The 11 creative ways to get appointments are:
- Send personalized video messages
- Create interactive online invitations
- Put fetching calls-to-action on your website
- Publish industry case studies or useful articles
- Develop entertaining and engaging social media posts
- Start a YouTube channel or a podcast about your product offerings
- Secure a presentation spot at big events
- Use humorous business cards and online campaigns
- Make creative mailers
- Originate a rewards program
- Give customized gifts to your prospects
Appointment setting is arranging meetings or calls between a company's sales team and potential customers. It involves identifying prospects, reaching out to them through cold emailing, cold calling, or social media DMs, and scheduling a time for a more detailed discussion. Appointment setting is a popular career with over 17,965 appointment setters working in the US in 2023, according to Zippia.
An example of an appointment setter is Mike Vestil, who is an online entrepreneur from Chicago, Illinois. Mike claims to have earned $1.9 million from commissions through appointment setting besides selling his 7 Day Remote Closer course. Despite the high-earning potential of appointment setting, the role also comes with challenges like lack of a base pay, hidden costs, and the pressure to recruit others.
This article will explain the 11 creative ways to get appointments as an appointment setter. We also include 5 unique gift ideas you can send to prospects so they’re more likely to schedule calls with you. We’ll also introduce a more profitable and scalable business model than appointment setting.
11 Creative Ways To Get Appointments
1. Send Personalized Video Messages
Sending personalized video messages is one of the most creative ways to get appointments because it offers a personal touch. This lets you directly address potential clients with your facial expressions and tone, making the communication more engaging and personal.
You can use platforms like Loom or BombBomb to make personalized video messages. You can record messages showcasing your product. This personal approach can help your message stand out. It can show your potential clients that you value the interaction with them. According to Mailmodo, emails with videos can see a boost in click-through rates by as much as 300%.
2. Create Interactive Online Invitations
Creating interactive online invitations can make your meeting or event invite stand out. Tools like Evite, Punchbowl, and Paperless Post offer various features to create standout invitations. These have options for customization, interactivity, and visual appeal which can make your invites more engaging when setting appointments.
Forbes mentioned that creating interactive online content can be a game-changer. Interactive online invitations offer a way to connect with potential clients in a memorable and personalized manner. It can show the unique value of your services and encourage more prospects to accept meeting requests. By adopting this method, you can increase client engagement and have more successful appointment scheduling.
3. Put Fetching Calls-to-Action on Your Website
Well-crafted CTAs help guide visitors to do things like book appointments or download helpful materials. This makes it easier to get a qualified lead and makes sure the people who contact you are already interested. By making CTAs that fit what the buyer needs at different times, you can improve how well you connect with people and how many turn into clients.
When putting CTAs on your website, try using CTAs like “Download our FREE Buyer’s Guide” or “Book Your Free Consultation Now” on different pages. The key is to have enough CTAs to give visitors many chances to connect with you, but they should be placed wisely so they don't overwhelm your site. A study by HubSpot found that personalized CTAs can increase conversion rates by 202%. This shows that the right CTAs can boost your chances of booking appointments.
4. Publish Industry Case Studies or Useful Articles
Publishing industry case studies or a success story shows how well your product or service works. Free resources help build trust by showing how knowledgeable you are. For example, a tech company could share a case study showing how their software made a client more efficient. A marketing firm might post articles on new digital advertising trends. Regularly sharing quality case studies and articles sets your company up as an expert in your field. This grabs the attention of a prospective client and suggests your services as answers to their problems.
5. Develop Entertaining and Engaging Social Media Posts
Developing entertaining and engaging social media posts can help increase customer engagement. People often check their social media accounts and they could come across one of your posts. Posting content that engages potential customers can help you secure more appointments. According to social media strategy consultant Neal Schaffer, 93% of marketers globally already utilize social media for business purposes.
By posting fun and interesting things on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, you can increase engagement. Think about sharing funny memes related to your industry or running interactive polls. This kind of content can make people interested in your appointment setting service. When you post engaging stuff, you help people remember your brand.
6. Start a YouTube Channel or a Podcast About Your Product Offerings.
Starting a YouTube channel or a podcast is a good way to tell people about your products or services. Many people watch YouTube and listen to podcasts, making these platforms ideal for reaching potential customers. By sharing content about what you offer, you increase your online presence and build trust. Engaging, informative videos or podcast episodes can turn viewers and listeners into clients.
7. Secure a Presentation Spot at Big Events
Securing a presentation spot at big events is a great way to meet potential customers. It lets you show off what you know and what your company can do in front of many people. When you talk at these events, you get noticed as an expert in your field.
Think about presenting at large conferences or trade shows where many people from your industry gather. For example, tech companies might present at events like CES, and marketing firms could aim for conferences like INBOUND. These are places where you can talk to a lot of interested people at once. It's an opportunity to establish yourself as an expert and directly engage with a large, relevant audience.
Presenting at these events allows you to showcase your knowledge and what your company offers. Having an avenue to explain what you offer or show how knowledgeable you are, especially at big industry events, helps you get the attention of many professionals and potential customers.
8. Use Humorous Business Cards and Online Campaigns
Using humorous business cards and online campaigns can grab the attention of prospects. A business card with a funny joke or an online ad with wit can help potential customers remember your brand. For example, a tech company might have a line like "We fix what you didn’t even know was broken." Using humor in your ads to highlight your services can draw more interest to your business, making your brand stand out. According to Cluth, around 53% of consumers say that they are more likely to remember and enjoy humorous advertisements.
Websites like Slogan Generator or Shopify's Slogan Maker can help you create funny taglines for your business cards and online campaigns. These tools generate catchy and humorous phrases based on keywords related to your business. You can also brainstorm with your team or friends by experimenting with puns or light-hearted jokes related to your industry.
9. Make Creative Mailers
Sending creative mailers can make prospects feel valued because someone took the time to give them a physical invitation card on a qualified appointment. It shows you're willing to do something extra for them. This kind of effort suggests that if they use your service or become a customer, they can expect similar attention and care.
To enhance your mailers' appeal, consider using vibrant graphics and bold designs, perhaps using templates from Canva. Include interactive elements like QR codes linking to offers or videos, and personalize the content with the recipient's name or interests, which can be done easily through Vistaprint. Try to tell a story about your brand or product to engage the reader, and include useful, industry-related information, making the mailer both promotional and informative.
10. Originate a Rewards Program
Starting a rewards program can help bring in new customers. Offering discounts, deals, and vouchers are great ways to attract potential customers. When customers know they can get something in exchange, they usually jump at the opportunity, especially if it's a good deal. Everyone enjoys getting a good deal, especially if it rewards them for using your services.
You could give a 20% discount for referring new customers or a free service after five visits. These deals make people want to keep coming back and tell others about you. You can also give points for each buy, which they can use for special services or products. Programs like Punchh and Smile.io are good for managing these rewards, helping you keep customers interested.
11. Give Customized Gifts To Your Prospects
Giving customized gifts to prospects is a great way to get their attention and trust because it shows that you want to do business with them. When you give a gift that means something special, it can make a big difference in whether they decide to work with you.
In choosing what to give, choose gifts that make sense for the prospect. If you know where they live, pick something that connects to their area. For example, you can send a local specialty item o clients in specific regions or a personalized gadget that complements your product for tech clients. A custom-printed notebook or a pen with the prospect's name for office professionals can also be impactful. These thoughtful gifts show personal investment and can lead to more positive responses to meeting requests.
Five creative gifts to send to prospects are:
6 Effective Appointment Setting Techniques
Personalized email outreach, consistent follow up strategies, and leveraging social media are effective appointment setting techniques to book more qualified appointments.
Focusing on qualified leads is the best tactic to get an appointment set. A qualified lead is a prospect who has been evaluated and meets specific criteria like level of interest, budget, and purchasing authority. They are people who are already likely to buy your offer. According to Marketing Sherpa, effective lead scoring and qualification increases conversions by up to 79%.
What Are the Most Important Appointment Setting Skills You Should Have?
Sales and communication skills are the most important appointment setting skills you should have for understanding and addressing customer needs. Identifying potential customers through lead qualification is key. You also need customer service skills to respond to client inquiries, and listening skills to comprehend their requirements.
Additional essential skills include handling objections, maintaining proper phone etiquette, possessing thorough product knowledge, and being adept in organization, time management, technical aspects, and scheduling. Emotional maturity, professionalism, adaptability, persistence, patience, and empathy are also vital for success in this role.
How Do You Become an Appointment Setter?
To become an appointment setter, you first need to decide what kind of appointment setter you want to be. Then you need to send applications to appointment setting companies or find clients if you want to work as a freelance remote setter. There are 2 kinds of appointment setters according to Luke Alexander, founder of Closer Cartel: phone setters and DM setters. Phone setters schedule appointments through cold calls. DM setters send messages to qualified leads on social media platforms like Instagram, X, and LinkedIn.
How Local Lead Generation Surpasses Appointment Setting in Earning Potential
Local lead generation surpasses appointment setting in earning potential because appointment setting depends on fluctuating market demands and intense competition. It can limit growth opportunities and income consistency. In contrast, local lead generation allows for greater control over your business so you can create a more stable and predictable revenue stream. The localized focus of lead generation reduces competition and opens doors to untapped markets.
The local lead gen biz model works by creating websites that generate leads for local businesses like plumbing, landscaping, or legal services. These sites are optimized to rank high in search engine results for relevant local searches. When a potential customer searches for a service in their area, they find your site and fill out a contact form or call a phone number. You then sell these leads to local businesses to earn a fee for each lead or a share of the revenue generated. Local lead gen sites can earn anywhere from $750 to $2,000 per month.
You can replicate this model across various niches and geographical locations, gradually building a portfolio of lead gen sites. Each site can become a steady source of income. If you’re interested in a stable business model to make money online, consider the local lead generation.
