The distinction between prospecting and telesales is in the quality and purpose of the call. For example, when you pick up the phone to speak with a prospect, are you giving them your quick elevator pitch or trying to engage them in a professional business conversation? The purpose of the call and desired outcomes are what makes this distinction so crucial.
This issue is not whether telesales or prospecting work, it’s that they are two completely different approaches beyond both being outbound sales call techniques. One is designed to secure the transactional sale and the other is a discovery call to qualify a suspect to the prospect stage.
The idea behind a prospecting call is focused on discovering if there is potential alignment between two parties and, if so, building a relationship with the prospect rather than selling them over the phone. This call is strategic in nature in that it is designed to identify the decision-maker and lay the groundwork for later sales contact.
