When people think about lead generation, they often neglect the importance of qualifying leads.
Sure, your appointment setter knows how to build a rapport, create interest, and get an appointment. Yet, how can you assure that your leads and prospects are interested in purchasing your offer or close deals?
Qualified appointments are a crucial part of generating more revenue and lead for your business. But it's not enough to get people's contact information and directly call them.
Several factors can affect the outcome of the meeting, and the following points will help you book a qualified appointment to help your business grow.
A qualified appointment is a meeting with someone who has the authority to make a purchase decision. The purpose of the meeting is for you and your company to showcase why they should buy from you instead of your competitor.
Qualified appointments are necessary because without them, there will be no customers!
Consider this. If Jane Doe spends time looking up a beauty store website before she contacts you as her preferred supplier, then this qualifies as a qualified appointment. She is indicating interest and shows intent which means higher chances of making a sale.
When a B2B lead generation company reaches out to the prospect, they will undergo a process of qualifying them for their product or service. If it becomes clear that the individual needs what you have then your next step is to seal in on this opportunity and take action.
At this point, the appointment setters can now schedule a follow-up meeting over the phone or show an in-person presentation to further discuss what you offer and the value it may bring to their business.
An appointment setting service doesn't just get more meetings. Rather it seeks the right type of B2B appointment qualified lead for your company.
A qualified appointment setting strategy is needed to save time on wasted calls that won't convert into sales or generate any ROI (return-on-investment). It also helps to improve the consumer experience, highlights opportunities, and gives importance to each lead.
For instance, let's say someone wants to buy a new car, but he doesn't know which one to choose among hundreds of options in the market. Even if he listed all the features he wants and the budget he's willing to spend, he still could not decide.
At some point, he signed up for a newsletter coming from car manufacturers and contacted car sellers for classified ads. In this case, the buyer directly knows who to call for help and reach out to, while the manufacturers or sellers would know who to offer their products with.
Both the sellers and consumers didn’t waste time and directly engage in valuable communication, which benefits both sides.
Likewise, a qualified B2B appointment setting helps businesses sell more products and services and find qualified leads to cater to.
On the other hand, it also supports consumers to look for a company or business that can take care of their problem. So by filling up calendars with these types from the get-go, your sales team will be able to focus on closing deals instead of prospecting all day long.
Now, an analysis conducted by Salesforce shows how challenging it is to find qualified leads and convert them into customers. Only 13% of B2B sales leads convert to opportunities, while 6% convert that opportunity to deals.
So what can you do to keep that remaining 6% down to the sales funnel and convert them into buying prospects?
Successful lead generation starts with qualified appointments. But it's not an easy task.
There are various approaches to managing the process, which is why it’s essential to find one that works for you. So here are five simple secrets to setting qualified appointments and successfully engaging your prospects to buy from you.
Imagine you're up for an interview. Would you go straight to the interviewer without learning about the history, objective, and other relevant information about the company, or would you take some time and research about the business you're applying for and get familiarized?
The same thing goes out for B2B appointment setters. They wouldn't call a prospect empty-handed just like 82% of other sales representatives in the industry.
As much as possible, plan ahead. Create a script and list down information and possible questions you'd like to ask about the company's decision-maker. This will help you hear the satisfying answer you have predicted and come up with an adequate response.
The scripts are made as an outline to inspire confidence. This will help appointment setters to get along well with prospects, pass by gatekeepers, handle objections, and qualify if the prospect is the right candidate.
An essential communication principle of marketing and sales strategies states that while talking with prospects about your product or service you should aim for 80% listening and 20% speaking. Why?
In the majority of situations, people enjoy being listened to because it makes them feel important and heard. This may also boost their level of trust towards whatever's been communicated to them.
New and existing businesses are longing for partners who can lend them an ear and assure them that their problems will get fixed. So hear them out and deeply resonate with them while thinking of ways your product or service can help and what other non-financial gains you can offer.
You don't have to sound too formal or robotic. Resonating can also refer to emotionally connecting with people who want to vent out their frustrations.
While financial gain is important, it's not everything. Mention the quality of your goods or services, the team of support you can provide, business development growth, and other non-financial gains you can offer.
Listen attentively to what your prospect is about to say to gather as much information, analyze them, and make sales and marketing suggestions.
As we briefly mentioned about building rapport with prospects, securing the right timing is equally important in setting an appointment.
Since you already know who your target market is, make sure to catch them at the right moment and avoid busy schedules.
For example, let's say that you intend to send follow-up sales appointments with qualified prospects. Would it be before lunch or in the afternoon?
The answer is - both! Experts suggest that the best time to book for a call is around 11 to 12 am or 4 to 5 pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
But if your prospect specifically states the best time to send them an email or call them, keep that in mind, and set an appointment on the given time and date.
Asking a few questions, identifying the value of your product or service, and verifying qualifiers can also help you fit in the right time to suggest an appointment.
Not only will this help you earn their trust, but this step can also help you build lasting relationships in the long run.
I know the amount of trust you put into your sales team. Yet, it should not be considered your shortcoming when you ask for help, especially from the experts in your industry.
So if you want to make the most out of your appointment setting services, reach out to professional appointment setters or companies who could help you.
Create a checklist and see whether the appointment setting company you're eyeing knows how to communicate effectively, inform them about your plans and goals, and locate ideas for improvements.
This way, you're not only managing to reach out and set a meeting, but your team could also learn from their expertise.
Every sales rep is qualified to set an appointment. But not everyone has the skills to book qualified appointments. Partnering with a reputable appointment setting company will help you overcome this problem.
The right appointment setters can help you identify your target market and apply effective listening skills to make sure that the timing of each call is perfect.
Not only does this approach increase your chance for a successful new customer, but it also saves time by cutting down on no-shows or early cancellations.
If you’re looking for professional assistance with setting up more appointments, give us a call today at 020-80599450! Our sales and marketing team at Appointment Setting UK can help you find the best appointment setting partners in the country.
