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Mr. Schwartz's address, entitled "What Telemarketing Does For American Business...The Untold Story," will launch a dynamic program of educational conference sessions, special events and industry forums.
Schwartz, who describes himself as "a bit of an entrepreneur," began his career in telephone sales in 1969, while still in high school, as a phone sales rep with Roberts Advertising in Chicago. In 1973, while a college student, he founded APAC Radio America (today a sister company), a business media service to broker radio and cable time utilizing telephone sales techniques. He quickly built it into the largest and most successful business of its kind.
In 1981, Schwartz was introduced to modern telemarketing, and he promptly greeted the industry by introducing the practice of a tape-recorded close. Then, in 1986, Schwartz, realizing the potential, decided the time had come to form APAC Telemarketing (now APAC TeleServices), and has established the agency as one of the fastest growing in the country.
Schwartz regularly speaks to university marketing students throughout the country, and also at TBT(R) (Telemarketing and Business Telecommunications(R)), direct marketing association and other industry events.
In this exclusive interview, Schwartz shares his insights into the telemarketing industry of today and the future, issues of concern on pending legislation, and offers tips on how and why corporate America should use a quality service agency.
TM(R): HAS OUR COUNTRY'S ECONOMIC RECESSION AFFECTED THE TELEMARKETING BUSINESS? IF SO, HOW?
SCHWARTZ: The recession has started to affect the telemarketing industry to the extent that certain marketing programs have experienced lower response rates. Consumers are more cautious and spending less, and the competition for their dollars is more intense.
On the other hand, telemarketing as a whole is still growing as new applications are developed.
Many Fortune 500 corporations are starting to get their feet wet in telemarketing. They are discovering an efficient marketing channel for their products or services, and a way to realize a better return on their marketing investment.
TM(R): PLEASE PROVIDE YOUR VIEWS ON HOW TELEMARKETING SERVICE AGENCIES CAN BENEFIT CORPORATE AMERICA.
SCHWARTZ: There are several ways to look at this. Primarily, service agencies provide a cost-effective marketing and research medium for corporate dollars to achieve their goals, and save corporations the expense necessary for capital equipment and skilled...