How To Set Appointments Over the Phone: 16 Tips + Sample Scripts You Can Use

To set appointments over the phone, you should:

1. Do your research.
2. Find the right prospects and collect their contact information.
3. Pre-qualify and warm up your leads.
4. Outline an appointment setting message or script.
5. Call your target clients at the right time.
6. Start the phone call by introducing yourself.
7. Ask if the potential client has the time to talk.
8. Personalize your sales call.
9. Explain why you’re calling.
10. Communicate the value of the appointment.
11. Gauge the interest of your potential customer.
12. Ask good questions.
13. Prepare to handle common objections.
14. Confirm the appointment’s date and time.
15. Schedule the appointment with the sales team.
16. Strategically follow up with the client.

Appointment setting is arranging a specific time with a prospect to talk or meet with a sales representative. Typically done over the phone, appointment setting is when you cold-call potential clients to schedule a meeting.

According to Tech Report, 33% of Americans prefer to set appointments through their phones. In comparison, only 3% prefer in-person and email communications while only 1% use text messaging. Meanwhile, Hubspot confirms that 37% of sales representatives "produce the most leads from phone calls during cold outreach."

1. Research Possible Clients Before Setting an Appointment.

Researching possible clients before setting an appointment allows you to learn about: 

• who you're calling
• what industry or business they’re in 

Knowing prospects more can help create a more targeted conversation. Using sales data can help you get access to details about their purchasing history, previous interactions with your brand or company, and responses to other sales approaches. This helps you learn about their buyer persona, pain points, and desired solutions. According to Zippia, sales reps who use advanced sales analytics are 1.6 times more likely to exceed their targets.

2. Find the Right Prospects and Collect Their Contact Information.

Finding the right prospects and collecting their contact information can help with your appointment setting efforts. The right prospects are those who fit your target audience. Your goal is to get their contact information, such as a phone number or email address. You can use business directories or professional networking tools like LinkedIn.

Sales prospecting and preparing a list of qualified contacts beforehand can lead to an easier appointment setting process. It also helps maintain good sales territory management if you’re targeting prospects from a specific area or location.

3. Pre-Qualify and Warm Up Your Leads.

Pre-qualifying your leads can be done via lead qualification criteria, such as income, purchasing power, geography, and timeline. You can also use a lead scoring method to rate your leads from 1 to 100, with 100 being the highest chance of buying. 

 According to the Annuitas Group, nurtured leads tend to spend 47% more compared to those who buy immediately. Meanwhile, you can warm up potential customers with a friendly email or a message on social media.

4. Outline an Appointment Setting Message or Script.

Outlining your appointment setting message or using a cold call script ensures that you cover all key points during the call. Of course, you should still leave room for natural dialogue. A good sales script isn't a monologue. It should include questions that engage the prospect and show that you're interested in their needs.

According to Cognism, using the right B2B cold calling script can boost your success rates to as high as 10.01%. Your script should be a mix of informative content about your service or product and engaging questions that invite a two-way conversation. 

5. Call Your Target Clients at the Right Time.

Calling your target clients at the right time improves your contact rates. This means you need to consider time zone differences when calling a prospective client. LinkedIn suggests that the most effective times for cold calling are from 10 AM to 12 PM and again from 4 PM to 6 PM. During these hours, prospects are more open and willing to engage in conversation. As a result, it's easier for you to commicate and create a connection.

6. Start the Phone Call by Introducing Yourself.

Starting the phone call by introducing yourself sets the tone for the conversation. It's important to start with a clear, friendly introduction. Mention your name and the company you represent.

This not only establishes your identity. It also gives the call a context, making it more likely that the prospect will stay on the line. A good introduction is concise, professional, and tailored to the prospect. Show that you respect their time and have a specific reason for calling. 

7. Ask If the Potential Client Has the Time to Talk.

After introducing yourself, you should ask a potential client if they have a minute to chat. This shows you respect their time.

By asking if people can talk, you're letting them decide if it's a good time. This make them more willing to listen to what you have to say. You get to start the call in a positive tone and you show you're thinking about them - not just your sales pitch.

8. Personalize Your Sales Call.

Personalizing your sales call builds rapport. It shows the potential customer that you understand who they are. According to Forbes, 80% of consumers are more likely to buy from brands that offer personalized experiences.

Marc Wayshak of Sales Insights Lab recommends mentioning “personalization fields” in your script, such as:

• The prospect’s name
• Job title
• Company name

This can make your pitch more relevant and compelling.

9. Explain Why You’re Calling.

Explaining why you're calling lets prospects determine if they need your product or service. Appointment setters should explain if they're introducing a new product, setting up a meeting, or upselling on their previous purchase. Be polite and respect the client’s time. Calls with a clear purpose are more likely to lead in direct sales. 

10. Communicate the Value of the Appointment.

Communicating the value of the appointment allows people to know what's in it for them. Tell them how this meeting can help their business. Show them how your offerings can help them save time, money, or both. This is all about making them see that this appointment is going to be valuable for them, not just for you. 

A GetVoIP report says 96% of customers are more influenced by cold calls that show how certain products or services can benefit them.

11. Gauge the Interest of Your Potential Customer.

Gauging the interest of your potential customer requires listening skills. During the call, pay attention to their tone, how they react to your message, the questions they're asking, and their tone. Are they showing signs of excitement? Or do they sound like they'd rather be doing something else? Calls where you adapt to the customer's interest level are more likely to result in successful appointments. If they're keen, provide extra details or move forward with scheduling that meeting.

12. Ask Good Questions.

Asking good questions is about getting the potential customer to talk. The right questions can help you understand their problems. You can then tell them how your product or service can potentially benefit them.

So instead of merely listing your product's features, encourage them to talk about their challenge. Ask probing questions and show genuine concern. By adopting a consultative approach, the conversation becomes more about them - not a one-sided sales pitch.

According to Inside Sales, the questions you ask can help you:

• Uncover buyer needs and desires
• Connect with them
• Demonstrate your expertise

To get a prospect open up more, a good question would be: “What current challenges are you dealing with?”. As they answer, you can then tell them about how your product or service can directly benefit them. 

To book an appointment, you can ask “Would Monday at 9 AM or Tuesday 3 PM work best for you?”. Skeptical customers become more open to an appointment when you give them options rather than ask them a simple 'yes or no' question.

13. Prepare To Handle Common Objections.

Preparing to handle common objections is one of the keys to scheduling success. As an appointment setter, you'll have to be ready to deal with the usual "but..." or "I'm not sure" reasons that people give. Consumers usually have doubts but how you answer these worries can make a difference.

According to BoostUp.ai, only 27% of sales reps "can overcome objections effectively, which highlights a crucial skill gap in the sales process."

Say someone's concerned about your pricing. You could chat about how much value they'll get in the long run. Being good at this means you're not just selling something. More than that, you're helping them out by providing them with the best solutions. 

14. Confirm the Appointment’s Date and Time.

Confirming the appointment's date and time ensures that both parties are clear about the meeting details. This reduces the chances of misunderstandings or no-shows. After seeing their interest, you can smoothly transition by saying something like, "It sounds like our service could help you with [their need]. Can we schedule a quick call or meeting to discuss this? What day and time work best for you?" A respectful approach shows that you value the prospect's time. 

15. Schedule the Appointment with the Sales Team.

Scheduling the appointment with your sales team helps everyone stay on the same page. Furthermore, it helps your members prepare as they call or meet the client. So coordinate with team members right way after a potential client agrees to a schedule. 

Use appointment scheduling tools like Calendly, Google Calendar, or Square Appointments. These tools let your team see available dates and times. You get to avoid scheduling conflicts.

16. Strategically Follow Up with the Client.

Strategically following up with a client helps ensure they feel valued and remember the meeting. You can send out an email as a way of reminding them. You can also use this opportunity to provide additional information or resources related to your upcoming meeting.

How Local Lead Generation Surpasses Appointment Setting in Earning Potential

Local lead generation surpasses appointment setting in earning potential. In fact, it offers a more scalable and autonomous business model. While appointment setting relies on active, ongoing effort to secure individual client meetings, local lead generation uses digital assets. The business model allows you to generate leads continuously with minimal maintenance. This creates a more stable and predictable income stream compared to labor-intensive appointment setting over the phone.

With local lead generation, you create and optimize websites that attract local business leads. When these assets reach high ranking in search engine results, they can passively attract leads for extended periods. This contrasts with appointment setting, where success depends on the volume of calls made and the effectiveness of each interaction. Appointment setters struggle with fluctuating income and the high demand for personal involvement.

Local lead generation is an entirely different story. It focuses on capturing high-quality, local leads through a more targeted marketing strategy. When done right, you're tapping into a market that's closer and more receptive, which can lead to better conversion rates and higher profits. 

A single lead gen asset can earn $500 to $3,000 per month when you rent it out to local businesses looking for fresh leads. I've been doing this business since 2014. Today, I own over 50 sites and earn up to $52,000 per month on average. I also teach a successful coaching program where we've had over 7,500 students and counting. If you're interested in learning about this business model, contact us and we'll teach you how to get started.