telemarketing

American  

[tel-uh-mahr-ki-ting] / ˈtɛl əˌmɑr kɪ tɪŋ /

noun

1. selling or advertising by telephone.

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telemarketing British  

/ ˈtɛlɪˌmɑːkɪtɪŋ /

noun

1. another name for telesales

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• telemarketer
  noun

Etymology

Origin of telemarketing

tele- ¹ + marketing

Explanation

While many people may simply define telemarketing as annoying, it’s actually the practice of companies calling to promote or sell products and services over the phone — often just when you’re about to sit down for dinner. The word telemarketing combines the prefix tele-, meaning "distant," with the word marketing, to describe the practice of selling products or services over the phone. Telemarketers reach out to potential customers, offering deals, promotions, or information about new products, often during the most inconvenient times. While some find it annoying, telemarketing has been a common sales tactic since the 20th century, allowing businesses to connect directly with consumers.

Example Sentences

The lawsuit alleges Lansky and Reeves violated the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, the Telemarketing Sales Rule and other federal and state telemarketing and consumer laws.

From Washington Times • May 24, 2023

Telemarketing and scamming calls have been on the rise in countries like India, where users gets about 17 spam calls per month on average, according to a 2021 report by Truecaller.

From Reuters • May 8, 2023

Telemarketing robocalls have been illegal since Sept. 1, 2009.

From New York Times • Jul. 12, 2021

Telemarketing was a similar form of labor, but at least they paid me $7.75 an hour to parrot their script.

From Salon • Jun. 22, 2018

Telemarketing, one of the first refuges of the suddenly indigent, can be dismissed on grounds of personality.

From "Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America" by Barbara Ehrenreich