Telemarketing - the planned and controlled use of the telephone for sales and marketing - has been one of the fastest growing marketing activities for the last 20 years. It is estimated that in excess of 5 billion pounds a year is spent on telemarketing in the UK alone. Growth looks set to continue, with more and more companies recognizing the benefits of telemarketing. It allows direct personal communication with customers and prospects they can get immediate feedback, revising their methods if necessary and continually measuring the effectiveness and cost of a campaign. The telephone can be used to help achieve the full spectrum of sales and marketing objectives, from evaluating new markets, booking qualified appointments and account servicing, to response handling, customer care and crisis management. As more and more companies adopt telemarketing as a key component in their business strategy, there is a clear need for sound guidance and advice on how to use it professionally. This comprehensive Handbook provides the answers. The Handbook of Telemarketing gives a thorough grounding in the subject, covering all the significant issues, including: applications, benefits and costs; the role of inbound and outbound telemarketing in the marketing mix; selecting and briefing an agency; setting up an in-house operation; staff recruitment, training and development; legal requirements and good practice initiative; planning, implementing and managing a campaign.