Sean Shea, philanthropist, TEDx speaker, and founder/CEO of ViB, a company specializing in generating quality leads for B2B companies globally, believes that appointment setting is a key lead generation strategy that many teams are not leveraging effectively. According to Shea’s company’s State of B2B Marketing Report, only 21% of B2B marketers prioritize appointment setting despite 90% acknowledging its effectiveness. Implementing appointment setting correctly can lead to significant business growth and provide a competitive edge.
Appointment setting involves scheduling meetings with potential clients in order to eventually make sales. However, sales cycles in B2B tech are often long and complex, requiring significant time and effort from teams. One solution is to outsource appointment setting, allowing teams to focus on more valuable tasks and offering financial flexibility. Implementing this strategy correctly is crucial to its success.
Shea outlines three strategies for improving outsourced appointment setting. The first step is to create an ideal customer profile (ICP) to ensure precise targeting. This profile should include detailed demographics, firmographics, and behaviors of potential customers to help appointment setters reach the right audience. Additionally, qualifying leads is essential. Shea recommends a “pay-per-qualified-meeting” model to incentivize providers to focus on quality leads that align with the ICP.
Before and after each appointment, it is crucial to prepare thoroughly by conducting pre-call research and collecting relevant data about the prospect. This data can include information about the timing of their decision-making process, key decision-makers, their goals, budget, and competitors. After the appointment, follow up with post-meeting feedback to gather valuable insights and adjust the closing steps of the sales process accordingly. Incorporating these steps can help optimize the sales process and improve customer satisfaction.
In conclusion, by combining outsourced appointment setting with a focus on data and lead qualification, businesses can outperform competitors and capitalize on new opportunities. Following these steps can help optimize the sales process and maximize its benefits. The Forbes Business Council, of which Sean Shea is a member, is a leading growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders.
