Setting appointments well makes the best use of your time — and shows prospects you value theirs. To keep an optimal schedule for inbound and outbound sales calls, many teams hire a virtual assistant as an appointment setter to drive positive B2B or B2C engagements.
Done right, appointment setting leads to more chances to close deals and stronger business relationships. Here are 12 tried-and-tested tactics to get you there.
- Good appointment setting respects both your time and the prospect’s, setting the stage for a strong pitch.
- Appointment setters contact prospects, introduce your business or product, and schedule sales meetings.
- Hiring a virtual assistant as an appointment setter frees your sales team to focus on closing deals.
What Does an Appointment Setter Do?
Appointment setters contact and qualify prospects to create sales opportunities further down the pipeline. The role covers tracking schedules, lead prospecting, and maintaining databases — but the core job is getting prospects to agree to a meeting with your sales team.
Here’s what the process usually looks like:
- Reach out to a potential customer.
- Briefly introduce your company, product, or service.
- Encourage the prospect to book a meeting with a sales rep.
- Update the leads database based on the outcome.
- If it went well, hand the appointment off to the sales team to close.
Tips on Setting Appointments in Sales
Setting appointments is harder than ever — the Sales Development Technology Report found it takes around 18 dials to connect with a single buyer. These 12 best practices will improve your odds.
1. Consider the Prospect’s Time Zone
Reach out when it’s convenient for them, not you. Aim for office hours, and remember that the best response times run from 10 AM to 2 PM.
Call when prospects are trying to relax and you’ll annoy them. Call outside their business hours and you’ll land in voicemail. Know their optimal window before you dial.
2. Confirm Time Availability
Decision-makers are busy, so lead with etiquette. Politely ask if they can spare a few minutes before launching in.
If they can’t talk, don’t push — ask for a convenient time to call back. A considerate approach opens the door to a more receptive conversation.
3. Be Prepared
Preparation closes deals. Adding value and insight to each call can close up to 74% of deals.
Before you call:
- Know which product fits the prospect and anticipate their needs or concerns.
- Prepare answers to the tough questions you expect.
- For B2B, check social profiles and research the company’s mission and goals.
4. Show Interest
Genuine interest and empathy are the foundation of good appointment setting. Prospects can spot feigned enthusiasm, so be sincere.
Focus on understanding their needs, frustrations, and challenges. When you can connect what you offer to a real problem they have, saying yes to a meeting becomes easy.
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5. Don’t Be Pushy
You may be applying more pressure than you realize. HubSpot reports that 50% of prospects find salespeople too aggressive, while only 17% of salespeople think they are.
Be eager, not forceful:
- Don’t launch straight into your pitch — it feels too fast and too strong.
- Handle objections with a consultative approach instead of bullying.
- Use testimonials, facts, and persuasive language to earn the appointment.
6. Take Advantage of Technology
As integration tools improve remote collaboration, appointment setting has gotten easier too. Look for appointment setting software that can:
- Simplify calls across time zones
- Drop voicemails while you dial the next number
- Increase hourly dials with preview dialing
- Send email follow-ups automatically
- Sync multiple calendars for team selling
7. Share User Reviews Online
Social proof builds credibility, especially for startups and SMEs — 88% of customers trust reviews.
Put social proof on your website and social channels. Name-drop high-profile clients where you can, or share customer stories that show how you solved a similar problem. Case studies and testimonials are especially convincing.
8. Think Target Market
Qualified leads come from working closely with your marketing team. Track signals like:
- Website visitors – Ask to be notified when prospects visit, so you can reconnect at the right moment.
- Content downloads – Follow up with people who grab templates, white papers, or case studies.
- Event attendees – Webinar and event lists are prime booking contacts.
9. Build Trust and Relationships
Trust turns cold contacts into booked meetings. Two ways to build it:
- Be human and build rapport. Customers want a person, not a robot. Rapport and empathy make prospects comfortable enough to hear you out.
- Aim to book, not sell. When a prospect finally picks up, resist the urge to pitch. The goal is the meeting — let the relationship progress naturally.
10. Train to Handle Rejections
Even seasoned setters need refresher training to prepare for objections. Know your prospects and your product inside out, and learn how to handle sales objections so you can reframe concerns and highlight what makes your product unique.
11. Use a Script
A script keeps your pitch consistent and on-brand — even pros who can wing it use one. A good script includes:
- Personalized greeting or opener
- Branded introduction of you and your business
- Positioning statement
- Discovery question(s)
- Closing statement with a call to action (set the appointment)
12. Remember to Follow Up
Once a prospect is interested, ask for the follow-up meeting and suggest a specific time and date.
Then send a confirmation email with the agreed time and a short recap of your conversation. This works especially well for busy, industry-specific buyers who are always on the go.
Combine These Best Practices with Magic to Boost Your Sales
Appointment setting matters, but it can eat up the time your team should spend closing deals. Outsourcing it keeps your pipeline moving while your reps stay focused on revenue.
Boost your sales with Magic’s flexible remote workforce. Hire an appointment setter or an outsourced SDR to help with everything from lead generation and qualification to CRM management and data entry.
Book a call with us to see how sales outsourcing can grow your bottom line.
