The Process of Appointment Setting

Every salesman and marketer know that appointment setting is one of the key processes in order to achieve a sale. This is particularly significant for telemarketers working as outbound call center agents in diverse marketing segments ranging from insurance, home mortgages, accounting, credit services, special events, trade conventions, automotive reservations of seats or meeting timings and many others. This process is high-end business to business communication that requires a detailed sales program in order to land an effective appointment with a client.

Generally, appointment setting helps call centers increase their sales by generating qualified leads that could eventually transform into a sale. This role help business process outsourcing companies engage clients on a more personal level – targeting client needs directly where they need it – at the convenience of an appointment.

Call center office operations would have skilled and trained telemarketers calling pre-set marketing leads acquired by the comp. These so-called marketing profile are so categorically specific that they contain what are the current business needs of a particular establishment or company. From this, call center agents would determine the probability of a face-to-face meeting with filed marketers, thus, increasing the potential chance for success. A good appointment strategy will allow sales team to spend more time in front of potential clients and closing deals.

What are different types of known appointment setting services?

• Financial appointment setting – telemarketer offers financial packages or arrangements. Other call centers offer services such as giving sound financial planning.
• Appointment setting for insurance – The insurance industry is so diverse from health care to accidental death benefits. These type of products are offered by telemarketers for appointment with affiliated field consultants.
• Business to Business Appointment Setting – Usually pre-sold business financial packages or investments are at stake.
• Lead generation appointment setting – Caters to businesses or individuals that needs lead accounts to enhance their marketing reach.
• Outbound appointment setting – Telemarketers define outbound marketing leads.
• Sales Lead Appointment Setting – Products ranging from water tanks to sinkholes are offered by telemarketers to possible leads.
• Direct Marketing Appointment Setting – These are marketing drive initiated campaigns to promote top of the line products.
• Offshore Appointment Setting – Targets mainland business processing centers who are likely to be persuaded to move some investments or assets offshore.
• Mortgage appointment setting – Telemarketers contact possible prospects who’d likely to avail a mortgage premium or refinance a mortgage

Process of appointment setting:

The process of appointment starts with identifying and confirming the contact details of decision makers.

1. The crucial step of setting an appointment is geared towards reaching the decision maker and getting past the gatekeeper e.g. secretary, receptionist. It follows with introduction of the company, addressing the need for the product or service, explaining key benefits and workable solutions to the decision makers with an objective of making confirmed appointments and sales leads for your sales team.
2. Usually after this, the client prospects usually request for a sales proposal before they consider setting up a meeting.
3. After mailing a copy of company and product details, the sales team commits meeting the client and makes the appropriate sales pitch.
4. Several rounds of key meetings take place in which the outsourcing company might even be required to do field demos till the final deal is closed.

How effective is appointment setting?

Appointment setting is effective in persuading people to accept a designated product. While the bulk of the marketing is targeted towards cold leads, however, the prospect of driving a hard sale is a challenge worth the financial rewards of the above premium commissions call center companies pays its telemarketers. Its no secret that these telemarketers can sometimes be annoying and bug you with question after question just to affirm your decision on a particular sellpoint. Without an appointment set, chances that the company can ever recover from a sales lead are slim. Thus, an ideal outbound call centre service provider will have to fill in client forecasts and set important appointments, not wasted salestalk meetings. The telemarketer must set quality appointment in order that these campaigns should be a drive toward a service oriented business that would answer the need of the client. It is when that need is fulfilled that client satisfaction is achieved.