If you're running outbound sales or support, you know most call campaigns are a grind. You load up a list, hit “start,” and hope for the best. But if you’re using Convoso, you’ve got some real tools at your disposal—if you know how to use them. This guide cuts through the noise and helps you set up and actually improve your call campaigns, without buying into hype or wasting hours on features that don’t move the needle.
Whether you’re managing a small team or running a big dialer operation, here’s how to get the most out of Convoso, avoid common pitfalls, and get your conversion rates moving up.
1. Know Your Goals and Pick the Right Campaign Type
Before you even touch a setting, get clear about what you want. Are you booking appointments, closing sales, or just qualifying leads? If you don’t know, you’re throwing darts blindfolded.
Convoso campaign types: - Preview: Agent sees info before calling—good for high-value leads or compliance-heavy industries. - Progressive: Dials one number per agent, as soon as they’re ready. Safer, but slower. - Predictive: Dials multiple numbers per agent, tries to minimize idle time. Fast, but higher risk of dropped calls or compliance headaches.
Pro tip: Don’t jump to predictive just because it sounds fancy. If your data is lousy or you have few agents, you’ll just burn through leads and get flagged as spam. Start with progressive or preview if you’re new.
2. Build (and Clean) Your Lead List
Honestly, most campaign failures start with junk data. You can tweak settings all day, but if your leads are old, mistyped, or full of DNC numbers, you’re wasting everyone’s time.
What to do: - Scrub your list: Remove duplicates, DNC (Do Not Call), obviously bad numbers, and people who already bought. - Segment by relevance: Group leads by geography, time zone, or product interest. Don’t make your agents guess. - Validate numbers: Use a phone validator if you can. Convoso’s built-in tools help, but don’t expect miracles.
Ignore: Uploading the same batch of leads over and over, hoping for different results. If leads are cold, they’re cold.
3. Set Up Your Campaign in Convoso
Now to the nuts and bolts. Convoso’s campaign setup isn’t rocket science, but there are a few spots that trip people up.
Step-by-step basics: 1. Create a new campaign: In Convoso, go to Campaigns > Add New. Name it something you’ll recognize later. 2. Select the right dialer type (preview, progressive, or predictive, as above). 3. Assign lead lists: Only attach lists that are cleaned and relevant to this campaign. 4. Set caller ID strategy: Rotate numbers to avoid spam flags, but keep it local if possible (people answer local numbers more). 5. Configure call routing: Make sure calls go to the right agents or queues. Don’t dump everyone into one big pool unless your team is interchangeable. 6. Set time zone rules: Only call people at reasonable hours. This is both common sense and the law in many places. 7. Script and dispositions: Load a script if agents need it, but keep it short. Set call outcomes (dispositions) clearly—don’t have 18 variations of “Not Interested.”
Pro tip: If you’re not sure about a setting, start simple. You can always tweak later.
4. Optimize Dialing Settings (Without Spamming People)
Here’s where a lot of folks overcomplicate things or get too aggressive.
- Dialing ratio: If you’re using predictive dialing, don’t crank it to the max. Start with 1.5 or 2:1 (calls:agents) and watch for dropped calls or complaints. If your drop rate goes above 3%, you’re asking for trouble.
- Pacing: Don’t set it and forget it. Check your connection rates and adjust daily. If agents are sitting around, speed up. If they’re overwhelmed, slow down.
- Answering Machine Detection: Turn it on, but know it’s not perfect. Some live calls will get flagged as machines, and vice versa. Test it before rolling out wide.
- Callback handling: Make callbacks easy to schedule and prioritize. Nothing kills a hot lead faster than burying them at the bottom of the list.
What to ignore: Chasing every single “optimization” tip in the forums. Most of them are just noise or only work for huge call centers.
5. Write Scripts That Don’t Suck
Let’s be real: nobody likes being called by a robot. Most scripts are too long, too formal, or too “salesy.”
Keep it simple: - First 10 seconds: Be clear, honest, and get to the point. “Hi, this is Sam with ABC Solar. We spoke last week about your interest in solar panels—is now a good time?” - Don’t argue: If someone says no, mark it and move on. Don’t waste time trying to “overcome objections” on every single call. - Give agents room: Good agents will personalize. Let them. Scripts are a guide, not a straitjacket.
Pro tip: Listen to real calls and cut anything that sounds unnatural. If your agents hate saying it, prospects hate hearing it.
6. Train and Motivate Your Agents (Without Micromanaging)
Even the fanciest dialer can’t save a team that’s checked out or confused.
- Short training: Focus on your pitch, key objections, and how to use Convoso. Skip the hour-long slide decks.
- Live monitoring: Spot-check calls, but don’t hover. Give feedback in real time, not weeks later.
- Share what works: If someone is killing it, have them coach the rest. Peer learning beats endless meetings.
- Keep morale up: High-volume calling is tough. Give real breaks, not just “off the dialer” time.
7. Monitor Results and Tweak (But Don’t Obsess)
Here’s where most people get stuck: drowning in reports. Yes, Convoso gives you a ton of dashboards, but only a few numbers actually matter.
Watch these: - Contact rate: % of calls that reach a human. If it’s low, your data sucks or your caller ID is flagged as spam. - Conversion rate: % of calls that turn into what you want (sales, appointments, etc). - Drop rate: If it’s high, your dialing ratio is too aggressive. - Agent talk time: If it’s low, agents are sitting idle or burning out on bad leads.
What to ignore: Vanity metrics. Nobody cares how many calls you made if nothing closed.
How to iterate: - Change one thing at a time. If you mess with five variables, you’ll never know what helped. - Give changes at least a week unless something is obviously broken. - Talk to your agents. They’ll tell you where the friction is, if you listen.
8. Stay Compliant (and Don’t Be Shady)
Don’t ignore legal stuff. TCPA, DNC lists, local laws—they’re not optional, and Convoso has tools to help stay on the right side.
- Use DNC scrubbing: Always. Update lists regularly.
- Set calling hours: Respect them.
- Consent: If you need it for certain leads (SMS, cell phones), make sure you have it. Don’t risk it.
Pro tip: If you’re not sure about a regulation, ask a lawyer. Fines are way more expensive than a consult.
Summary: Keep It Simple, Keep It Moving
Call campaigns in Convoso aren’t magic. The basics—good data, simple scripts, honest feedback—beat any “growth hack.” Start small, keep your process lean, and tweak as you go. Don’t chase every new feature or overcomplicate things. You’ll see better conversion rates, happier agents, and fewer headaches.
Now, go fix what actually matters and leave the rest.