An appointment setter is responsible for scheduling meetings between prospective clients and Account Executives (AEs). As a typical entry-level position, the appointment setter’s primary duties include identifying potential customers and contacting them through cold calling and emailing.
Factors to Consider Before Hiring Appointment Setters
Some industries have complex sales cycles and require highly-specialized sales representatives to clarify products or service features. Other companies will benefit from fast-acting teams capable of setting multiple appointments in a short period. Establishing your business goals is crucial to determining the most appropriate strategy to follow up with.
Here are three key considerations when hiring appointment setters:
Industry expertise
An appointment setter represents your company and should be able to answer questions about any aspect of your business and the industry. The best candidates are not necessarily the ones with niche expertise, but the ones that are proactive and show enthusiasm for continuous improvement.
The level of experience required for your outreach
Does your company have a complex sales cycle, or is it short and simple? Do you need intensive training to make your teams absorb your process, or is your niche intuitive enough?
Acknowledging the complexity of your offers allows you to get a clear vision of the type of appointment setters your sales team needs. Appointment setters with little to no experience can handle calls where expertise is not required, but more experienced SDRs will deliver better results on complex, longer sales cycles.
The difference between in-house and outsourced strategies
Building an in-house appointment setting program can be costly and labor-intensive, which makes it a difficult option for businesses. Hence, companies turn to sales outsourcing which involves delegating tasks to a third-party agency or individual to improve outcomes.
An effective appointment setting company will do in-depth research about your business and prepare highly-qualified SDRs to represent your offers. Outsourced appointment setters can improve your business’ productivity by engaging with qualified prospects without requiring a significant investment.
This video explains how to effectively outsource your appointment setting program without risking your brand reputation:
Appointment Setting Responsibilities
An appointment setter’s job description should include the following duties:
Identifying potential customers
Appointment setters can only succeed when they have the proper knowledge to identify viable customers from a company’s target market. An effective appointment setter can conduct research to qualify leads using preset criteria.
Contact prospective customers to schedule appointments
Appointment setters contact prospective clients through cold calls and emails to schedule meetings with account executives. The best candidates for this position are those with active listening, persuasion, and other skills to get the best results from this process.
Have adequate product knowledge
Appointment setters must develop a deep understanding of the companies they speak for, providing leads with any additional information they might need. The first weeks of training for appointment setting campaigns should include a careful study of the business and its offers; as well as the industry, the target audience, and customers’ pain points.
Answer inbound calls
In addition to initiating conversations with potential clients, appointment setters should be equipped to respond to calls from customers. They should be ready to offer any support or information on the phone to enhance customer satisfaction.
Complete call sheets
After ending each call, appointment setters must complete a sheet reporting the result of the conversation. This method is crucial to keep track of their performance and follow up with qualified leads.
Appointment Setting Requirements and Skills
A background in sales is not always essential to work as an appointment setter, but sales leaders look out for a few things when hiring for this position.
High school diploma or equivalent
A diploma is usually required to work in appointment setting. Higher education is definitely a plus, but the lack of it shouldn’t exclude candidates.
Teamwork abilities
Appointment setting is a team effort, often involving collaboration with other members of the sales and marketing department. The perfect fit for this role must be adept at working with teams to achieve organizational objectives.
Active listening and attention to detail
To generate and qualify leads, appointment setters must practice active listening during cold calls. They use these moments as opportunities to understand their prospects and find solutions to their pain points.
Excellent communication
It goes without saying. Great communicators are more able to persuade prospects to schedule appointments with the companies they represent.
Organization skills
Candidates with organizational skills stand out among others, as the appointment setting role requires delivering clear, systematized information. This is also key for dealing with deadlines and the high demands of the role.
Software knowledge
Businesses have different tech stacks so this requirement is likely to vary from company to company. However, a basic understanding of Microsoft Office programs is mandatory. Depending on the company, sales leaders can also ask for knowledge of CRM, mail delivery, and contact database software.
Appointment Setter Job Description Templates
Are you a sales manager looking to hire an appointment setter for your team? We’ve created templates for you to find the best candidates for your company. You can adjust the details to fit your business’s specific needs. according to your business needs to make it even more effective.
Sample Template 1
Appointment setter wanted
We are looking for an appointment setter to join our team! This entry-level position will allow you to work closely with our sales team and report directly to our sales manager.
Your primary responsibility will be to contact prospective customers via telephone and email. You’ll represent our company by understanding our offers and scheduling appointments between potential clients and sales leaders.
The ideal candidate for this position enjoys talking to people and is interested in sales. Experience in the field is not required.
Responsibilities:
- Identify potential customers for the company;
- Contact prospective clients via telephone and email;
- Schedule appointments between prospective clients and sales managers;
- Learn about the company’s products and services;
- Assist in customer support;
- Complete daily call sheets.
Requirements and skills:
- High school diploma or equivalent;
- Ability to teamwork;
- Active listening and attention to detail;
- Excellent communication;
- Organization skills;
- Knowledge of office software.
Submit your CV + motivation letter to xxx@xxx and join our team!
Sample Template 2
Job Title: Appointment Setter
We are seeking a self-driven Appointment Setter to join our expanding team. The ideal applicant will be the first point of contact for prospective customers, responsible for generating leads, building relationships, and scheduling appointments for account executives on our team.
Responsibilities:
- Contact potential customers via phone calls and emails
- Present our company to potential clients
- Identify client needs and suggest appropriate products and services from our portfolio
- Proactively seek new business opportunities in the market
- Schedule meetings for sales teams
- Report to the Sales manager
Requirements:
- Experience as an Appointment Setter, Sales Development Representative, or similar role preferred
- Hands-on experience with various sales techniques (cold calls, emails)
- Track record of achieving sales quotas
- Familiarity with CRM and database management tools
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills
- Ability to deliver engaging presentations
- A BSc degree in Marketing or a relevant field is a plus
Sample Template 3
An appointment setter is needed for immediate employment.
Our company is looking for a focused and results-driven appointment setting specialist to schedule meetings/appointments for our sales team. Your role will involve reaching out to potential clients, understanding their needs, and arranging meetings between them and our sales team.
Responsibilities:
- Establishing contact with potential clients through cold calling and emails
- Pitching our products or services to potential clients
- Arranging appointments with the sales team
- Keeping an up-to-date record of calls and relevant information
Requirements:
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Prior experience in sales or customer service is a plus
- Proficiency with CRM software
- Excellent phone and cold calling skills
- Resilience and ability to handle objections
- Proficient in Google Workspace
Sample Template 4
Job Title: Appointment Setter
We are seeking a highly motivated individual to join our sales team as an Appointment Setter. In this role, you will set appointments with potential clients to help our sales team secure deals and grow our client base.
Responsibilities:
- Call potential clients to establish rapport and set up meetings
- Use scripts to provide information about product benefits
- Handle grievances and objections to maintain customer’s trust
- Go the “extra mile” to facilitate future sales
- Keep records of calls and sales and record useful information in our CRM system
Requirements:
- Proven track record of successfully meeting sales quotas preferably over the phone
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Good command of the English language
- Skilled in negotiation and dealing with objections
- Persistent and results-oriented
- Patient and able to handle customer rejection
- High school diploma; BSc/BA will be a plus
Bottom Line
Appointment setters generate fresh leads by scheduling meetings between potential customers and account executives. When looking for an appointment setter to support your sales team, keep the considerations and requirements above in mind and leverage the free templates available too.
FAQs
How can an appointment setter contribute to our sales team?
An appointment setter reaches out to leads, establishes a rapport, and set up meetings with your team. Their efforts are crucial in maintaining a steady flow of leads for the business, freeing up your sales team to focus on closing deals.
Should our appointment setter work in-house or remotely?
Appointment setters can effectively work from either a physical office or a remote location, as long as they have access to a reliable phone and internet connection. Some businesses prefer in-house appointment setters for ease of collaboration and training, while others opt for remote work to save on office space and overhead costs.
Do appointment setters need training?
Yes, appointment setters need training regardless of their experience in a similar role, about your specific products or services, target audience, and company values. Ongoing training is also essential to keep them abreast of industry standards and enable them to set more appointments.
What is the difference between an appointment setter and a sales representative?
An appointment setter’s primary goal is to engage potential customers and set up meetings for the sales team. Sales representatives, on the other hand, meet with potential clients, present product or service offerings, and aim to close the sale.
