Call Telemarketing Telemarketer Sales Make U.S Phone Made

Telemarketing is a sales "technique" (way something is done; method) used by many American companies to "promote" (sell; make known) their products or services. Telemarketing, or sales by phone, is an industry that "grosses" (earns) over 200 billion dollars a year in the U.S.

Traditional businesses are not the only ones who use telemarketing; many other types of organizations in the U.S. also use this powerful tool to their advantage. "Charities" (organizations that make no profit) use phone calls as a way to raise both money and "awareness" (making something known) for their "cause" (what someone believes in and works for). Political parties and "candidates" (a person who runs for a political position) also use telemarketing to raise "campaign funds" (money for a candidate to advertise, travel, pay employees, etc.) so that they can be elected or re-elected. Often, "market research firms" (companies that make money researching what people like and dislike) will also call customers at home and ask them a series of questions known as a survey; however, these calls do not involve the sale of a product or service.

Businesses and organizations, while very different, all use similar telemarketing techniques. Most calls made by telemarketers are made by "predictive dialing," where a computer, rather than a person, dials a phone number. After a few rings, the computer will "turn the call over" (give the phone) to an available telemarketer. The telemarketer will then ask to speak to the head of the household, and the call will go forward from there, with the telemarketer often immediately "launching" (starting; beginning) into his or her sales pitch.

Because many Americans are annoyed by "unsolicited" (unwanted) calls, there are a few rules governing telemarketing practice in the U.S. Telemarketers must give their name and the name of their company if the person on the other end requests that they do so. Telemarketing calls can only be made between the hours of 8 a.m. and 9 p.m., which unfortunately still does not prevent the unwanted phone call in the middle of dinner!