Appointment setters offer assistance to a business s sales staff by scheduling appointments for the sales staff to contact potential customers and contact a representative for a sales meeting. They operate for employers mostly spread across all sectors, particularly those having dedicated outbound telemarketing departments. The term appointment setter is generally used in the UK and some other countries as well, though it is also used in the United States of America and in many other countries around the world. The term appointment setters is a general one and can mean a number of different things. In a UK office environment the term appointment setters is used to describe people who call prospects on the telephone to schedule appointments. These calls are placed by an appointment scheduler or lead person. These people are responsible for making sure that prospects are contacted and, as part of the deal, offered a free promotional product such as a leaflet or a letterhead to collect their details. The purpose of these calls is to offer prospects a free detailed prospect session that they can listen to and assess. This is where the appointment setters make their calls. They have the knowledge of the best times of the day when calls can be made to different prospects depending on their demographics. In some instances appointment setting is undertaken by appointment schedulers themselves. These individuals are employed by marketing departments or consultancies and work solely in conjunction with sales representatives. Some other examples of appointment setters include account executives and finance directors. In addition to contacting potential customers on their days off these individuals are also responsible for booking appointments when required. The term appointment setting is also used in other contexts where it can apply, such as for a medical appointment setting, appointments for managers or senior leaders and also for school and college appointment setting.
If an appointment setting specialist is self employed this will normally influence their annual salary slightly. However, since they are working for a large company or organisation the potential clients may be better informed about the package they can expect, including the skills and qualification of the prospective or representative. It is important to remember however that all companies have their own way of running their business. It is important therefore to understand that the potential client's expectations are usually dictated by the requirements of the company. For example, a hospital may have very specific requirements that the potential client is likely to be expected to meet and comply with.
As part of their job responsibilities an appointment setter will be expected to assist or train their staff. The skills required by appointment setters will include training and education to improve their sales skills and also to raise their awareness of their prospective clients' businesses. The level of training that is required for this role will depend upon the specific business development and customer base of the individual. Some appointment setters will hold further qualifications which they acquire through their work experience. Some may go on to gain further qualifications and awards, while others decide to specialise in one particular area such as healthcare. Another important skill that appointment setters must possess is good communication skills. They need to be able to successfully engage with their prospective customers and address their concerns. The aim is to get the sale; however, they also need to be able to ensure that the appointment is followed up promptly and accurately. A conversation between the lead and the client can go a long way to ensuring that the appointment has been a successful one, with the customer satisfied and willing to follow through with their purchase. One aspect of being a successful appointment setter is having good cold calling skills. Although this may sound difficult it is not. Cold calling is a traditional sales technique that can be easily learned and utilised by appointment setters. The final skill that appointment setters must possess is effective listening. With the advent of social media and websites such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, customers are much more connected than ever before. A key difference between these websites and traditional methods of marketing is that customers will be sceptical of sales tactics and will question the legitimacy of a company. By listening carefully establishing rapport, the sales team will be able to explain the benefits of the product and why the customer should purchase it. By using all of these skills and abilities, an appointment setting company will be able to provide excellent customer service to their clients. These are some of the key differences between the two methods of marketing and the benefits of each.
