The importance of setting appointments is crucial to running a business. They are the key to a successful business.
When making appointments try to make your call between one and two minutes maximum. Practice keeping your calls to this time scale, any longer and you could be drawn into a full scale presentation. It is like trying to describe a musical you have seen but without the music. Remember to create urgency in your call. Tell your contact that you do not have much time but would really like him or her to hear all about your product.
Compliment your contact by telling him or her why you have chosen them to hear about your product. Think about this, if someone says something nice about you don't prick up your ears and listen to what is being said. Leading a conversation with a compliment opens things up for a good reception. But beware of giving forced compliments as people can normally detect them. Before making your call, take a few minutes to think about what information you have on this contact. What special reason is there for sharing this opportunity with them? If the contact is a referral think back to what was said about them and use the positive points as your compliments.
You have now got their attention so you can insert an approach that you find works for you. Here are some approaches that you could use:
- Family.
- Product.
- Business.
It is entirely up to you just remember the object is to get an appointment nothing more.
The last part of your conversation should be to confirm the appointment by:
- Giving your contact choices
- Getting a time and place
For example, I'm free tomorrow at (insert time) or we could get together on Wednesday or Thursday at (insert time and place) which suits you? Once you have made the appointment thank your contact for the time they have given you and reaffirm the date, time and place of the appointment. Write the appointment in your diary or planner. Give yourself a clap for having made an appointment. Now pick up the phone and do it all over again and again and again.
Task 2 Role play the following dialogues:
Edward Green: So, Mr. Smith, when can we meet?
Mr. Smith: I'm busy all next week.
Edward Green: Maybe the week after?
Mr. Smith: Talk to my secretary.
Edward Green: You print your catalogue this month, don't you?
Mr. Smith: Yes.
Edward Green: Could you possibly see the product this week? It won't take long.
Mr. Smith: Okay. Be here Wednesday morning... eight sharp! I'll give you twenty minutes.
Edward Green: Thank you, Mr. Smith. I'll see you on Wednesday at 8 o'clock.
Clive Harris: Good morning, Jenny.
Jenny Ross: Morning, Mr. Harris.
Clive Harris: Jenny, could you ring up Mr. Sakai's office in Japan. We need to set up a meeting. Not this week... but the meeting must be before November 3rd. I'd like Kate, Don Bradley and Derek to be there.
Jenny Ross: Okay, Mr. Harris.
Jenny Ross: Hello, could I speak to Mr. Sakai's secretary... My name is Jenny from Bibury Systems in the UK. Mr. Harris would like to arrange a meeting with Mr. Sakai. I wonder if you could check Mr. Sakai's European itinerary.
Secretary:Just a moment. I’ll get my diary. Okay… He’ll be…
Clive Harris: Clive Harris.
Derek Jones: Clive, it's Derek.
Clive Harris: Hello, Derek. What can I do for you?
Derek Jones: Could you come down to the development workshop for a second?
Clive Harris: Derek, I'm busy.
Derek Jones: Come on. It'll take ten minutes.
Clive Harris: All right. I've got five minutes. I'm seeing Kate McKenna at eleven.
Clive Harris: Good morning, Geraldine.
Geraldine: Ah, Mr. Harris, I've just had a call from Mr. Peter's secretary I'm afraid he's going to be fifteen minutes late for his appointment this afternoon.
Clive Harris: Okay. That's no problem
Geraldine: Good morning, Bibury Systems.
Caller:I am Brad Fowls from Brown & Sons. I’d like to meet Mr Green to discuss the details of delivery.
Geraldine: Well. Mr. Green can see you at eleven o'clock on Monday. Is that all right? No, I'm sorry, on Tuesday he has a meeting in the morning. Is the afternoon possible? All right. Thank you.
Geraldine: Hello, Bibury Systems?
Derek Jones:What do you think?
Clive Harris: We'll miss the launch date.
Derek Jones: No, it'll be on schedule.
Clive Harris: February 15th?
Derek Jones: It will be ready for February 15th.
Clive Harris: We must meet the deadline.
Jenny Ross: Kate! Have you got a minute?
Kate McKenna: What's wrong, Jenny?
Jenny Ross: I have a problem. I am trying to arrange the meeting with Mr. Sakai. He is in the UK for these three days. The first, the second and the third of November, but he is only available on the first and the second... that's the Monday and the Tuesday. Clive Harris is in Scotland on the Tuesday and Don can't make Monday morning... and you and Derek are both in meetings on Monday afternoon. What am I to do?
Kate McKenna: Set up an evening meeting?
Jenny Ross: No, Mr. Sakai's secretary says he has dinner engagements on the second and the third.
Kate McKenna: Monday evening?
Jenny Ross: Mr. Sakai arrives at the airport at nine o'clock on Monday morning and it's a nine hour flight. Monday evening is not a good time for the meeting. He'll be jet lagged.
Kate McKenna: Then Derek and I will have to change our arrangements. May I see my diary? Aha! Change our ten o'clock meeting with Mr. Clark. Make it at half past eight on the 4th.
Jenny Ross: You're giving a dinner party on the 4th.
Kate McKenna: Eight-thirty a.m., not eight-thirty p.m.
Jenny Ross: That's going to be a long day.
Edward Green: Good morning
Jenny Ross: Hi, Edward. How's it going?
Edward Green: It's going very well!
Kate McKenna: You look very happy.
Edward Green: I am happy. I met Mr. Smith this morning at eight-thirty.
Kate McKenna: That's very good. And?
Edward Green: Mr. Smith liked our product.
Kate McKenna: Good
Edward Green: But he didn't like the name.
Kate McKenna: Why not?
Edward Green: He says Big Boss isn't a good name. He wants to call it Tycoon Tim. But he thinks Big Boss will sell.
Kate McKenna: Well done! It's your first marketing success.
