Setting B2B Appointments That Pay Off
January 20, 2015
You share something in common with other business owners: You’re all busy and you don’t have a lot of time to be “pitched” by salespeople. To be effective in setting appointments with other companies, you need to focus on commonality, problem-solving ability and professionalism. Don’t try to close a sale on the first call; focus on setting a meeting and take the sales process from there…..by Lisa McQuerrey, Demand Media
The advice and tips are pretty general, with basic ‘be professional’, ‘get to the point’, and first ask for an appointment to respect the executive’s time. What makes the difference is persistence, it can take several calls to get through to the right decision maker in order to set up a qualified appointment. It is important to have the sales team involved in the process, however it’s best when done in balance with preparation, research, and face time selling. This is why it makes sense to have a dedicated business development team working on the company’s behalf to increase the number and quality of appointment opportunities. Augmenting new business opportunities is what Intelemark appointment setters do on behalf of clients desiring to get in the door of Fortune 500 companies. -by Mike Kristiansen
Provide Options
Don’t ask for an appointment. Instead, provide a few options for meeting times and ask the prospect which one he prefers. “So Sam, right now it looks like I have Monday morning or Thursday afternoon open. Which time works best for you?” Listen to the response and tailor your follow-up accordingly. “You’re out of town this week? Well why don’t I give you Monday afternoon to get back up-to-speed in the office and meet late Tuesday afternoon instead. How is 3:30?”