Appointment setters can follow a pre-established script with the intention of getting interest in the services or products on offer, arranging future appointments for business sales reps or otherwise generating interest in the brand/product line. They organize and process the shipment of promotional material like brochures, promotional sample packs or other information packs. They are also responsible for collecting payment or making contact with clients following an initial meeting. Appointment setters can work independently or as part of a larger company/organization where they may act as representatives for several different companies. Some of them work on a part time basis for a number of companies as well.
A company or organization may have as many as a dozen appointment setters who communicate directly with customers or potential clients. These setters are fully equipped to deal with a wide variety of clients who need to be contacted on a regular basis. An example of this may be that a sales representative might be employed by a single firm or that of a multiple client firm. The job of appointment setters in such cases is to regularly make and manage appointments per week, taking care of the logistics involved in doing so and ensuring that nothing goes wrong.
In many cases, the business development reps or marketing managers of a company or organization will act as appointment setters for a variety of potential clients. For example, they could be sales agents or marketing managers for a single firm, or they could be sales representatives for a multi-faceted business development firm. It could also be the case that the business development reps of one firm are responsible for making appointments in relation to other clients. Either way, the roles and responsibilities of these representatives need to be clearly defined.
Another instance where business development reps or marketing managers will be called upon to deal with appointment setting duties is when the service provided by a marketing department is very high up in demand. Such a task might include telephone calls to potential clients. In such circumstances, it is not only the job of the appointment setters to make such calls per week but they should also be capable of preparing and sending out various documents to prospective customers on a timely basis. As part of their job description, they must also ensure that they submit such documents on the appropriate date and that they respond quickly to queries that they receive from potential clients. If they are unable to meet these stringent requirements, then they will be ineffective in their job responsibilities.
As already stated, most business development or marketing representatives will have to deal with at least a few rejections when it comes to booking appointments with prospects. This is par for the course when it comes to working in an organization or firm that specialises in appointment setting. However, it is important to note that the number of rejections does not necessarily mean that the individual or team of professionals is ineffective. Instead, it may simply mean that particular processes or procedures need to be reviewed. Once such changes have been made, the business development or marketing team should then be able to successfully book future appointments with new prospects.
It is important to remember that while appointment setting and booking appointments can be a relatively simple process, it is imperative that business development or marketing professionals do not take the process too lightly. In particular, it is advisable that they first identify whether they require the services of such professionals before hiring them. Then they should take a good look at the job requirements and the training requirements that such professionals will need before hiring them. Finally, they should consult with their HR department to identify any issues that may arise during the hiring process.
No comments yet