Telemarketing is a very common form of marketing companies use to connect with potential customers of their products or services. Historically, telemarketing consisted of companies making telephone calls to existing or potential customers. With new technology, telemarketing has expanded to include video conferencing calls as well, although those are typically conducted with existing customers. Telemarketing is often used to try to sell a product or service, but it can also take the form of surveys or information gathering. For instance, political campaigns use telemarketing heavily prior to elections to inquire about voting preferences.