Appointment setting is an integral component of any business. It is what stands between businesses and their qualified prospects. Unfortunately, only 2% of cold calls result in an appointment. That leaves companies struggling against a pretty steep challenge. The question is, how can you get the appointments you need to nurture leads?
The experts have figured it out. Some use and appointment setting service to connect with potential clients in person. Others ask their sales team to do it for them. Wherever your business stands, you need some sort of skill set to jump that 2% number up to 50% or more.
However, there are secrets to successful appointment setting. As professionals, we’ve experienced in securing appointments for clients who otherwise would have ended up being turned down. Here’s how we do it.
Timing is Everything
One of the first rules of appointment setting is timing. Most decision makers aren’t the 9-5 types. They also have gatekeepers who work different hours. Some get to the office as early as 6 am. Others, stay late to 7 pm. The trick is to time your calls perfectly.
It’s easier said than done. One way you can figure out the best time to call or shoot an email is to size up your prospect. Do a bit of research about their business and culture. See if they’re more laid back and work later, or more traditional and stick to a tight schedule. This should give you a more accurate picture of when to call.
As a general rule of thumb, however, it’s best to call or email first thing in the day. Many do so as early as 4 am (email, not call!). That puts their message front and center for their client before they break into any other task.
Get smart about timing to catch your prospect at the best time for them.
Prepare, Prepare & Prepare Some More
Preparation is another potent secret of appointment making services. The pros use data bases, information dumps, and other information to prepare before they call.
Before you can convince anyone to set an appointment, you first have to know what needs to be said to make them take action. Know with crystal-clear clarity what your value proposition is before you ever make a phone call. You need to know what it is about your service/partnership/product that is enticing to your prospect. Each person is different. Spend time dissecting what their concerns are and how you can answer them.
Tailoring your call to your customer is an easy way to increase appointments. Search the company’s values and mission statements and determine their culture before you make your call. Outline these important tidbits of information and prepare your statement before picking up the phone or sending your email.
Stay Away from Aggressiveness
It’s tempting to push people into saying “yes,” but that’s a strategy that will get you nowhere. Not to mention that you don’t want to set appointments with individuals who don’t want to speak with you. Our appointment setting service is designed to use a calm yet seductive approach. Qualified prospects are always treated with respect and not given a copied and pasted script (see the point above).
Courteous, respectful, and time-conscious callers have a far better success rate than those who shove a sales pitch down prospects’ throats.
Ask prospects questions and answer any they have for you. Never use pressure. Lure and seduce to get the best results.
For example, instead of saying “you really need our service now,” you can say something like “we contacted you today because this special offer is about to expire.” Using a sense of urgency is more likely to get people engaged with your offer than pressure techniques. Facts, persuasive language, and customer case studies go much further in securing a quality sales appointment.
Leverage Dynamic Sellers & Scripts
Another tool to add to your belt is dynamic sellers and scripts. We lightly touched on script writing, but without a good delivery, your message will be dead in the water.
Our appointment making service utilizes scripts based on the highlights of what’s being offered. We hone in on the greatest value propositions. We write out the best way to clarify these points to particular prospects. Of course, dynamic sales people also know how to adjust the call to match the pain points the customer has. That’s a skill that’s not easily taught either.
Fortunately, we have on staff high-quality sales people who are highly skilled at changing the conversation as needed. They research the prospects’ market to see what they would be most interested in learning about. The result is a well tied together appointment sales call.
Should you need assistance with your appointment setting, consider using our appointment setting service. Our highly skilled team can pin point pain points, study and research qualified prospects, and secure an appointment that’s mutually beneficial for your company. If you need an appointment making service, consider using our team.