By Heather Dubas, Senior Operations Manager
Many companies use telemarketing to set appointments. Regardless of the industry, the keys to telemarketing appointment setting success remain the same. I am excited to share some insider tips on how we achieve that success for our clients at Quality Contact Solutions.
1. The telemarketing appointment setting team must have a good understanding of your core products and services.
It is imperative that the telemarketing appointment setting team has a good understanding of your core products and services.
2. Attitude is everything!
Smile! In telemarketing appointment setting, attitude is 80% of the job. Cold calling to set appointments is inherently difficult work. When each call is approached with a positive attitude and a smile, it makes the difference. The person answering the call will recognize it. The telemarketing appointment setting team is a direct extension of the company they are representing and because of this, the right attitude and sound is so important.
3. Ensure your telemarketing appointment setting team is focused on setting the appointment.
As a rule of thumb, when setting appointments by phone, I advise my teams to listen more than they speak. I also remind my appointment setting team members that they don’t need to be an expert in the product or service. They just need to be an expert in the craft of setting an appointment. My best appointment setters use this phrase “That is a great question! I will make a note of it and make sure your sales rep addresses it.”
4. Never give up with the first objection.
One of the benefits of using an outsourced team for your telemarketing appointment setting program is knowing that the team is being coached to overcome objections. I tell my team, that if they are told no, find out what the underlying objection is, remind the customer how the product or service helps the customer save money, be more productive, improve relationships or other core benefits and work to set an appointment. If you don’t ask, you won’t get, and persistence does pay off.
5. Offer a variety of dates and times that are available.
The best appointment setting teams know the scheduling preferences of the sales team and offer several options to the prospect based on those preferences. This can help tremendously when securing the appointment. Say things like “I have several dates and times for appointments available starting tomorrow. Is there a time that works best for you?” Or be more specific and offer two specific times, “I have (insert sales rep name)’s calendar open and it looks like 10 am or 1 pm tomorrow is available. Which time works best for you? This allows the prospect to make a quick decision and will decrease the time spent setting the appointment.
6. Acknowledge any questions or concerns.
Another core tip for running a successful appointment setting program is to never ignore the prospect’s questions. Our supervisors are constantly monitoring calls and providing feedback, including the need to actively listen and take notes.
7. Always ask if there is anything else that the sales rep should be prepared to answer or address during the appointment.
A well-prepared sales rep will close more opportunities. Make sure your appointment setting team partners with the sales reps by giving them “notes to closer” which will give them insight on what the prospect is interested in discussing.
8. Capture and confirm contact information.
Most cold-call prospecting lists have varying degrees of inaccuracy. Make sure the telemarketing appointment setting team is focused on updating the contact information and make sure this information is updated in your CRM.
9. Repeat and confirm the appointment information back to the prospect.
Always recap the reason for the appointment, the location and the date and time. This will make sure that the prospect is aware of all the details and give them a chance to document the information.
10. Use a professional close.
Mention the name of the sales rep that will be contacting them for the appointment and express sincere appreciation for agreeing to the appointment.
Telemarketing appointment setting takes a certain type of skilled agent and a strong management support team to be successful. If you follow the 10 tips above, you will have a great foundation. The team at Quality Contact Solutions is here to help you get started or to make your telemarketing appointment setting program even more successful. If you are in the market for a well-rounded, experienced partner for your telemarketing appointment setting needs, then please reach out to one of our experts at QCS by calling 1-866-963-2889 or emailing me directly at heather.dubas@qualitycontactsolutions.com.
Heather Dubas is a Senior Operations Manager for Quality Contact Solutions. As an Operations Manager, Heather is responsible for managing client programs and ensuring program success. Heather has a B.S. in Business Administration and prior to joining the Quality Contact Solutions team, she spent time working in Account Management at a highly respected call center in the Midwest. Having over 5 years of B2B telemarketing sales experience, Heather is there to assist in achieving your desired
