In the world of sales, all the drama is usually focused on that moment when a salesperson is using all their charm, experience, and rhetorical skill to close a potential customer. Celebrated in television shows like Mad Men and films like Glengarry Glen Ross, the moment of closing in the popular imagination is what sales are all about.
Anyone who has actually worked in sales knows, however, that the much harder and more time-consuming part of the job happens much earlier, during lead generation and when a sales team is trying to book that all-important first meeting with a potential client or customer.
Making contact and generating interest has always been the most difficult part of working in sales. It is no wonder that software designers have worked hard to provide salespeople with lead generation programs and email, SMS, and tech marketing tools that can help them get their foot in the door.
And the latest innovation picks up where these tools leave off: at the point where a lead turns into a concrete appointment. Here are three ways in which sales appointment software is transforming how salespeople set up meetings.
1. Software Helps You Get Face-to-Face Faster
Getting a lead is the first step, but what you do next with that lead makes all the difference. Most salespeople will want to move as quickly as possible from that initial point of contact to a face-to-face meeting, and for good reason.
There is a lot of evidence pointing to the fact that in-person meetings simply go more smoothly For example, when you meet face to face:
- You can read body language more effectively
- There are fewer misunderstandings
- It’s easier to establish rapport
- There is less pressure to get to the point
All of these things can make a big difference in sales, which is why going from a lead to an appointment is so critical. Check out the latest appointment setting software and read these 5 appointment setting tips to learn how you can get to that face-to-face meeting faster and increase the chances of a sale.
2. Sophisticated Calendar Features Ensure Good Use-of-Time
In sales, nothing is more valuable than time, and the last thing you want is a day where your sales meetings are all spread out. Being able to move smoothly from one pitch to the next guarantees that your time is well spent, and one of the advantages of appointment setting software is that it can help schedule your meetings so they are grouped together.
Say goodbye to trying to do work from your cell phone while waiting an hour between prospect calls!
3. Automated Reminders Increase Attendance Rates
It’s natural for people to forget appointments from time to time, especially when they’re meeting with a salesperson they don’t have a strong business relationship with. But figuring out what to do when a potential client ghosts on you can be difficult, and it’s always easier to avoid the situation altogether.
One huge advantage of appointment software is that it often allows you to automate email or SMS messages so that your contacts are reminded in the days leading up to the meeting. This has been proven to make a significant difference in attendance rates and increases the likelihood that you’ll make the sale.
Before a salesperson can make their inspirational pitch explaining why their product will change their client’s life, they need to have actually booked the meeting and ensured their prospect shows up. And with appointment software, this is becoming a lot easier to do.
Not only does it save a sales team time, but it streamlines the crucial early steps in relationship-building, making it easier for salespeople to establish trust and for prospective clients to get the answers they need.
