Industrial marketing managers are increasingly turning to approaches such as telemarketing and sales seminars as adjuncts to more traditional communications approaches. This study investigates the effective use of telemarketing and sales seminars for the purpose of new account development using a social influence theoretical approach. An experiment in an actual industrial marketing field setting was carried out. The study found that use of the “Foot-in-the-Door” (FITD) social influence technique on the telephone could successfully increase verbal compliance and actual attendance at a sales seminar, but could not actually increase sales. The study also suggests that social influence techniques such as the FITD should be used with discretion so as to avoid negative reaction effects.
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