Some of the most important appointment setter skills are:
- Sales skills
- Lead qualification
- Communication and interpersonal skills
- Customer service skills
- Listening skills
- Objection handling
- Phone etiquette
- Product knowledge
- Organizational and time management skills
- Technical proficiency
An appointment setter is a professional who contacts potential clients to arrange meetings for sales teams. They help businesses expand by finding new prospects. Skilled appointment setters typically work as independent contractors or for a private company in industries like IT, construction, manufacturing, and finance. An example of an appointment setter is Richard Yu who is the founder of the Setter Certification Program that teaches skills on objection handling and outbound calling.
Appointment setting is hard because it requires patience, effective communication, and the ability to handle rejections. According to a study by Zippia, there are only 17,965 appointment setters in the United States, and their unemployment rate has increased to 17.10% in 2023. This means that the role is becoming more competitive. Many appointment setters also fall victim to MLM scams or aren’t given a base salary by their company.
In this article, we look at the 15 essential appointment setter skills and provide tips on improving them. We also talk about whether appointment setting is a legitimate job and if it’s a lucrative career. Plus, at the end of the article, we will introduce a different and more profitable business model than appointment setting.
1. Sales Skills
Sales skills help you understand what customers need and show how your product or service can help. You can talk to customers better, handle objections, and make them interested throughout the sales process. This is important for setting up more meetings.
How to Improve Your Sales Skills
2. Lead Qualification
Lead qualification is filtering prospects to those who are most likely to become customers. This helps you book more qualified appointments. Appointment setters usually work with a sales representative to identify marketing-qualified leads (MQL) and sales-qualified leads (SQL).
How to Improve Your Lead Qualification Skills
3. Communication and Interpersonal Skills
Excellent communication helps your prospective client understand what you're offering. It also helps you to build trust and make a good first impression, which makes it easier for prospects to agree to a meeting.
How to Improve Your Communication and Interpersonal Skills
4. Customer Service Skills
Customer service means providing an excellent customer experience. It involves meeting customer needs to ensure satisfaction and loyalty. Addressing queries promptly, offering personalized solutions, and following up build trust and credibility with customers. This also improves the reputation of the company you represent.
How to Improve Your Customer Service Skills
5. Listening Skills
When you have good listening skills, you can understand what a potential customer needs and wants. This understanding helps you give the right answers and information. It shows the customer that you care about what they are saying, which can make them more interested in setting up a sales appointment.
How to Improve Your Listening Skills
6. Objection Handling
Knowing how to handle objections means you can turn a "no" or "maybe" into a "yes." When potential clients see that you have thought about their concerns and have good answers, they are more likely to set up an appointment. It's key to convincing customers and making them confident about your service or product.
How to Improve Your Objection Handling Skills
7. Phone Etiquette
Phone etiquette creates a professional and respectful impression. This makes clients feel valued and listened to. It helps build trust and increases the chances of setting multiple appointments. Proper phone etiquette also involves using positive communication through words and phrases that are constructive rather confrontational. For example, instead of saying "I don't know," you might say, "Let me find out for you."
How to Improve Your Phone Etiquette
8. Product Knowledge
Having good product knowledge means knowing each detail of the product or service you are talking about. Good product knowledge lets you answer questions easily and explain how it can help the potential client. This level of expertise allows you to tailor your pitch to their specific needs and pain points. You can provide factual and convincing responses that can overcome doubts or reservations.
How to Have Better Product Knowledge
9. Organizational and Time Management Skills
Organizational and time management skills set appointments without conflicts. Good organization keeps track of client information and increases productivity. A disciplined approach improves the rate of successful appointments and improves the reputation of your service. Tools like Google Calendar for scheduling and tracking client interactions can streamline the process.
How to Improve Your Organizational and Time Management Skills
10. Technical Proficiency
This involves knowledge in appointment setting tools such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems and scheduling software. These help manage your appointments and keep track of customer information. This makes your work more efficient and accurate.
How to Improve Your Technical Proficiency
11. Scheduling Skills
Good scheduling avoids conflicts and maximizes available time. It ensures clients are contacted at convenient hours for successful appointment scheduling, especially if you're calling from a different time zone. Scheduling software like Calendly allows clients to pick their preferred times within your availability. This can significantly increase conversation rates and create more productive conversations.
How to Improve Your Scheduling Skills
12. Emotional Maturity and Professionalism
Professionalism and emotional maturity create a good impression and build trust with clients. You learn to maintain respectful communication throughout the sales process. Tools like LinkedIn for professional networking, and incorporating strategies from renowned sales methodologies like SPIN Selling, can enhance your ability to engage with clients on a level that respects their needs and boundaries.
How to Improve Your Emotional Maturity and Professionalism
13. Adaptability
Adaptability is the capacity to adjust your approach in response to changing circumstances or client feedback. This is important because every client is different, and what works for one might not work for another. Being able to adjust your methods helps you handle each client in the best way possible.
How to Improve Your Adaptability
14. Persistence and Patience
Persistence leads to eventually securing appointments. Patience is crucial for dealing with different client behaviors and responses calmly. These qualities ensure that appointment setters can effectively manage challenges and wait for positive outcomes.
How to Be More Persistent and Patient
15. Empathy
Being empathetic means understanding and sharing the feelings of a potential client. This helps you connect with them. An empathetic approach makes the potential client feel heard and valued. A personalized strategy boosts customer satisfaction, since they are more likely to commit when they feel understood and appreciated.
How to Be More Empathetic
What Does an Appointment Setter Do?
An appointment setter makes outbound calls to potential clients. This role involves cold calling, where the appointment setter initiates contact with potential clients to introduce them to the company's offers.
Their goal is to set appointments for the sales team. This demands communication skills, as the appointment setter is typically the first point of contact between the company and prospective clients. Through generating leads and scheduling appointments, they play a crucial role in driving the company's sales efforts and business growth.
What is the Difference Between an Appointment Setter and a Remote Setter?
The difference between an appointment setter and remote setter is that a remote setter schedules appointments online. An appointment setter may need to meet prospects or sales reps in person if they work for a company.
Appointment setters typically operate within a more traditional setting like an office. They use phone calls as their primary tool to secure meetings for sales representatives. In contrast, remote setters leverage digital communication methods, such as email, social media, and video conferencing tools like Zoom or Skype, to arrange meetings. They can work from anywhere in the world.
Traditional appointment setters might focus on local or regional clients. Remote setters have the advantage of reaching a global audience and expanding the potential customer base for the business they represent. This geographical flexibility offered is valuable for companies looking to diversify their client portfolios or penetrate new markets.
Is Appointment Setting Legit?
Yes, appointment setting is legit because there are over 17,965 appointment setters working in the US. There is also a growing demand for this role since it offers flexibility and the potential for commission-based earnings. Some appointment setters report making up to $10,000 per month.
However, there are red flags like unrealistic income promises and lack of base salary in some. It's also prone to scams from fake companies or MLM pyramid schemes. While the barrier to entry is low, you need to invest in pricy appointment setting courses if you want to succeed.
Luke Alexander from Dayton, Ohio is the founder of Closer Cartel. He explains that appointment setting is a legitimate career that can make $3,000 to $37,000 in a single month. He also says that there is a "dark side" to the industry. While the role itself is not inherently a scam, certain industries or companies may offer less reputable or lower-paying opportunities.
Franck Koomen shares that appointment setting is a legit and valuable skill, especially for online coaching and consulting businesses. He explains that legitimate appointment setting involves a straightforward exchange of services for payment. This differs from pyramid schemes that rely on continual recruitment without providing genuine value. Frank is the CEO of Appointment Masters and lives in Utrecht, Netherlands.
How to Be a Good Appointment Setter
To be a good appointment setter, you need to practice your sales and communication skills. These will help you understand and meet customer needs. Have lead qualifications to identify potential customers. You need customer service skills to handle client questions and listening skills to understand their needs.
Other important skills include objection handling, phone etiquette, product knowledge, organizational and time management skills, technical proficiency, scheduling skills, emotional maturity and professionalism, adaptability, persistence and patience, and empathy.
James Pollard from Delaware, USA and Founder of The Advisor Coach shares that it's more effective to call during the "off hours" if your target customers are decision-makers and executives. He cites a statistic from the Kellog School of Management that calling between 8 and 9 a.m increases your chances of reaching people by 164% than in the afternoon. Based on his experience, James shares that 30-50% of setters confirm appointments with their prospects. You need to confirm the appointment the right away and focus on prospects who are more likely to say yes.
A strong appointment setter resume should highlight relevant skills. Mention any previous experience in customer service or sales. Tailor your resume to reflect the requirements mentioned in job listings. Demonstrating a clear understanding of the job qualifications sought by employers can make your application stand out.
How Local Lead Generation Surpasses Appointment Setting in Earning Potential
Local lead generation surpasses appointment setting in earning potential by offering a more scalable and diversified income source. While appointment setting is a legitimate job, it has limitations, such as reliance on fixed appointments and requiring a full-time commitment.
If you want to make passive income online, the local lead gen biz model is a much more profitable option. It works by creating and ranking websites for local services like tree cutting or plumbing. Once the website ranks and attracts potential clients, you can refer them to local businesses in your area.
Local lead generation allows you to create multiple passive income streams because you're not limited to the number of appointments set. You can create multiple websites and earn anywhere from $500 to $3,000 a month from the continuous flow of leads generated. If you're looking for a more profitable way to make money online, consider the lead gen business model.
