Sometimes it's better to have an idea and just implement it without talking about theory and post the results. After talking to a lot of people I respect and some chamber of commerce owners I've become friends with I decided to hire telemarketers as W2 employees with benefits. I have had a great return from telemarketed leads but in all honesty dealing with the insane turn-0ver, hiring people who don't work, etc...is just a huge headache. I will never hire a telemarketing company since I need to be in daily direct control over what's going on.
Too many benefits of hiring them as employees to talk about and took this advice from a financial planner in the chamber who has at-home marketers on salary - one's been with him 4 years. As soon as I told him I hired them as independent contractors he laughed - guessed I had horrible turn-over and lacking performance. Bingo. When people don't have to work, then don't.
So I posted an ad over a week ago and immediately the quality of resumes was much better. Now I'm in the drivers seat during the interview process, can control their hours, and psychologically it's night and day. Most people (probably over 95%) simply do not work well on 1099 "work when you want to work" mentality.
So now this is a job for them not unlike getting up and going to work. The hours are set. You can't work the next day? You need to let me know first. They still need to hit minimum lead targets not unlike a group broker on salary who need to sign up a certain amount of lives per month. Yet on salary that broker goes to work and puts in 8 hours a day - something almost no independent agent does.
I also want to create much more of a family atmosphere. I want everyone to feel like they're a part of something. Each day will start off with a conference call and I have profit sharing plan in place so they have a stake in my success. If not, what would drive them to get more leads after the minimum is hit?
Well, I can already see the quality I'm getting. Lisa put in 2 hours day and got 12 leads. She's on 12 per hour so my leads today are $2 a piece! Because of the profit sharing plan she obviously didn't stop at the minimum. She also knew she had to work today - she's getting paid and it's her job. Just a huge shift in mind set. I also hired her out of 12 fantastic qualified resumes I got and she's who I considered to be the best. Plenty of experience, stay-at-home-mom, single with kids in school during the day - fantastic upbeat voice, amazing attitude. I almost never had people like her apply when it was 1099, no benefits.
Shoot me an email if you know where you can get leads for $2 a pop from small biz owners who know I'm calling to follow-up and no leads allowed from gate keepers. When all the dust settles Lisa will be making a lot of money but I guess the question is what's a great telemarketer worth to me.
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