Getting the Appointment - How the Sales Pros Do It

The most important selling skill isn't presenting, closing, or negotiating. It's persuading a qualified prospect to meet with you in person. Here's how top sales pros do that!

Call early. Many qualified prospects arrive at work before the office staff arrives. If you have their direct-dial number, call early and you might get right through. But if not...

Introduce yourself to the gatekeeper, note a referral, and ask to speak to the decision maker. Be concise: "This is so-and-so, with such-and-such company. This-or-that person suggested I call. Is Mr/Ms Prospect in, please?" Remember: the longer you speak to the gatekeeper, the less likely it is you'll ever get through to the prospect. If you're asked what this concerns, respond, politely, with something along the lines of "This is something Mr/Ms Prospect would want to know about, and within 90 seconds will know whether we need to get together in person. Is he/she in, please?"

When you get the decision maker on the line, repeat your intro, and note a benefit you've provided to similar businesses. "This is so-and-so, with such-and-such company. This-or-that person suggested I call" Always note a referral. If you don't have the name of one of their colleagues, cite your boss. Or me. Say "Dr. Bob Kimball suggested I give you a call." After all, I just did. Then, cite a benefit that would likely be of importance to them. Benefits come in three forms: Increase profits, reduce costs, or make their life easier: "We've been working with several firms in this industry, and have saved them this amount on whatever."

Confirm the benefit, with a tie-down to get an affirmative response. Don't make a patronizing statement like "Do you want to save money?" Instead, make a casual statement they're likely to agree with, made into the form of a question with a tie-down like "wouldn't you?" or "aren't you?": "I'll bet in this economy, you have to watch every nickel you spend, don't you?"

Make a direct request for an appointment. When you do this, position yourself as a partner, not a salesperson desperate for a sale, by indicating that you'll wish to proceed only if this is in their best interest: "It'll take us about 20 minutes to see if this is right for you. It may not be, but you'll know in 20 minutes." Now ask for the appointment, not with the manipulative tactic of suggesting two possible times and asking them to choose one, but by proposing a meeting time: "How about Tuesday at 8?" Then shut up. Let them propose an alternative time if it suits them.

If the prospect declines your request for an appointment, ask questions to uncover some unmet need or dissatisfaction. No matter what they say, bring in the witness and ask for the appointment again. Ask "How do you feel about this?" or "How do you feel about that?". One good question is "How do you feel about what you're paying now?" It doesn't make any difference whether they say "Well, it's going up a bit lately" or "I am absolutely thrilled and don't know how they can do it for so little", respond with something along the lines of "Interesting you should say that. This-and-such a person said the same thing when we first met. We're saving them over $1000 a month now. We need to talk about this. 20 minutes is all it will take. How about Tuesday at 8?"

If the prospect is too busy to meet with you right now, close on that objection. When the prospect says they're too busy to meet with you, what they really mean is "Why should I meet with you?" So, if they say they're too busy, answer with "That's just why you need to meet with me. I won't waste your time, and I can save you time and money. We just need 20 minutes. How about Tuesday at 8?"

Remember these steps when you're seeking appointments with qualified prospects. Do it the way the sales pros do it. Get more appointments, and get more sales!