added signs of a good communicator. You may want to ask them to review a script, and then roleplay a call with you. Experience can be very helpful, and it is important to call references to verify past employers and income.
Telemarketing training once the telemarketer is hired should give good information on how to handle objections and overcome them, and on persuasive skills. Even experienced telemarketers or telesales people need reminders and periodic training to stay sharp. Good incentives in the form of bonuses or pay raises can help encourage longevity in retaining a telemarketer and discourage turnover.