Closing deals is often the most heavily emphasized part of selling and the goal for any salesperson. However, this won’t even be possible without first getting prospects to agree with a meeting.
If your team is struggling to land appointments, you may need to modify your strategy or execution. Want to get sales leads at ease as quickly as possible to have a business chat with you? Here are five tips on how to secure more appointments, reduce no shows, and eventually close more deals with sales leads.
- Do your research properly
If you’re still using the same cold calling script or rehashed email template, that’s a surefire recipe for failing to secure appointments. First, make time for proper discovery so you can add personal touches to your pitch that would make sales leads feel you’re talking to them, and only them.Here are some ways to learn about prospective business customers:- Read through the company website any information which can provide context on their business goals and aspirations.
- Learn more from their LinkedIn profile about their academic/career background, job descriptions, and other interests.
- Look for their public social media pages about their personality, values, and influences.
Erroneous information and the wrong mindset won’t get you appointments. Preparation beforehand is key so you can demonstrate the value of the meeting and the benefits prospects can experience from the offer.
- Be confident
Getting a response from potential customers is half the battle but if you don’t show confidence over the phone, in your email, or during that chance face-to-face encounter – you’ll end up losing them.Avoid using these phrases:- “I’m sure you’re very busy.”
- “You won’t regret listening to what I have to say.”
- “I would be super grateful if you could lend me five minutes of your time.”
- “Just call/text me and I’ll be there right away.”
- “Sorry for bothering you with this. But I am happy you said yes.”
These come across as desperate, insecure, or needy. It would make them believe that nobody else is interested on what you have on offer, that their time is more valuable than yours, and that you owe them a favor for agreeing to meet up.
An alternative approach is believing in yourself and in your product or service. This will reflect in the way you speak with them and will make realize that there’s no way they’re going to cancel on that appointment.
- Lead with a conversation
The goal for the first few interactions is not to force them to accept your offer but to focus on your value proposition. Ask the right questions and exhibit genuine interest in providing real solutions to their problems.A positive sales experience is one where salespersons provide relevant product or service information, listen to their needs, and aren’t pushy. Rather than being one-sided communication, it should be an interactive conversation that enlightens them, sparks their curiosity, and encourages them to schedule an appointment. - Share examples
People are naturally reluctant to talk to anyone working in sales. And they usually have objections to delay or excuse themselves entirely from showing up to that meeting.But unwillingness and objections are good. You should welcome them. one of the best ways to handle this defensive posture is sharing examples of similar individuals and organizations which benefited from your solution.Provide a demonstration of your product or service. Let them read customer testimonials and feedbacks. Share stories of specific clients who have been in a similar position and the positive impact they have experienced from collaborating with you. - Use appointment scheduling technology
Getting attention of sales leads and making business meetings happen should be the tough part – not the booking of the appointment. The most successful salespeople make it easy to say YES by using appointment scheduling technology that syncs with your prospect and your online calendar experience.
All-in-One Booking Solution That Keeps You and Your Prospects Focused on Things That Matter
Say goodbye to the back-and-forth, for and your future clients. Make it simpler and faster to schedule appointment and customize meetings with TikiBar.
- An all-in-one automated booking solution – frictionless and effortless scheduling to avoid wasting time and effort.
- Highly adjustable to your specific needs – from time between bookings and duration per meetings to rescheduling periods and length of cancellation.
- Optimized for medium-sized and large-sized teams and organizations – there’s round-robin booking capability or pooled availability function for equal distribution of time slots among all team members.
- Seamless digital scheduling – because it’s embed on your website, there’s no hassle for your sales leads to go to other platforms
- Real-time updates – be instantly notified every time an appointment is scheduled or changed.
