by Doug Gravis,  Gravis Media

Reaching potential voters – regardless of the type of campaign is extremely difficult. From taking time to compile detailed voter lists to creating a platform on which to run, the process that campaign managers often undertake to capture those important undecided voters has truly become a full-time job in itself. And without question, one of the best ways to achieve positive results, while streamlining time and saving money; is by depending on the services of a professional telemarketing company that specializes in planning, activating and managing a targeted political telemarketing platform.

However, before you begin to search for the best political telemarketing corporation, there are a few things you should accomplish that will help you streamline this process; and find the right organization to allow your campaign to achieve measureable results.

Create a Marketing Plan of Potential Targets

There are several different types of telemarketing agencies across the globe. From direct sales associates that use robocalls or overseas agents, to full-service political marketing agencies; that can guide you through the entire process. But, one important item that you should have in place before shopping for any company to work with is a solid strategy of who you intend on targeting.
When planning a campaign, it's always best to ask yourself a few important questions including:

• Will you be targeting certain organizations, clubs, party line voters, businesses or directly to independent voters?

•  Will your campaign require the assistance of the telemarketing company to help you draft an effective message that can be fine-tuned to reach a particular voting segment – or are you planning on handling all communication?

• Does your political campaign have a the use of proactive tools such as live call centers, direct mail, email and text marketing programs available?

Once you determine your needs you can then begin the search for a qualified political marketing agency that can help you fine tune your message and capture vital voter data and feedback that will net positive results.

Tip #2 – Set up a Consultation with the Telemarketing Agency
After you've taken time to plan your needs, the next step is gathering a list of potential agencies that can provide you with all the services you require – and more if needed. It's always best to come up with a list of at least three independent agencies that all fit within your campaigns requirements. When you speak with anybody at the agency, ask to set up an official consultation where you can outline your goals and objectives and ask other important questions of the agency you intend on hiring such as:

• Do they have referrals that our campaign can contact? It's always a positive sign when a telemarketing company will actively provide you with detailed lists of referrals that fit close to the type of campaign you are running.

• Besides your core telemarketing needs, what other services can they offer your campaign? And can the telemarketing agency provide valuable and easy to access voter data? What is the agencies pricing method? Some telemarketing agencies bill per minute or hourly rates, while some also charge per service. Regardless of their method of payment, make sure it fits within your budget and your campaigns operational philosophy.

• Where are they located? The reality is that overseas call center locations tend to have issues with direct communication. However, it's also a positive to retain the services of a call center that has bi-lingual capabilities.

• Can they help train your staff to handle some telemarketing duties? This is rare in many telemarketing companies however ask them if they have a program that will help you set up your own in-house call center. Not only can this help off-set some costs, but it will empower your volunteers who can clearly articulate your campaigns message to potential voters.
  • Does the telemarketing company have access to set up Telephone Town Hall meetings which will permit you to connect directly with thousands of potential registered voters?

Tip #3 – Select the Political Telemarketing Agency that Provide the best ROI

Measuring return on investment is very difficult for any industry. However, when it comes to managing a political campaign and retaining the services of a qualified telemarketing company, ROI is rather simply defined – pick the agency that produces positive results. With fewer individuals donating to campaigns these days, it's vitally important to spend money wisely – especially on gathering vital voter data. Just make sure that whoever you work with has a positive track record on managing successful campaigns similar to yours.

It's often said that the most successful ventures have two things in common – organization & structure. By working with a professional political telemarketing company that has vast experience in managing campaigns similar to yours, not only will you have better success in reaching those valuable voters, but you'll also be able to reduce the stress that comes with managing any campaign – regardless of size.