What Do Telemarketers Do?

Example of a Telemarketer Job Solicit donations or orders for goods or services over the telephone.

A Day in the Life of a Telemarketer

• Obtain customer information such as name, address, and payment method, and enter orders into computers.
• Contact businesses or private individuals by telephone to solicit sales for goods or services, or to request donations for charitable causes.
• Schedule appointments for sales representatives to meet with prospective customers or for customers to attend sales presentations.
• Deliver prepared sales talks, reading from scripts that describe products or services, to persuade potential customers to purchase a product or service or to make a donation.
• Conduct client or market surveys to obtain information about potential customers.
• Record names, addresses, purchases, and reactions of prospects contacted.

What Every Telemarketer Should Know

These are the skills Telemarketers say are the most useful in their careers:

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.

Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.

Types of Telemarketer Jobs

• Appointment Setter
• Telemarketing Sales Representative
• Call Center Operator
• Telephone Service Representative (TSR)
• Telesales Specialist

Is There Going to be Demand for Telemarketers?

In 2016, there was an estimated number of 216,600 jobs in the United States for Telemarketers.

Telemarketer jobs are decreasing by a rate of 0%. This means the total job opportunities are shrinking. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a loss of jobs for Telemarketers by 2026. The BLS estimates 33,300 yearly job openings in this field per year.

The states with the most job growth for Telemarketers are Florida, Arizona, and Texas.

Watch out if you plan on working in California, Illinois, or Pennsylvania. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.

Telemarketer Salary

The typical yearly salary for Telemarketers is somewhere between $18,680 and $41,740. A Telemarketer median salary is $25,250.

How much do Telemarketers make in different U.S. states?

Annual Mean Salary by State

State	Annual Mean Salary
Massachusetts	$42,270
New Hampshire	$38,250
Washington	$37,020
Connecticut	$34,950
Wisconsin	$33,470
Minnesota	$33,400
Utah	$33,040
Oregon	$31,930
California	$31,880
New York	$31,790
Rhode Island	$31,620
Maine	$30,550
New Jersey	$30,120
Maryland	$30,040
Delaware	$30,000
Colorado	$29,980
Indiana	$29,960
Louisiana	$29,960
Illinois	$29,840
Arizona	$29,780
Nevada	$29,580
Mississippi	$29,480
Texas	$29,400
District of Columbia	$28,680
Michigan	$28,480
South Carolina	$28,440
Kentucky	$28,120
Kansas	$27,900
Iowa	$27,510
Pennsylvania	$27,380
Oklahoma	$27,230
Virginia	$27,060
North Carolina	$26,810
Nebraska	$26,800
New Mexico	$26,200
Idaho	$26,060
Missouri	$25,940
Ohio	$25,670
Alabama	$25,640
Hawaii	$25,620
Florida	$25,330
West Virginia	$25,050
Tennessee	$25,040
Georgia	$24,780
Montana	$24,090
North Dakota	$23,570
Arkansas	$22,440

Tools & Technologies Used by Telemarketers

Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Telemarketers may use on a daily basis:

• Microsoft Outlook
• Microsoft Dynamics
• Microsoft Word
• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Excel

How do I Become a Telemarketer?

What education or degrees do I need to become a Telemarketer?

How Long Does it Take to Become Telemarketer?

Where Telemarketers Are Employed

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics

College Factual

O*NET Online

Image Credit: Via Wikimedia Commons