Using Family for Telemarketing

[mrtomy]

I have a son attending college majoring in Computer Science/Human Computer Interaction, and if he cannot get any work this summer due to the economy and the area we live in, I wonder if I could use him to do any telemarketing for me, and he would get a draw + commission on any leads he can generate. Has anyone tried this before? He has a good speaking voice, is friendly and I'm sure can be trained to do it. Is there a place where I can get a list of phone numbers in my area for a niche market? If so, what is the approximate amount of monies I should expect to pay for the list?

 

[jerry176]

I have a son attending college majoring in Computer Science/Human Computer Interaction, and if he cannot get any work this summer due to the economy and the area we live in, I wonder if I could use him to do any telemarketing for me, and he would get a draw + commission on any leads he can generate. Has anyone tried this before? He has a good speaking voice, is friendly and I'm sure can be trained to do it. Is there a place where I can get a list of phone numbers in my area for a niche market? If so, what is the approximate amount of monies I should expect to pay for the list?

Contact Josh MedicarePlanSolutions on the forum.
He can help with a list & a dialer.

 

[padthaiforlunch]

Poor boy. Intent on pushing him from the nest, eh?

 

[Rearden]

#1 Rule of Running Your Business: Never hire family.

 

[TwiLight]

I have a son attending college majoring in Computer Science/Human Computer Interaction, and if he cannot get any work this summer due to the economy and the area we live in, I wonder if I could use him to do any telemarketing for me, and he would get a draw + commission on any leads he can generate. Has anyone tried this before? He has a good speaking voice, is friendly and I'm sure can be trained to do it. Is there a place where I can get a list of phone numbers in my area for a niche market? If so, what is the approximate amount of monies I should expect to pay for the list?

First, Hiring family/friends is a bad business idea. Never works and only creates future problems. Let him stand on his own, he will thank you for it in later years.

Also, this business is not for everyone and takes knowledge and training in interpersonal skills to master the phone. He will have to get used to hearing 99 no's before 1 yes. Not everyone can come up with the inner strength to handle that kind of rejection without good training.

There are many list specialist on the forum that can assist you. First try Mark Rosenthal aka "markingriffin" on the forum of Welcome Insurance Agents-Home Page. He has a wealth of info on his site for listers and such.

 

[Norwayguy]

I have a son attending college majoring in Computer Science/Human Computer Interaction, and if he cannot get any work this summer due to the economy and the area we live in, I wonder if I could use him to do any telemarketing for me, and he would get a draw + commission on any leads he can generate. Has anyone tried this before? He has a good speaking voice, is friendly and I'm sure can be trained to do it. Is there a place where I can get a list of phone numbers in my area for a niche market? If so, what is the approximate amount of monies I should expect to pay for the list?

Unless he is licensed you can not legally pay him a commission based on a sale from a lead he generated. Also you want to hire family...really

 

[Josh]

Although I think there is some merit to not hiring family, that wouldn't be my biggest concern with your situation. A good telemarketer is hard to find and requires a certain personality type. If your son is a computer science major, odds are he wouldn't make a particularly great telemarketer. If you find the right person to do your telemarketing, you probably will have been through hiring at least five or ten of them.

How much telemarketing have you done?
What lines of insurance do you want him to call for?

 

[Frank Stastny]

How much telemarketing have you done?

This was also going to be my question.

If he isn't well schooled and successful at doing his own telemarketing then it is going to be very difficult for him to train his son to do it successfully.

There is a learning curve to using the phone successfully. One must know how to maintain control of the call and how to smoothly transition the call into a conversation.

 

[mrtomy]

Thanks for all the feedback. That's why I love this forum!

 

[ActingBoss]

This was also going to be my question.

If he isn't well schooled and successful at doing his own telemarketing then it is going to be very difficult for him to train his son to do it successfully.

There is a learning curve to using the phone successfully. One must know how to maintain control of the call and how to smoothly transition the call into a conversation.

"smoothly transition the call into a conversation".....upon which the telemarketer would almost certainly be participating in the material functions of an agent, and this person is not licensed, which is illegal............not that that would stop the 99% of agents who are on this forum.

Even if you illogicallly parse words and say "not necessarily would they be performing under the guise of an agent", its too risky for an owner to involve himself with it. One false move and you risk an $11k fine, a complaint, and maybe a suspension/sanction. ....its just not worth it.

The fact he wants to hire a family member is, of course, beyond foolish.