The Power of Effective Teleprospecting in B2B Sales

While having a review call with the Sales Manager of a  Fortune 100 client this week, I was humbled by his overall feedback of how Dunlap Marketing is moving the needle forward for his team.

The main reason for our call was to review recent appointments that Dunlap Marketing had produced for the sales team.  After reviewing the sequence of events on a particular prospect, the Sales Manager told me how happy his team was with Dunlap Marketing. I thanked him and then asked why the team felt this way.

He went on to share with me that the teleprospecting services Dunlap Marketing has provided them over the last 8 years has been top notch.  He reminded me that we are not perfect, but we are great.  My ears were burning, I had to know more, so I asked him to explain. Here’s a summary of what he said:

  • 1st – Your quality control process is gutsy, but you seem to filter out events that are probably not yet ready for the sales team to go after – this keeps from wasting the time of my team
  • 2nd – You stand behind your services and you are always available to brainstorm and discuss challenging situations
  • 3rd – You know how to identify the best type of companies that need our services
  • 4th – Your team understands what we do and is therefore better at properly qualifying opportunities prior to scheduling meetings
  • 5th – We receive close to real time delivery and your team provides a detailed explanation of the reason for the meeting
  • 6th – Prospects almost always accept our calendar invitations and they attend the scheduled meeting
  • 7th (and possibly my favorite) – There have been plenty of times that you have scheduled an appointment with companies that we have been struggling to get into, this leading to a quote from one of his sales team members:

“…….after your team set meetings with both companies, I was able to close them.  Both are now platinum accounts.  I had been following up with these companies but was unable to get an appointment.  I am sharing this because I want Dunlap Marketing to get proper credit.”

Regional Sales Manager, 8-year-client

My take away from the conversation – telephone based cold calling is still effective and complements other methods of advertising.  It stands unique because it is a human-to-human conversation and it often penetrates a segment of prospects that do not always participate in other mediums.

For more information on ways to get your own prospecting campaign up and running, read THIS article, 7 Steps to Implementing a Smart Calling Program

Contact Mike Dunlap, mdunlap@dunlapmarketing.com, with questions and inquiries. 

Dunlap Intern Q&A Cont.

By: Tammy Tran 

Welcome back to our internship series! Recently, our interns gave us a glimpse into their day-to-day tasks at Dunlap Marketing. From market data research to cold calling, our interns were fully immersed in learning about behaviors of prospective clients. They have put in their fair share of hard work this summer! These future business leaders have learned a lot this summer and without further ado, let’s dive into part 2 of our intern Q&A!

Click here for part 1 of our intern Q&A. 

        

How would you describe your experience this summer?

“Overall, my experience at Dunlap was positive and I am truly grateful to have participated in their internship program. Everyone here welcomed me and the other interns immediately and made us feel like very crucial parts of the company, which is something rare for an internship.”

Owen Steinle, Sport, Strategy, Sales, Baylor University 

“Overall, my experience interning at Dunlap Marketing this summer has been amazing from the leadership of Mike and Kaitlin to our weekly breakout sessions to gain industry knowledge from other professionals.” 

  -Tammy Tran, Marketing, Texas A&M University 

“I would say that I had a great experience at Dunlap this summer, I was able to do quality work while also being in a great work environment. I am grateful that I was able to work for Dunlap this summer and I believe that it is an internship that sets me up nicely for the future.”

Marshall McDuffie, Finance, Baylor University

            

What are your major takeaways from the internship?

“My major takeaway from working at Dunlap is that my communication skills have vastly improved. I am now able to talk to anybody and not have any kind of anxiety on the phone. Secondly, I learned a ton about being a young professional, improving my resume, building my network, and how to create a stable financial budget – which were all topics we covered in our weekly breakout sessions”

-Marshall McDuffie, Finance, Baylor University

“One of my major takeaways has been improving my communication skills, especially through cold calls and setting appointments.” 

-Tammy Tran, Marketing, Texas A&M University

Is there anything that you have learned here that will be beneficial in your future within the business world? If so, what is it?

“One thing I learned is the importance of being involved in professional organizations. There is an assumption that when you graduate from college, leaving all your university’s programs and clubs, you will have to be “on your own” in the professional world. I learned this is not the case and there are numerous opportunities to be in an organization with like-minded people working in the same field as me, which is comforting.”

 -Owen Steinle, Sports, Strategy, Sales, Baylor University

  “I learned the first impressions you have with others, business or social, are vital to the relationships down the road and those connections and networks can help shape your career path.”   

-Tammy Tran. Marketing, Texas A&M University 

It’s been a terrific three months here at Dunlap Marketing! We are proud to be part of our intern’s continued growth and anxiously await to see the impact they will have on the business world. For even more on our 2022 summer interns, check out our Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Summer 2022 Intern Blog PT 1

By: Tammy Tran

Summer has flown by in a blink of an eye and our Dunlap Marketing interns are gearing up to return to campus. For the past seven years, Dunlap Marketing has been passionate about developing the next generation of aspiring business leaders with our summer internship program which allows college students to gain valuable real-world experience and essential knowledge, all while growing their professional skills in a supportive and encouraging environment. The heart of our internship program is without a doubt, our dedicated leadership team that works hands-on with our interns to prepare them for their post-graduate careers.

This year Dunlap Marketing was excited to welcome three college students, from Baylor University and Texas A&M University, onboard our program. They worked on various entry-level campaigns, such as research calls and basic surveys. “We have been gathering marketing data through different mediums all summer. We have called hundreds of people, representing numerous companies, to help these companies better understand their target market,” said Owen Steinle, Baylor University. Contributing to the success of these campaigns, interns gained skills in cold-calling, lead generation, social media marketing, and B2B marketing. 

Here’s what our interns had to say about their work this summer!

“Throughout my internship at Dunlap Marketing, I got opportunity to work on several B2B campaigns, work with Kaitlin to learn the ins and outs of social media logistics and apply my creativity with managing the Dunlap Marketing social media accounts.”

– Tammy Tran, Marketing, Texas A&M University

“In summary, I would call what we did this summer ‘marketing grunt work’ because we captured the data that might initially seem insignificant, but in reality, is absolutely crucial to the marketing and sales processes.”

Owen Steinle, Sports, Strategy, Sales, Baylor University

Of course, our summer internship programs would not be complete without our weekly breakout sessions led by Kaitlin Dunlap Cuevas. Breakout sessions function to bridge the gap between what they’ve learned in class and how to apply it. Interns had the opportunity to have Q&As with both, Mike Dunlap and Kaitlin Dunlap Cuevas and learn from industry experts on young professional involvement, personal finance, resume optimization, and much more. It has been a wonderful summer with the addition of these talented individuals, and we can’t wait to see what comes next for them!

“My favorite thing about working at Dunlap was the breakout sessions. I learned a ton from talking to Kaitlin, Mike, and the other professionals that we met with. I felt like they were so beneficial for all the interns, and they became my favorite part of the weeks.”

Marshall McDuffie, Finance, Baylor University   

Stay tuned for next week’s blog where our interns talk about their experience being Dunlap interns and what they’ve learned. For even more on our 2022 summer interns, check out our Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. To read about our previous summer interns, check them out here; 2021, 2020, 2017, and 2016!

What the 2021 Summer Interns Have Learned – Part 2

Written by Audrey Tuttle

Last week, our blog featured an exciting post showing off this year’s summer interns. This week, we wanted to write an equally exciting post continuing the Q&A with these special individuals. Dunlap Marketing is determined to prepare these aspiring businesspeople with everything they will need to know prior to entering the business world.

Without further ado, here is part two!

What is your favorite thing about working at Dunlap Marketing?

“I really enjoy our weekly breakout sessions. I feel like I have learned a lot this summer through that time with Kaitlin. She has taught us many valuable lessons that we can start applying to our lives now, but that will be especially important post-college graduation.” – Amy Djuvik, Texas A&M University, Supply Chain Management

“My favorite thing about working at Dunlap has been collaborating and working with other interns. It is nice to have people my age in a professional setting!” – Scott Ashmore, Texas A&M University, Finance Major

How has your experience been working with the leadership team at Dunlap Marketing?

“Working with Kaitlin and Mike has been such an amazing experience. They encourage you to ask for help when needed which allowed me to perform my job duties to the best of my ability. They have created a warm and welcoming work environment that generates the desire to come into the office each and every day and truly enjoy the work that I do.” – Molly Rhoden, University of Oklahoma, Business Management Major

Is there anything that you have learned here that will be beneficial in your future within the business world? If so, what is it?

“The detail that goes into a lot of things can show people that you care and that they are valued, so I think that is something that can really help me in the future if I remember to always pay attention to details.” – Daniel Corteguera, Southwestern University, Business Major and Spanish Minor

“I think learning to be comfortable with cold calls has been very beneficial because no matter what you do you will have to talk to people and being able to make a good first impression quickly will help in all areas of life; business and social.”- Amy Djuvik, Texas A&M University, Supply Chain Management

We have had an incredible summer watching these interns grow within many areas of our company, and we are excited to see the impact that they each will make on the business world.