1) IVM can make outbound calls to a list of numbers automatically and present the callee with a message or list of options (e.g. for press 1 campaigns)
2) No this is not a Scam. IVM is designed to manage inbound and outbound business calls and can be used as an outbound dialer to deliver Telemarketing messages.
3) Yes it is for real. How do you think other Telemarketing messages are delivered to so many people every day without software that can take care of it automatically?
4) IVM can be downloaded (free trial) from http://www.nch.com.au/ivm/index.html
A License costs between $50 and $700 depending on what license you need and what discounts are available.
For outbound telemarketing message calls, the recommended license is either "Small Interactive System" or "Professional", both are under $300 and can be significantly less depending on the discount promotion
5) It is up to you to get the phone numbers. Be sure to adhere to all legal regulations when making calls. Some countries have national do not call lists which makes it illegal to call anyone on the list. Other countries have legal restrictions that prevent you from making telemarketing calls to 'random people' who have not shown direct interest in your products or services, or the products or services of a partner company. Furthermore some countries even go as far as to require that all telemarketing calls are proceeded by a call that says something to the effect of "The next phone call you will receive is a telemarketing call. If you wish not to receive this phone call please press 1, otherwise hang-up now. There are some online communities out there where telemarketers exchange numbers to call with other telemarketers.
6) IVM works with either VoIP, a professional telephony board (connects to your normal phone line, provides professional quality audio), or a standard TAPI compliant Voice Modem (somewhat poorer quality).
7) We do not provide legal advice here. You should consult with a professional to determine what the laws are in your area, or the area you plan on telemarketing to. As I said earlier, there are several countries now with national Do Not Call lists which may make it illegal for you to call them if their number appears on the list. Additionally there may be legal regulations which require you to set your caller ID to a number that the callee can phone back to and add their number to the local (your own) do not call list. IVM can also handle this and create a list of numbers not to call if you want, but this will require a custom set-up.
8) There is no cost to you per month except for call charges from your telephone company. Note that the agreement between you and your telephone provider may legally forbid you from making outbound telemarketing calls using their phone lines, especially if they are considered 'residential' lines.
The best/recommended method for telemarketing calls is to use VoIP. VoIP providers are usually more relaxed about usage than your normal telephone companies and some of the services out there specialize in providing high-demand VoIP services to call centers and telemarketers.
VoIP typically costs nothing compared to your traditional phone line. If you look up 'wholesale termination voip' on Google, you will find VoIP services that will offer calling to anywhere in the U.S.A or Canada for as low as 1 to 3 cents a minute, compared to the 8 to 12 cents a minute your phone company is likely charging. In addition, many wholesale termination providers will not charge you additional monthly fees, so you are only paying for what you use at extremely low rates. Other advantages of VoIP include the ability to make several concurrent calls at the same time using the same VoIP line. There is also the added benefit of not having to purchase any additional equipment.