Wondering how to write an effective appointment setting script? We can help! Read on for quick guide on how to write a script for scheduling appointments
Eight seconds—that’s about how long you’ve got to make a lasting impression over the phone, on average. It takes quite a bit of charisma and interpersonal skills to lay the foundation for a long-lasting business relationship, making it crucial to have an appointment-setting script on hand.
There are many different types of appointment setting scripts and techniques with which to write them. Tailoring them to match your business’s tone, overall goals, and target audience is a crucial step toward getting it right.
Whether you’re working on closing a sales deal or penciling in sales appointments, having the right strategy for your appointment setting services is paramount. Read ahead to learn more about how to successfully write a sales appointment script and wow your customers before they even step foot in your establishment.
What Is An Appointment Setting Script?
A phone script for scheduling appointments is a bit like a roadmap for you and your employees to use while speaking with prospective clients. By following the guidelines written for how to respond to a qualified lead in any given situation, you’ll be better able to navigate your clients’ needs and potentially increase your chances of closing on contracts.
The art of improvisation can be a helpful skill to master, but having a clear plan for client communication could help your company give off a higher degree of professionalism.
Why Does Your Company Need One?
Let’s say your company is struggling to regularly capitalize on leads over the phone. There might be something that’s not quite right with your sales representative’s delivery and, consequently, the deals aren’t sticking. By changing up your strategy and having your employees use a predetermined phone script, you’ll be better equipped to improve your sales and lock down sales appointments.
Here are some benefits you may experience by using an appointment-setting script:
You’ll leave a better impression and encourage prospective customers to take you more seriously as professionals.
You might see an overall increase in productivity by systematizing calls and taking the guesswork out of delivering a convincing sales pitch.
Sending up clear channels of communications could speed up the sales cycle.
You won’t have to assign the task of making cold calls to your sales team.
You and your employees may experience a decrease in stress by simplifying your strategy.
You’ll be able to better track what works and what doesn’t when it comes to communicating with prospective clients.
Your company could bring in more calls and clients by wrapping up deals with more efficiency.
You and your sales team may benefit from an increase in confidence in your company’s ability to make effective and successful calls.
With so many opportunities for a high return, it makes sense to invest in preparing a script that’ll take your client relations to the next level.
Let’s take a look now at what effective script-writing looks like in practice.
Writing Your Appointment Script: Best Practices
When writing a quality chat or telephone appointment script, there are a few things to keep in mind in order to maximize your chances for success. By keeping these key points in mind when writing you’ll be able to create a ready-made map for you and your employees to follow confidently and with ease.
Here are some guidelines to follow while writing the perfect script:
#1 Do Thorough Research
Doing research—and doing it well—is key to writing a convincing script for your virtual receptionist appointment scheduling service. Make sure you know what you’re talking about and can back it up with facts. It’s always better to be over-prepared than underprepared. Clients can often sense how knowledgeable you are on a subject and may be more apt to do business with you if you come off as a master of your craft.
#2 Set a Clear Goal
If the script is your road map, there’s no point in following it if you’re not clear about where you’re going. Before you start writing, make sure you have the right goal and are clear about the objective of the appointment setting call and craft each sentence as a stepping stone to help you get there.
This will also help your prospective clients have a better idea of how to act. If your pitch lacks clarity and direction, chances are, whoever is on the other end of the phone will be just as confused.
#3 Personalize It
When writing a chat or telephone appointment setting script, it can be easy to fall into the trap of genericism. You’ll want to be wary about going after a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to appealing to new clients.
Instead, take the time to look into the potential client you’ll be speaking with in order to better understand their needs and situation prior to making the call. A personal touch can make or break a conversation, so make sure you know the prospect’s name and the basics of their business.
#4 Keep Your Introduction Brief
Eight seconds, remember? As mentioned before, there’s not much time to capture your audience’s attention. Don’t wait until you’ve made it half-way through the script to get to your main point.
Instead, keep the introduction short and sweet and dive right into what’s most relevant for your listeners to hear. Just remember to maintain a balanced cadence—get to the core of your message as soon as you can without sounding too rushed or frantic.
#5 Maintain Professionalism From Start to Finish
Depending on your industry, you might find yourself in competition with several other companies that offer similar products or services. Don’t let a lack of professionalism reduce your chances of building a connection with a qualified lead.
It’s imperative that you make sure the potential client knows you and your company are qualified and legitimate. Engage with them in a professional way in order to establish trust and instill confidence, starting with your appointment setting script.
#6 Set Up Pre Qualifying Questions
For some, slow and steady is the preferred way to build relationships with the potential customer. For others, time is precious—the quicker a lead turns into a conversion, the better. If that latter is true for your timeline, you may want to insert some pre qualifying questions into your appointment setting script.
Use this to find out more about your listener’s:
Main priorities when it comes to settling on a solution to their pain point
Preferred methods of communication
Ideal timeline
Budget restrictions
This way, both you and the customer will be able to determine whether or not it’s the right fit.
#7 Outline Your Products or Services
When setting up an appointment, you’ll want to be sure to clearly outline what you offer for services and products. This might seem like an obvious step, but overlooking it could have the potential to leave your listener completely in the dark.
Remind your audience at the beginning and end of the script about the specifics of what you do as well as where they can find more information such as a website, social media channel, or blog.
#8 Sell The Appointment, Not The Product
Put your products and services on display, but don’t write a novel that includes every minute detail. Instead, focus your attention on securing an appointment. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be able to give more information about your offerings in-person and elaborate on what might appeal to the prospective client.
Different Types of Appointment Setting Scripts to Consider
Being able to effectively communicate to potential clients over the phone can often make or break a business. You may find that the hardest is deciding on your desired approach when it comes to closing calls. Because of the variety of different companies and needs, different strategies of script-writing have developed over the years.
Here are a couple possible avenues to follow when drafting up your script.
Try Your Chances With a Referral
Using a common connection to establish a casual conversation works well since it is often based on a higher degree of trust than other unfamiliar contacts. If your brand has noticed success in the past with referral-style marketing, this might be where you want to focus your attention when it comes to writing a script.
When there’s a shared bond between you and a prospective client, it’s easy to move onto a general pitch from there.
Be sure to lead with kindness and sincerity in order to foster a genuine connection—and make it last.
A Script That Addresses a Pain Point
Do some research to find out what your target audience may be struggling with and how your company can offer them a solution. Empathize with the potential client over the phone and be specific about what you can do to strengthen their weaknesses. By showing that you care, the client may be more inclined to explore their options with your business.
Nexa: Here To Handle Your Scheduling Needs
Wondering which firm to work with your outsourced appointment setting service? At Nexa, we work to make your business run smoothly by being there for you 24/7. From start to finish, our professionals will work with you to discover the best strategy for your sales calls and appointment-setting.
We know that every company is unique, and that’s why we work to curate the best appointment setting call script for you based on your individual needs. Let us do the hard while you watch the results pour in.
Get your 30-day free trial today and start streamlining your scheduling services.
Nexa Receptionists Holdings, LLC (“Nexa”) welcomes Pravin Chandrasoma as its first-ever Chief Technology Officer (CTO) for its two brands: Nexa and Alert Communications.
