Marketing Direct

Getting Appointments In A Rough Economy

by George Clay
Marketing Direct, Inc.

When the economy tanks, skittish buyers become more demanding than ever.

With money to spend, they control the game...expecting more attention and greater value for their money.

Are you recalibrating your customer service to meet these demands...making every customer feel more important --- regardless of their place in the so called "sales cycle"?

Let's say it's early in the sales process and your prospect is promised an email. Not for an appointment...but as follow-up to a phone conversation. Even then, setting yourself apart from the competition is especially crucial.

That means your email is sent not tomorrow, not next week, but right now, TODAY.

Prompt follow-up always makes a good impression. Lax follow-up is a turnoff. To your customer, it says, "you don't care."

The same goes for follow-up calls. A typical scenario plays out like this:

An appointment is close. For several weeks I've contacted your prospect by phone. With each call the relationship has grown stronger.

But now questions I can't answer are raised. A critical point in the call cycle is reached. The prospect requests a follow-up call...this time from you.

A call back date and time is set. Once I pass this information to you, my client, it's on you to make that call --- on time according to the prospect's request.

Appointments are the lifeblood of business. If you want qualified appointments --- especially in this economy --- precision follow-up and good old fashioned customer service are key.

Follow-up emails, letters and whatever else your prospect wants set the stage for getting you in the door for face-to-face appointments.

If you deliver this kind of support, I guarantee you will be pleased with my service.

Otherwise, a room full of telemarketers may be your better choice.

Myth: Appointments are easy to get... if you know how.

Our View: There is no easy path to getting quality appointments. It takes working and reworking your prospect list to cultivate good prospects and convert them into worthwhile appointments. Phoning is an activity that builds up a "rhythm". The only way to become productive in phone prospecting is to discipline yourself and set aside one hour (or more) each day to "make those calls".

Myth: Cold calling is the fastest way to get appointments.

Our View: If this were true, filling your appointment book would be a matter of hiring a cold caller to hit the phones for you. This may have worked thirty years ago...before the internet leveled the playing field and changed the rules. Cold calling for appointments? Leave this for the "hard sell" telemarketers of yesteryear.

Myth: Getting appointments requires experience in your prospect's industry or business.

Our View: While some knowledge is helpful, deep technical or product knowledge has little to do with getting you face to face with qualified prospects. Appointment setting is all about prospecting skills (genuine friendliness...business savvy...good etiquette). A good appointment setter can work any industry!

Myth: Appointment setting campaigns require outside calling lists.

Our View: Nonsense. Your best list is your house list. These prospects already know something about your business. Start here...work this list first. Then consider an outside list.

Myth: To generate a pipeline of good appointments hundreds of calls are required.

Our View: Call centers need volume. Small tests are not in their interest. Make certain you know your cancellation options. Can you terminate service whenever you like? Are you locked into a minimum test period or a fixed number of calls? Read the fine print. All of it!

Myth:A really good service does everything for you. All you do is show up for your appointment.

Our View: Appointments develop through a methodical process involving follow-up calls...emails... and direct mail letters. Emails and follow-up letters are handled best by your salespeople. Make it their their responsibility. This "tag-team" approach will bring you more appointments...and better quality appointments.

Myth: Never take "no" for an answer.

Our View: Clever scripts designed to move your prospect from "no" to "yes" is not our game. Simple and sincere communication is what we do. Getting appointments with prospects who really want to meet with you is our goal.