Ever seen hard-earned leads disappear into thin air before you even pitch? Painful that is, of course. But don’t feel alone. At some point, every entrepreneur and business experiences this. However, do you know what is the magic ingredient to optimizing conversions across the B2B landscape? The answer is B2B appointment setting!
The appointment setting is like a viaduct between identifying a potential client and promoting the value you deliver. So, if you do it right, your salespeople will have back-to-back meetings. But if you mess it up… chaos and sleepless nights for you!
Many businesses consider rigorous follow-up the only key to success in B2B appointments.
Yes. Follow-ups matter. However, overdoing them and people will block you.
So, the strategies discussed here aren’t about pushing leads or indulging in robotic dialing.
They are about building connections, nurturing them, and booking appointments (that can convert!) blissfully. Let’s see how you can do it with an expert like us.
Technology and Automation in B2B Appointment Setting
Those days when your companies employed people to make endless cold calls are thankfully gone. Manual techniques work. However, you cannot build a skyscraper with a hammer and nail. You need tools, machines, and technology to do it better and quicker!
Accordingly, smart companies today embrace technologies like automation that serve as silent assistants who can work 24/7, without feeling tired! Some elements include;
1. CRM Systems:
CRM is like a central hub for managing every lead, tracking conversations, and scheduling appointments. It helps you organize lead and prospect information neatly and provides ready access. In other words, CRM helps you stay connected with every lead, ensuring no leads slip through the cracks! Some commonly used CRMs include Salesforce and HubSpot.
2. Email Sequencing Tools:
Ever sent emails manually to hundreds of contacts in a single day and still couldn’t accomplish the desired outcomes? It felt daunting, right? People who’ve been there and done that will resonate with the pain. But how about tools that can reduce the burden, and make personalized follow-ups? Yes. Platforms like QuickMail, Reply.io, etc. can send personalized reminders and contribute to a better response rate.
3. Calendar Booking Tools:
Instead of asking prospects the right time for an appointment, what if you could enable them to book their own appointment based on their convenience? Tools like Calendly precisely help you do it. So, fewer back-and-forth interactions and potentially more conversions.
4. AI-Driven Tools:
Ah, AI! Finally, we are talking about it. AI can help you optimize your efforts by identifying the best time to call a prospect, analyzing call recordings for insights and even predicting the leads most likely to convert. So, you don’t just have appointment-setters on your side but a machine data scientist as well!
Overcoming Common Objections in B2B Appointment Setting
Usually, businesses consider objections, rejections and stop following up, assuming they’ve lost the lead. However, as an experienced B2B appointment setting company in India, we think objections are merely speed bumps.
Leads often try to cut the conversation by saying they already have a vendor, asking you to call back at a certain time, or instructing you to send an email.
So, how do you handle these objections? Some key actions can include;
- Empathy: Companies would usually have a vendor or a supplier in place. So, try to understand the challenges and effectiveness of the current provider. Remember, businesses look for options if they have challenges with the existing setup. So, emphasize the benefit and ask for a short conversation on a particular day and time to quickly run the prospect through the value of your solution.
- Ignite Interest: Have a quick pitch ready to run the lead through your solution in a few minutes. Highlight the insights of the prospect towards the end of the interaction. This will help you create curiosity.
- Provide Value: Don’t dump an email in the lead’s inbox if they ask you for an email or more information. The key to increasing the chances of success is to personalize the conversation. So, ask about specific challenges and send a tailored email.
Objections are like an opportunity to probe further and your chance to personalize the conversation, increasing the chances of success.
The Psychology of Persuasion in Appointment-Setting Calls
Persuasion is an art. You cannot repeatedly say you are the best in the business, hoping to retain the prospect. Leads need proof, although they may not ask for it explicitly. Here are some ways you can persuade your prospects.
- Social Proof: Highlight relevant clients and success stories to build credibility and trust. Providing numbers (like a 30% increase in leads) with the most recent project can help the prospect quantify your usefulness.
- Reciprocity: Offer some upfront value. Share a relevant industry insight, a quick tip, or a helpful resource concerning their business.
- Authority: Position yourself as an authority and knowledgeable provider in the industry, while avoiding bragging about your achievements.
Instead of saying you can improve a situation, share an impactful (yet true and realistic) number. It is because numbers are easier to remember and create an impression! For example, our clients saw 35% sales growth within the first quarter with our solution!
Read more about B2B Appointment Setting here – B2B Appointment Setting Strategies: A Proven Blueprint for Sales Growth
How to Improve Show-Up Rates for B2B Sales Appointments?
You’ve booked an appointment. Great. But what if the prospect turns out to be no-show? It may feel like an invited guest who doesn’t turn up for a dinner you’ve prepared painstakingly!
So, scheduling a meeting isn’t the end of the road for appointment setting. You must do everything to ensure the prospect turns up for the meeting. Here are some tips for it.
- Confirmations: Send a concise and clear confirmation email immediately after your conversation. Mention the date, time, meeting link, or your location (if it is an in-person meeting) and the agenda in short.
- Strategic Reminders: Set up an automated email or SMS reminder system a day or a few hours before the appointment.
- Reiterate the Value: Remind your prospect about the tangible value and how this meeting can be the first step of the ladder.
- Simplify Rescheduling: Some instances may not be in anyone’s control. So, allow your prospect to reschedule the meeting or call easily.
- Personalize: Make a quick and personalized phone call to increase the show-up rate, particularly if you identify the lead as a high-value prospect.
Exceptions may still occur. You cannot control them. However, as mentioned earlier, you should do everything, including follow-ups on the day of the meeting or an hour or two earlier to ensure the lead enters the call or your office on the scheduled time.
Crafting the Perfect Sales Script for Appointment Setting Success
You must craft scripts and not script them. Confused?
We mean, your sales script must not sound like a recitation but a nice and seamless pitch that flows well and has the prospect in it and the value you aim to deliver.
While everyone has a unique way of persuading prospects, here are some generic elements that can create an impact.
Thus, your script should include your name and the company’s name, while asking if the person is comfortable speaking with you at that particular time.
Next, it must cover what you do, including the industry you help, and that you value connecting with the prospect for a reason.
Further, the script must include the problem of the prospect’s company. You must ask how the prospect is currently handling the concern.
Lastly, it must include a proposal to set up a quick call or an in-person meeting for a few minutes on a particular day and time.
Ensure you keep your pitch short, focused, and most importantly, real!
Prepared to Convert Cold Refusals into Warm Acceptances?
Then, partner with DemandFluence! We serve as appointment-setting partners for a range of companies, across multiple industries. Our expertise covers everything from helping you identify potential leads, set up appointments, and ensure strategic follow-ups to keep your sales pipeline perpetually full. So, please email us at hi@demandfluence.com to explore more about B2B appointment setting support.
