How to set appointments by phone
By Harry Mills

The Six Steps to Success

The initial contact with a customer is often by phone. Good salespeople plan their telephone appointments with military precision.

There are six steps to a successful call:

1. Identify your prospect, yourself and your company. Sound enthusiastic and don't keep your prospect guessing as to what you do.
   
   
2. Develop a dialogue with a referral or a testimonial from a satisfied customer.
   
   
3. Qualify your prospect. Check you have the right decision maker(s) and that there is a realistic possibility of a sale.
   
   
4. Present your sales message. Stress the benefits. Keep your pitch short, punchy and persuasive.
   
   
5. Overcome the objection. Acknowledge the objection before responding calmly with a well-though-out, concise answer.
   
   
6. Request an appointment. Propose a time or give the prospect a choice of two positive alternatives.

But remember nothing will happen unless you:

• Do your homework. The quickest way to build credibility with a customer is to show them you are an expert on their industry.
  
  
• Sell your Unique Selling Point (USP). Focus on what makes you different from your competitors.
  
  
• Don't reveal too much. Your goal is to get an appointment. If you say too much on the phone, there will be no need to see you.
  
  
• Speak clearly, carefully and confidently. Uncertainty and timidity are conversation killers.
  
  
• Do not cradle the telephone receiver between your ear and shoulder. It strains your vocal cords and affects your delivery.
  
  
• Prepare a list of answers to your most common objectives. Then rehearse them until your answers sound spontaneous and natural.