Setting an appointment with a potential customer is an important step in moving your business relationship on to the next level. Giving you the chance to come face to face with potential clients, appointments help you to strengthen your business connections and secure new leads.
However, in order for an appointment to be of any value, it needs to be of good quality. The last thing you want is for your potential customer to cancel as soon as you’ve put down the phone. It’s essential you put the time, and the effort, into ensuring your appointments are really going to happen. We share you how below.
Pens, not pencils
As soon as you tell someone you’re going to ‘pencil in an appointment’, you’re giving them an excuse to cancel. If the appointment isn’t set in stone, the potential client won’t feel obligated to meet the commitment. Many will actually cancel as soon as it feels even a little inconvenient. Instead of giving prospects this ‘easy out’, get them to commit to a firm time and place for the appointment.
Begin by finding out when they’re free to meet, and make the appointment as convenient for the prospect as possible. Make it clear that, as far as you’re concerned, the meeting is going ahead. This should help to prevent them from cancelling and ensure the appointment takes place.
A motivation for a meeting
From your point of view, a meeting is important because it gives you the opportunity to get to know the prospect a little better, boost brand awareness and increase your chances of making a sale. However, the benefits for the prospect are often less clear cut. If they’re not 100% sure they want to use your products or services, they may be unwilling to commit to an appointment. As sales people, it’s our job to show them how the meeting will benefit them as well as as.
Before you pick up the phone to make an appointment setting call, try to think of a few good reasons why the potential client should commit to a meeting. For example, as @startupstowers says, “if it is a product that might be a little complicated, the company will require someone to show the client how it works.” Alternatively, you could talk about how it would benefit your business to see the client’s premises or factory, and how this will allow you to create a more accurate quote or tailor your products or services to suit their needs.
Be clear on dates and times
When setting an appointment, it’s incredibly important to be clear about when and where the meeting is going to take place. Repeat the time and place to the prospect at the end of the call and make sure they’ve put it in their diary. It’s also imperative to ensure you know exactly where their premises are so that you are able to find the location easily and efficiently.
Learn more about making good quality appointments by taking a look around our site, or getting in touch with a member of our team.