Best Phone Script For Appointment Setting

What is the best phone script for setting an appointment for a new lead. Is it best to stay scripted or to let it flow.

depends on who you're working with. A good script is necessary for "new" appointment setters but someone with experience should have the right words for any one they talk with

is this cold calling or are they contacting you for an estimate. When peopl call me I usually try to do a lot of listening to find out where they are.

I always start with location, if it is in some other county I can stop there.....anything else goes.

Agreed,where are you located and we'll see if we can help you.

Can I have your name, last name please. What is the job address? Is that also the mailing address? What is the best number to reach you at during the day? And evening? How did you hear about us? When would you like me to send out one ofmy estimators.

Oh yes Mam/Sir we would need you to be there because my estimator is going to have questions and want to discuss your options and I am sure you are going to have questions as well.

There is nothing like old fashion talk for me to not only sale the appointment but also help in closing the sale before the sales people get out there.
My script is generic.u can use it for tons of businesses..

(Cleaning Service)
Hello,im(your name),may i ask who is your (whatever u are promoting)decision maker?

Write down the name,and when they come to the phone say,
Hello,this is (yourname) from (your company).may i ask if you (have or hire your type of service)?
May i ask if you are satisfied with the cost and service of (your product or service)?

(if yes)great,We're a leading (your service)company here in (your city)and we're not looking at making you do any changes right now but would you mind keeping a quote on file from us?

Thats It!!

..Don't go into selling the service or products, just sale the appointment..

(If no)Well,you wouldn't mind keeping a quote on file from us in the event you may need our (services or product)in the future,would you?
(its usually "no i wouldn't mind")
Great!!
Then,set up the day/date/time for appointments..

No offense, but my sales reps would have my a$$ if I set a weak lead like that.

Not that my "script" is the best,...but I definitely try and somewhat qualify the appt. prior to sending one of my guys out to the home,....


Good morning/afternoon, evening, Mr./Mrs._______________? This is ____________with_______________. You very well may have recently noticed my trucks or vans in the neighborhood as we've been doing/ have done some work for Mr./Mrs._____________over at ____________.

My company specializes in the newest, most energy-efficient______________designed exclusively for the ____________marketplace. While we're working in the neighborhood, we're scheduling free estimates at no-cost or obligation. At your convenience, one of my "techs" would stop out,...answer any/all of your questions you folks might have,.....design something right to your specifications,...provide you with tons of area references as we've done quite a bit of work in your area, as well as provide you an exact price right to the penny.

-What time are you folks generally both home by on most evenings?

-Keep in mind, this would be used for somewhat a "cold-call".

I also would try to ask them providing they see a product they like at a price they could afford, is this a prioject they plan on doing this year.

You will obviously use what works for you, but in the same tone--I think your way of "selling" the appointment is simply going to have your reps wasting alot of time and gas merely for these homeowners able to have your bid "on file" for when and IF the project actually ever happens.

-Just mho

Can I hire you to set some appointments for me? How do you go about finding folks "in that area" that you're working in - that aren't on the No-Call list?

Also, that's a pretty cold call.... do you find it effective still in your area? Here in central Indiana, folks have been beaten down by telemarketers for so many years, if they haven't signed up on the No-Call list, they simply don't answer the phone anymore. Not to mention, land lines are going the way of the dinosaur with cell phones that can set the VCR, turn on the furnace, and probably even flush the toilets (is there an App for that?!?).

Would really love to know since I am now venturing into the world of actually being at the top of the food chain and responsible for getting leads for my sales people rather than holding out my hand and getting leads from the company. Things sure look a lot different from this perspective ya know?

I too have my doubts about this intro.
For the first it assumes that people listen patiently to the whole thing before you let them talk.
Most of the times they won't. If somebody unknown calls you and pushes a bunch of text at you, do you listen through the whole speach?
Do you listen to insurance agents when they call and drive over you with talk, or do you get rid of them before they have warmed up?

And when you ask, the question is scary and turns a red light on, since you basically ask about their daily schedule, when in the evenings they are both home (this is a double question, the undernith question is: "when you are home alone in the evenings", maybe you don't think of it when you cold call me, but I do. I don't know you and you are asking me when my husband is home in the evenings, biip!).

But let's say they listen to your intro. When you say "You very well may have recently noticed my trucks or vans in the neighborhood..." you might be cut off with an answer to that, like i.e.:

- No, I haven't (ok, you keep going on)

- Yes I have and you guys wake me up in the morning, it is annoying (now you have to think fast and jump on the conversation)

- So it is probably you guys that have bumped into my garbage bin and destroyed it.
You: ...as we are doing some work...
HO: One of the weels on my bin is broken!
Imagine now "My company specializes in the newest, most energy-efficient..." in response to that

During my education I threw once a sales teaching book, in pure frustration, because in the book the customer was always listening and approving all the "great intros" you served, while at that point I had many years sales experience and knew it isn't like that - they don't just stand there and listen to you like to a preast in the church. People stop you, interrupt you, they want to know different things than what you are telling them, or they question your great product "cuz my nephew used it and got a terrible reaction", and you can use the books recipes as a liter box bottom cover.

People are different, they are mostly tired of cold calls unless you grab their attention during the first seconds. You can do this by for ex.:

- asking a question they want to answer. The question has to be formed a way so the answer leads to conversation. You got a good question there: "You very well may have recently noticed my trucks or vans in the neighborhood?" Then stop and let them talk and keep the conversation going depending on their answers. The garbage bin damage can easly turn out to an appointment here as you will come over and fix or replace the weel. Once you are there, the stage is yours

- making people curious about WHAT the neighbor is getting in the very beginning of your call. This one is a half-winner as about 50% (or more) are or will get curious if you phrase yourself well. "Some work" is a turn off. Never use these words, they minify your work. "A beautiful new kitchen with custom designed..." or "beautiful, custom designed windows" are turn on. Use very positive and interest creating words when describing your work. That will very often lead to some more detailed questions because of the curiosity, and this is the moment when you can offer to drop by and show them pictures of what a great "thing" you got their neighbor. Even if they don't think of a new kitchen or windows.
Then get an appointment and let your great work talk for you

Or the call may evolve completely different from the above. Be prepared and flexible. Anyway make people talk.

A script for cold calls should be only 2-3 short well thought lines that let and provoke the HO to get into the conversation as soon as possible, otherwise your call is in danger to become just "a talking flyer".

Hay Handy, That's how I do it when I go D2D But I use the opening line, Hello, I'm doing some work in the neighborhood and thought I'd stop by. (By this time I can read their face and see if they are talkable) I've noticed you have a lot of rot that needs attention, or what ever I see. As for setting a hard app. one must find out when both partys are at home so you won't be wasting your time with one who has to check with the other and a lot can be lost in the relay of words. At this encounter they at least get a card or a flyer. No body at home I leave a flyer. Hopefully I can set an app. to talk with both he and she or she and she but he and he they may get a high bid We have a lot of the partner gang over here and they need work too

Sure, but you don't need to ask when they generally are both at home.

"Some work" in D2D may be ok as you both see each other and you just give that "laid back" intro and can read the face.
"Some work" in a cold call does not create much interest, unless you are looking for "some work", some quick repairs, a couple hours work.

I never do cold call, don't know how to get #s and I hate that call stuff and the line comes to mind" Mam when is a convenient time to come by and talk to you and your husban" I have run to some of the nicest people this way I've been invited in for a cold drink even beer and talk story

Good for you, you must be a very friendly person yourself and easy to be around, not a bad quality in sales

Mam when is a convenient time to come by and talk to you and your husban - this is good, can even make it to "and your partner" to be on the safe side.
But again, if there is a single person and you push a touchy point...

How would be best to say it to be 100% safe and to get all the desission makers at the same time...? No idea...

I personally think scripts are obnoxious. They are an assembly line approach that indicates (to me) an assembly line mind set.

To have guidelines, sure. To have information you want to get to prequalify, sure. To have information you want to convey, absolutely.

But I say what you are after is a relationship with your client and the best way to start that is not by reading a page to them that has some fill-in-the-blank check boxes.

Go for the connection and the connection always entails listening. When you get them talking you are half way home.

Here is a good one on "a script meets a customer", just have to love it (starts at 0:48)

+ YouTube Video

A script can work if your selling an unchangeable product like a car. In the real world of construction where the product is different and each solution is unique scripts don't work.

Number one, somebody elses script is not you, that's not who you are and to remember it and spit it out will sound phoney and fake.

Every single conversation I have ever had with every customer was 100% unique and no script would have worked.

Spend your time practicing being yourself, believe it or not this is a rare quality. Customers want you to be yourself, this is the ultimate challenge.

When I talk to customers on the phone I talk to them no different than I would my sweet little Grandma. Would I script that conversation? NO, because Grammy would slap me upside the head. In construction your selling yourself, if you can't do that naturally you're in trouble.

If I was talking to my grandma and using a script what happens when she asked me a question that's not on the script?

The only thing I would script is to have a list of questions you need to ask, the rest is about delivery and listening.

When people are scripted they sound scripted, don't you hate it when people do that to you? Then don't do it to others.

Mike

Asking, "when will the house be empty or when are your kids home alone?"
That's what I hear by asking, "when do you and your husband typically get home?"

Wait until you're actually setting an appointment, and then ask, "will all the decision-makers be at the appointment?"

Totally agree with you Mike.