Simple Yet Effective Appointment Setting Tips

The business of marketing software products has never been so progressive before, but not until technological advancements entered the scene and started establishing names and brands. For some marketers, days are gone when they have to hire professional telemarketers to set appointments with their prospects and meet them face-to-face to discuss matters about their offer. For them, the power of social media and other online activities have already signalled the end of the traditional ways of b2b lead generation.

What these people do not know is that appointment setting still stands to be one of the most effective techniques to generate qualified b2b leads especially in the realm of software where the need of a personal meeting is very essential to ensure the possibility of converting a prospect into a business partner or client.

Sales leads are the lifeblood of every business. That’s why it is very important for marketers to know how to manage their prospects particularly during their b2b appointment setting campaign. However, this scenario is less likely to happen if setting an appointment alone is already burdensome. So how exactly can marketers set an appointment with the decision makers of a software company? Here are some simple yet proven effective b2b telemarketing tips that you may want to consider:

•     Decision makers are the key- you do not want to exhaust all your effort talking to the person on the other line and constantly convincing him to set an appointment with you, only to find out that this person is just an “IT man” and not the decision maker who has the "purchasing power". 

•     Smile while talking- this does not necessarily mean that you have to look like a beauty queen answering a question in a pageant, absolutely not. The person you are talking to may not see it but he will definitely feel that you are talking naturally because of your smiling voice. Also, this technique creates a friendly and warm environment during your conversation.

•     Listen even to the simplest idea- some telemarketers fail to build rapport with the prospects simply because they fail to grasp the smallest yet very essential idea, or worst, they do not listen at all because they are too busy constructing their follow-up questions.

•     Be honest- if you missed a vital information, do not just assume that you already know everything, instead ask the person on the other line the information you want to know. In some instances, this scenario is more like of a compliment to your prospects because they love to talk about themselves and they will in fact appreciate your request and will be happy to give an explanation.

•     Highlight the benefits of your product and not its features- decision makers are more interested with the profitable benefits your product can provide to their company, rather than the things that make your product special.

•     Reaffirm necessary information- always make sure to clarify things prior to the appointment such as the time, place, agenda, etc. Also, do not forget to thank the prospect for sharing their time to you and sound like you highly value them.

These are just a few simple ways that to achieve a successful b2b appointment setting campaign especially in the IT products and services and software industry.