B2B Appointment Setting
The Science of Success

From the initial stages of lead generation to finally closing that all important deal, there are many steps of the sales process to consider.

B2B appointment setting is a key step in any sales strategy. And whilst many may already employ this stage, delivering this stage of the process successfully or unsuccessfully can be the difference between securing a sale or losing a valuable prospect to a competitor.

Below, we discuss what B2B appointment setting is, what it involves and how to employ this strategy successfully. Read on.

1. What is Appointment Setting?

2. What Does Appointment Setting Involve?

3. Why is Appointment Setting Important?

4. How to Be Successful with Appointment Setting

What is B2B Appointment Setting?

B2B appointment setting can be defined as the stage between prospecting and closing where a meeting has been scheduled to engage prospects, pushing them further into the sales process.

Once the first sales representative has qualified initial leads into valuable prospects and an appointment has been set, the closing sales representative will then close the deal in the final stage of the sales process.

What Does Appointment Setting Involve?

While this stage of the sales process can be overlooked as simply a practical element to selling, it involves vital steps which should be heavily considered when looking to secure quality prospects.

Whether handled internally by a sales representative or externally by expert appointment setters, it is the job of the person responsible to host various meetings, whether in person or virtually, to filter through prospects who are ready for the final stages of the deal.

These meetings are used not only to qualify leads to prospect level, but also used to build rapport with prospects before they are passed onto the next stage. An official appointment is then set with the qualified prospects, with a date and time set with the sales representative responsible for closing the deal.

Why is Appointment Setting Important?

The goal of appointment setting is simple – to nurture your lead. But to truly understand its value, you need to understand why it is so important to the end goal.

This stage of the sales process champions personable, human connection. Acting as a space where prospects can ask questions openly, this step is designed to address any concerns the lead may have which may prevent the deal from closing.

The appointment setting process also acts as a filter. By carefully qualifying the right prospects to attend an appointment, valuable prospects can pass through to the next stage of the deal.

By addressing any concerns and filtering down prospects, appointment setting increases the chance of closing a deal with a highly targeted and valuable prospect, ultimately increasing sales.

How to Be Successful with Appointment Setting

1. Understand the difference between appointment setting and B2B lead generation

The first step in being successful in appointment setting is understanding how it differs from B2B lead generation.

Lead generation is the process of building a list of potential sales leads who have shown interest in your service offering, but at which point do not necessarily qualify to receive your businesses’ service.

Appointment setting, however, is a more focused stage of the process. This is where appointment setters select leads to become qualified prospects who are likely to convert.

Understanding the role of each step is vital to getting maximum benefit from these processes. Both approaches should not be confused, and both should be given equal care and attention.

2. Prioritise research and be thorough

Another crucial element to consider in your appointment setting process is to conduct thorough research. And while research may be part and parcel of any sales strategy, if overlooked, it can quickly become your downfall.

Simply taking the time to research thoroughly and truly understand the potential buyers you are approaching in this process is vital.

Not only does this allow you to make truly unique sales approaches, helping you to stand out from generic sales pitches companies receive every day, it also proves to your prospects that you understand their individual needs.

This demonstrates your dedication to understanding their service, which in turn demonstrates the value yours can bring to them.

3. Employ a human touch

Although the role of appointment setting is to encourage prospects to buy into your businesses’ service or offering, it is vital to remember to prioritise the human aspect of the selling and buying process too.

The job of the appointment setter is not to hard sell your product. It is to nurture your prospects, ensuring that any concerns or potential blockers to closing the sale are addressed.

This stage not only puts your prospect’s mind at rest, but it also provides valuable insight into the needs of your prospects. This equips the final sales representative with knowledge and a prospect who feels understood and ultimately, ready to buy.

Approaching this stage with human connection is more important than ever as businesses navigate turbulent times in a post-COVID era. This may just be the difference between you and your competitor, so human connection should not be overlooked as part of your strategy.

4. Outsource expert appointment setters

The last and potentially the most crucial factor of appointment setting is to allocate this responsibility to the right person.

While an internal sales representative may be able to fill this role, it is advisable to outsource to an experienced appointment setter who can dedicate their time and expertise to the matter.

An appointment setter will utilise their industry knowledge, and time, taking care of the entire process from first contact to sales completion. From researching to qualifying prospects, re-scheduling to arranging follow up calls, an appointment setter can take control of it all.

Not only does this free up valuable time for your internal sales teams, allowing them to focus on the initial and closing stages of the sale, but you are able to utilise focused expertise in this key stage of the sales process.

Appointment setters truly understand prospects and how they want to be communicated with. They specialise in building relationships, nurturing prospects to send them down the funnel.

Experience allows appointment setters to communicate with leads in ways they respond to, understanding the best way to reach them depending on both your service offering, and theirs.