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How To Get An Appointment With Anyone in 3 Simple Steps
How To Get An Appointment With Anyone in 3 Simple Steps
In order to sell someone, you have to book a meeting with them first. And as
salesperson can tell you, that's far easier said than done.
Reps make countless calls each day, hoping and praying that one of their
prospects will pick up the phone. And when someone finally does, what do they
say?
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You don't even get the chance to pull out your attention-grabbing statistic or
perfectly phrased value proposition before the call ends. And you find yourself
back at square one.
"We looked at different reps and the ones that were most effective did three very
simple things every time they had a key player on the phone," Scher says. "Those
three steps are called disarm, purpose, and question."
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On the off chance a buyer actually answers the phone, one thing is certain —they're
busy. With this in mind, Scher says that reps with the highest connection rates
acknowledge this fact up front.
For example: "Hi, this is Ann Jones with ABC company. I'm sure I caught you in the
middle of something.”
Why introduce yourself? Scher points out that people are naturally suspicious
when they pick up the phone, and the best way to get them to lower their guard is
by saying outright who you are and where you're calling from.
"Disarming them gets their attention off whatever else they're doing and gets them
focused on you," Scher says.
After disarming the prospect, Scher advises reps to dive straight into their purpose
— asking for a meeting. For instance, reps might say something like, “The purpose
of this call is to get 20 to 30 minutes to discuss how we can reduce your operating
costs by 20%.”
Why 20 or 30 minutes? Scher explains that this block of time was deliberately
chosen.
"When you ask for less than a 20 or 30-minute block you're doing yourself a
disservice," he says, "Lots of times, people ask for five or 10 minutes — all you're
doing is indicating it's not important."
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If the prospect still evades an appointment after three cycles of this process, Scher
suggested sending a piece of informational content in a calendar invite.
"The obligation for them to read the materials will never be higher than at [that
moment], so use that opportunity to lock down the appointment," Scher says.
Listen for their interest level once you communicate the purpose of the meeting. If
they're skeptical, carry on with the conversation, but don't push too hard for an
appointment. Instead ask, "Would you be interested in having an initial
conversation about [solution/benefit]?"
If the prospect is interested in your solution, move the conversation forward with
questions like, "I'd love to have an initial conversation with you about
[solution/benefit]?. What's the best way to book time on your calendar?" or,
"When's a good time to discuss [solution/benefit] in more detail?"
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What does the prospect have to gain from meeting with you? Instead of focusing
on selling your product, let them know the value the meeting will provide for them.
Whether you can help them solve a problem or offer advice, let them know what
they'd get in return from the meeting.
Move the conversation forward by avoiding "yes or no" questions. By giving them
options, they'll have to make a choice — and by suggesting different meeting times,
that choice will likely lead to an appointment.
For example, "Hello Ellie, Hope you're having a great week. I hear Denver is
hosting the Great American Beer Fest this weekend. Will you be dropping by?"
This rapport breaks the ice, humanizes the conversation, and can earn you their
attention for a few more seconds.
2. Keep it short.
Don't include the history of your company or your time with the company in this
email. If you must, share that when you get in front of them in a pitch or finally get
them on the phone. Instead, keep your email brief — no more than three to four
paragraphs — and focused on the prospect and their needs.
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Always have a goal for each time you communicate with your prospect. It should
be the thing you close with in your email. This ensures your reader is primed to
take action and you haven't wasted their attention.
For example, you mind end your email by saying, "I'd love to earn 15 minutes of
your time to learn more about your team's goals in Q1 of 2020. If you're interested,
book time on my calendar here: [Insert Meetings link]"
Hello Zach,
How's your week going? I saw it's been surprisingly warm out in San Francisco so
far this month. Have you had an opportunity to get to Baker Beach or Golden Gate
Park? Regardless, I hope you've had a chance to make the most of the good
weather.
I was taking a look at your marketing collateral and noticed your company hasn't
really pursued any co-marketing partnerships. Your tech is obviously cutting edge
— I think it could be the industry standard for higher-ed curriculum and schedule
planning — but you're selling yourself short by staying siloed in terms of partner
marketing.
I'd love to earn 20 minutes of your time to talk more about whether you intend to
pursue co-marketing partnerships and the resources you might use to do so. If
you're interested, book some time on my calendar here: [Insert Meetings Link]
Best,
Sunny
With these steps and tips, you'll be able to book a meeting with anyone. And to
learn more, check out these techniques to create the perfect pre-meeting email
template next.
Editor's note: This post was originally published April 28, 2015 and has been
updated for comprehensiveness.
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