Selecting the right B2B telemarketing company is a critical decision. Quality varies amongst vendors so it's important to ask some key questions to the B2B telemarketing companies you are considering.

This short article looks at 5 key questions you should ask any B2B telemarketing company to understand if they are a good fit for your business.

1)What is their sector experience?

2)What level can they call into?

3)Where do they source their data?

4)What's their track record?

5)Do they have a results-focused fee structure?

These questions will uncover whether the B2B telemarketing company is right for your business; let's look at them in turn:

1)What is their sector experience?

B2B telemarketing requires an understanding of both the industry sectors being called and the client sectors being worked with. For example, if a B2B telemarketing company has previously worked on campaigns into the financial services sector they will have a good understanding of the language, organisational structures and ?jargon? within that sectors. This is the subtle sector specific understanding that you want your B2B telemarketing company to demonstrate.

Equally, if the B2B telemarketing company has previously worked with companies in your sector, they will have a realistic understanding of the metrics, challenges and objections associated with your specific industry.

2)What level can they call into?

As well as an understanding of the industry and client sectors relevant to your B2B telemarketing campaign, you need to determine whether the B2B telemarketing company you are considering can engage at the right level of decision maker for your requirements.

Calling managers within mid-sector companies presents a different challenge to calling CEO's within FTSE 100 businesses or MD's of SME's.

Ask your B2B telemarketing company how they would engage with your specific audience; how they would get their attention and how they would develop a dialogue with them. Understanding this will element will help you decide whether the B2B telemarketing company is right for you.

3)Where do they source their data?

The success of any B2B telemarketing campaign owes a large part to the quality of the data used. Any B2B telemarketing company you consider should be able to source and acquire good data to ensure they deliver results on your B2B telemarketing campaign.

Ask them where they source the data from, how is it researched and what is the licence for the data. If your B2B telemarketing company is unable to answer these questions, look elsewhere.

4)What's their track record?

Asking your B2B telemarketing company to provide references is an essential part of the evaluation process. B2B telemarketing is a highly fragmented industry with companies that come and go overnight. Being able to demonstrate a track record and provide references for B2B clients, ideally in a similar sector to you, is essential.

Again, if the B2B telemarketing company cannot do this it generally means that they cannot consistently deliver results.

5)Do they have a results-focused fee structure?

Finally, you should ask whether the B2B telemarketing company has a fee structure that is linked to results. Any B2B telemarketing company that can consistently deliver results should be prepared to place part of their fee on the line and link it to performance.

This could be a fee per deliverable (such as a meeting or qualified lead) or a performance fee for hitting specific targets. Either way, you should ensure that your B2B telemarketing company has this results-focused approach.

By asking these questions when you are considering B2B telemarketing companies you can best determine if they are the right fit for your business and whether they will be able to deliver results on your specific B2B telemarketing campaign.

David Regler is Managing Director of Maine Associates Ltd, a B2B telemarketing company specialising in appointment setting, lead generation and B2B telemarketing services.