Increase Your Company’s Reach with B2B Appointment Setting for SMEs

• Tweet

(image: Hope House/Unsplash)

Historically, appointment setting has simply been seen as a service associated with telemarketing and while this may be true (it is a vital part of a successful telemarketing campaign), there is so much more to this skill than many people initially consider.

By ensuring your process is structured, thorough and relevant, you can make your B2B appointment setting process highly effective, and can even look to increase on the number of appointments your team generates.

Here are some tips on how to make your B2B appointment setting for SMEs a more effective and reliable tool in your business development arsenal;

 

Research

(image: Joao Silas/Unsplash)

‘Fail to prepare, and prepare to fail’ as the old adage goes, and never was it more appropriate than when in conjunction with B2B appointment setting.
Data is key, and as you put together your primary list of targets and contacts it’s critical that you assess the following qualities:

• Are they the decision maker? Because if you’re going to talk to someone about a service/product you’re trying to interest them in, talking to the middleman won’t get you anywhere. You need to ensure you’re in contact with the person who makes the decisions.
• Do they have a ‘need’ for your product/service? No one will give you the time you need to make a real connection if they’re simply not interested. It’s a good idea to consider the company you’re contacting, look at the services they already use and any that are like yours to see if there is scope for you to get a new client.

By ensuring your database is up to date with relevant business contacts before you begin your appointment setting campaign, you can make sure that your team is contacting only the most promising individuals.
Of course, if you need a hand with your B2B Database Development, then VSL have got the right team for you.

Intelligent Calling

(image: James Pond/Unsplash)

We use this phrase to describe how we structure our calling schedule; we do not simply have a list of numbers to check off our page. We structure the calls to ensure that we have the right amount of information and time to create an understanding with the contact, and we aren’t rushed or harried into making simple mistakes and putting off the contact from pursuing business with us.

Intelligent calling is calm and well-informed, with a well-planned calling structure.

 

Conversational not Scripted

(image: Anna Vander Stel/Unsplash)

The key to starting and holding a sales call over the phone is conversation. And by this, we mean the art of conversation. As soon as someone hears the cliché cold-caller’s monotone voice that screams ‘I’m reading a script and don’t have the expertise to do this on my own’, they will lose faith immediately, find a way to get out of the call and hang up.

Piquing and maintaining someone’s interest requires a few things; concern, information and a solution. Once you’ve let your contact know that they could be getting a better service, you must then let them know how you can help them. This is where you must ensure that your team are experts on your product/service, and are up to date on industry insights and developments to create professional trust with the contact.
Once you have shown your expertise on the subject, you then need to tell them how your product/service can fix their problems and all the benefits that come with it.

Conversational beats scripted any day, and the more you play to the professional strengths of your appointment setting team, the better for your business.

 

Get a Referral

(image: Ben White/Unsplash)

One of the best and simplest ways of ensuring continued business prospects is via word of mouth. By creating a relationship based on professional expertise and trust, your contact will be more than okay with telling their colleagues about your product/service.
An even better way to make sure that this referral system happens is to incentivize it.

You could give them money off on their monthly renewal fee, give them access to exclusive insights from your business, etc. Your service is valuable to these people (which is why they’re on your contact list in the first place!), but you can’t forget that you are not the only provider they can go to. You need to find new and interesting ways to keep them coming back month after month.

 

Get the A-Team

(image: Samuel Zeller/Unsplash)

If you want the best results for your business, you need to ensure your campaign foundation is strong and thorough. This of course means data collection and development, but it also means ensuring you’re working with a group of experts specific to the sector you’re in.
When it comes to making sure you get the best, you need to look for a company that is flexible enough to work with you and one that knows your industry like the back of their hand.

By utilizing these tips you can make sure your campaign works harder for you, and get the appointments you need to grow your business.

 

VSL are leaders in their field when it comes to B2B appointment setting for SMEs, and are armed with the expertise and know-how to get the best results for you. Get in contact today to see how they could increase your business prospects pool.

Tags: Appointment Setting, appointment setting for SMEs, B2B Appointment Setting, SMEs, Telemarketing

• Tweet