In my opinion, the greatest mistake telemarketers make is failing to listen. The average telemarketer has a script and doesn’t deviate from it. Listen to the telemarketing calls you receive and you’ll see how true this is.

While I think you need to develop a script and practise it, don’t stick to it slavishly. Instead, aim to get the prospect talking and then listen so you can learn about their business and how you can help them. Successful telemarketing needs to be a dialogue.