Appointment Setter: Skills and Qualities
An appointment setter is someone who performs a series of preliminary steps to establish a business contact or appointment with a prospective buyer, usually holds a position of either principal or manager of a sales team. The setter prepares the appointment or initial meeting by having the prospective buyer to identify himself or herself, making a list of their interests, and finding the products or services they are looking for. They usually then prepare a detailed proposal for the potential client, complete with a contract or binding agreement, which they then deliver to the individual they are making the appointments with. Finally, they make reservations or confirmations at hotels, restaurants, clubs, or trade shows to provide the highest level of service possible.
Appointment setter can also be sales people. For example, a high school diploma is not always necessary to secure a job as an appointment setter; in fact, many successful sales teams have no formal educational background. However, a high school diploma does lend some credibility to the candidates’ ability to take and follow directions. And because these jobs require so little on the part of prospects, it is very easy for someone with no college education to land one. In fact, many successful career salespeople have no formal education whatsoever; their greatest assets are their powerful self-confidence and drive.
Appointment setters can help to cultivate this confidence and drive, but they must first learn to develop their own individual crm skills. It is possible to quickly identify those individuals who possess or skills, but it takes some effort to weed out those who do not. Some salespeople have great crm skills but lack effective sales techniques. Others are natural salespeople but lack the charisma that will allow them to use their skills effectively to bring prospects to the next level of business engagement.
As with all sales careers, there are some qualities that appointment setters should look for in potential leads. An effective lead is someone who has a genuine interest in the products or services that an appointment setter has to offer. It is also helpful to consider the demographics of any sales team. An effective sales team should have a well-balanced mix of age, race, gender, and ethnicity. The best sales teams are made up of members from all of these different demographics, ensuring that they all have something in common with the company’s vision and mission.
When evaluating potential leads, appointment setters should not just look for fluency in English. An effective SDR should be able to speak and listen like a native of the United States or Canada. Because most SDRs are college-aged students, it is helpful if they have attended or are currently attending a university or college in the United States or Canada. Having knowledge of the local language helps as well, especially if the customer has an accent or multiple languages. An SDR can use his or her own language and dialect to initially connect with a lead, which may be important when dealing with a customer who does not speak English.
Appointment setters should also be highly skilled at listening to what potential clients have to say. After an initial introduction, a professional SDR should then have a plan for communicating with the potential client. A CRM system should be used to keep track of contacts and progress with new leads. If a sales team is unable to effectively communicate with its own staff, the manager should consider having the appointment setters perform transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, or CRM, training for all of his or her staff.
