Calling someone who you barely know is quite a challenge. How much more if you are talking to the gatekeepers? These gatekeepers screen calls preventing you from reaching your target – the decision makers. And it would be unfortunate if that happens! How are you going to set an appointment if you couldn’t even talk directly to the decision makers? How will you get more sales appointments per week if that’s the case?
Cold calling and schedule client appointments could be a problem to those who are not well-trained to handle rebuttals. In fact, it’s not for everyone. And getting past the gatekeepers require techniques to be able to reach the important people in the organization. When you find it difficult to turn leads to sales, then you better change your strategy and let professionals handle your calls.
Services like b2b appointment setting could help any startup companies in generating revenue. B2B appointments is a cost-effective solution for lead qualification. Unfortunately, not all leads are qualified for a sale! And that’s why you need the help of experts in the fields of appointment setting and appointment management.
Whether you are a start-up or a Fortune 500 company – or whether you sell simple solutions to the masses or complex products to select companies – your campaigns are designed to make a winning first impression. Appointment setting: It is a universally difficult part of business development, and therefore the most common roadblock to growing your company through increased profitable sales.
In most businesses no sale will happen without first speaking directly with a prospect. If you can get in front of (or on the phone or computer with) a prospect, you can make the sale, right? The presentation itself is rarely the challenge; getting the presentation set up is. Your success as an entrepreneur/sales person requires you to become a proficient appointment setter.
Consider the following tips to set appointments effectively:
Practice makes perfect. What a better way to master rebuttals is to practice what you preach. Do a role play and mock up calls and list down possible questions to prepare.
Write a good script. Create a conversational script. The script should contain necessary information in laying out your product and service.
Don’t upsell. Let the conversation flow normally. Don’t sound like you’re desperate to make a sell. Remember, you are still talking to the gatekeepers.
Acknowledge concerns and criticisms. Not all calls will turn out the way you want it to. Politely acknowledge complaints and rebut it properly.
Focus on getting to the decision maker. Don’t make the call too long. Get into action by directing it to the lead.
Be ready with your calendar. Your scheduling tool is as important as the lead. Have it around always for a smooth conversation.
Balance the communication. The sales team need to understand that any appointment should be mutually beneficial. This means that they need to listen more than they speak.
Don’t rely on cold-calling too much. Who said that cold calling was the only way to help set up an appointment? In this multimedia world, there are multiple ways to set appointments and people prefer alternative methods.
Ask for referrals. Potential clients will be more likely to speak with an organisation if they have been referred to them by a friend or family member.
Don’t pressure the prospect. As an appointment setter, it will be expected that you would have “read up” on all the best techniques and tips for selling over the phone, and naturally that may involve applying some pressure. But don’t overdo it!