How familiar are you with [your company/product type]?
Posted: Tue May 27, 2025 7:19 am
When a telemarketer asks, "How familiar are you with [your company/product type]?" they are employing a crucial qualifying question designed to gauge the prospect's existing knowledge and tailor the subsequent conversation. This question is particularly effective early in a cold call, after a permission-based opening and perhaps a brief value statement.
The Strategy Behind This Question
Assesses Existing Knowledge and Avoids Redundancy:
The primary goal is to determine if the prospect already buy telemarketing data knows about the company, the specific product, or the general category of solutions.
If they're highly familiar, the telemarketer avoids wasting time on basic introductions and can immediately dive into more advanced discussions, differentiation, or specific use cases.
If they have no familiarity, the telemarketer knows they need to start with foundational education.
Tailors the Pitch:
The answer directly dictates the depth and breadth of the information the telemarketer should provide next.
High Familiarity: "Oh, I know X company, you do Y." -> "That's great! You're right, we do Y, but specifically, I'm calling because we've recently helped companies like yours [specific new benefit/feature]." (Dive deeper or differentiate).
Some Familiarity: "I've heard the name, but I'm not sure what you do." -> "No problem at all. In a nutshell, we help businesses like yours [brief, compelling value proposition]." (Provide a concise overview).
No Familiarity: "Never heard of you." -> "Perfect. Let me briefly explain who we are and why I thought this might be relevant. We specialize in helping companies [brief value proposition]." (Start from scratch, but keep it concise).
Identifies Potential Misconceptions:
Sometimes, prospects might have some familiarity but their understanding is outdated or inaccurate. Their answer can reveal these misconceptions, allowing the telemarketer to correct them.
"Oh, aren't you just for really big enterprises?" -> "Actually, while we do serve large enterprises, we've recently developed solutions perfect for mid-market companies like yours..."
Gauges Interest Level (Indirectly):
While not its primary purpose, a prospect's willingness to engage with this question and their level of detail in their answer can also hint at their overall interest.
Builds Rapport by Meeting Them Where They Are:
By starting at the prospect's current level of understanding, the telemarketer shows respect for their time and knowledge, making the conversation more effective and less frustrating for the prospect.
The Strategy Behind This Question
Assesses Existing Knowledge and Avoids Redundancy:
The primary goal is to determine if the prospect already buy telemarketing data knows about the company, the specific product, or the general category of solutions.
If they're highly familiar, the telemarketer avoids wasting time on basic introductions and can immediately dive into more advanced discussions, differentiation, or specific use cases.
If they have no familiarity, the telemarketer knows they need to start with foundational education.
Tailors the Pitch:
The answer directly dictates the depth and breadth of the information the telemarketer should provide next.
High Familiarity: "Oh, I know X company, you do Y." -> "That's great! You're right, we do Y, but specifically, I'm calling because we've recently helped companies like yours [specific new benefit/feature]." (Dive deeper or differentiate).
Some Familiarity: "I've heard the name, but I'm not sure what you do." -> "No problem at all. In a nutshell, we help businesses like yours [brief, compelling value proposition]." (Provide a concise overview).
No Familiarity: "Never heard of you." -> "Perfect. Let me briefly explain who we are and why I thought this might be relevant. We specialize in helping companies [brief value proposition]." (Start from scratch, but keep it concise).
Identifies Potential Misconceptions:
Sometimes, prospects might have some familiarity but their understanding is outdated or inaccurate. Their answer can reveal these misconceptions, allowing the telemarketer to correct them.
"Oh, aren't you just for really big enterprises?" -> "Actually, while we do serve large enterprises, we've recently developed solutions perfect for mid-market companies like yours..."
Gauges Interest Level (Indirectly):
While not its primary purpose, a prospect's willingness to engage with this question and their level of detail in their answer can also hint at their overall interest.
Builds Rapport by Meeting Them Where They Are:
By starting at the prospect's current level of understanding, the telemarketer shows respect for their time and knowledge, making the conversation more effective and less frustrating for the prospect.