The sales process for complex solutions such as high-end software, complex financial instruments and engineering solutions requires a very different approach than simple telemarketing for say, lower telephone costs.

The value proposition, telemarketing process and follow up all need to be thought through well in advance of picking up the phone to make sure that the first impression makes the right impact.

The following five suggestions are based on a wide range of UK business to business telemarketing campaigns that Ridge Marketing has implemented, and has also been used successfully in many of our UK telesales projects.

1. Don't use a Script: Contrary to standard thinking, a formal, structured script can actually limit success in UK telemarketing for complex sales. Instead, use an informal flexible "Call Guide" that guides the caller through a conversational approach that enables "Consultative Selling" rather than monotonous script reading.

2. Customise the Pitch for each Functional Head: If you are calling the CFO, have a Return on Investment focused pitch. If you are calling the CTO, give them the technical pitch. Never, ever give someone like a CFO a technical opening pitch or your telemarketing project will fail.

3. Focus on the Prospects business issues that you can solve: Don't just talk about your company and your products features. Prospects aren't interested in this initially, theyh just want to know if you can solve their problems.

4. Limit your Opening Pitch to 7 seconds: Senior Decision Makers simply won't listen to an opener any longer than this. If you haven't got their attention within seven seconds, they are already bored and putting the phone down.

5. Don't Rush it: In complex sales, the sale happens as part of a process. It is not a single event. If you push too hard, too fast with your telemarketing call you will turn off the Prospect. Simply use the call to set up a next step in the sales process.

Michael Kelly is Managing Director of Ridge Marketing, a company that provides UK Telemarketing and Telesales solutions. The company provides telemarketing to all industries, and has particular expertise in the financial services and information technology sectors. Michael can be reached at telemarketinguk@marketingformulas.com or www.marketingformulas.com .