Eight Critical Elements of Appointment Setting
By: Mike Snider
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In special finance one of the most important steps of the sales process is appointment setting. Effective appointment setting can increase closing percentages by leaps and bounds. Considering the fact that in most cases a prospect must physically visit the dealership before a deal can be closed, appointment setting can oftentimes make or break a deal.
One of the toughest appointment calls to make is a blind call. By this I mean that the lead originated from some type of blind advertising source, or the lead was purchased from a third-party Internet lead provider. Although I do strongly believe in blind advertising and the use of third-party Internet lead providers, one of the pitfalls to each of these marketing strategies is the difficulty in actually setting an appointment with the initial call to do so. Here are a few reasons why setting this appointment is so challenging:
1. The person you are calling is not expecting a phone call from your organization. Therefore, when making this call you must explain who you are and why you are calling immediately, otherwise this person has no idea who you are. If you are forced to leave a message, the message must be "catchy," otherwise the chances of this person returning your call are slim.
2. Oftentimes, this person is expecting a call from someone other than a dealership. Due to the fact that most blind advertising appears to be coming directly from a bank, this person is expecting a call from a bank, not a dealership. Therefore, when setting the appointment it is crucial to inform this person that you have access to all types of inventory and they are not limited to purchasing certain types of vehicles.
3. When dealing with individuals who have applied over the Internet, many people believe that the best way to communicate is through e-mail. I strongly disagree, and can tell you that following up through e-mail alone will cost you business. Regardless of how this person applied, he/she needs to receive a telephone call as soon as the lead is received. A telephone call allows you the opportunity to set the stage for the selling process to begin. People are notorious for hiding behind an e-mail address to make inquiries with no serious intentions of making a purchase. However, if a phone call has been made and the person has agreed to set an appointment, this person has taken the first step toward a commitment.
Now that we have discussed the challenges behind setting an appointment when the lead originated from blind advertising, here are a few tips for making an effective call:
1. The call should be well thought out and even scripted to some degree; in other words say basically the same thing each time you make a call.
2. Keep in mind your goal is to make an appointment that will show up!
3. Start all calls on a positive note; let the customers know you can help them achieve their goals; all they need to do is come see you! Make sure you are personable and sound excited.
4. When making the appointment use terms like, "I have an appointment at 9 and 11. Would you like me to set yours at 2 or 4? This lets the customer know you are working with others and that the appointment is important.
5. Never discuss vehicles, finance rates, terms or trade-in value. Learn to carefully listen when customers talk about the type of vehicle they want, trade in or finance terms. Even though you do not discuss these points, the information will help once the customer arrives.
6. Ask the customer to write down items he/she will need to bring; again keep in mind you want to convince the customer that by seeing you, they can buy.
7. Give clear directions to your location and repeat the assigned appointment time.
8. Close the call with a positive "bring your paperwork and insurance information because we want to send you home in a new car"!
Regardless of the size of your department, effective appointment setting will increase your show up ratios along with your closing percentages. Good selling.
Michael Snider is national sales manager with Voisys, Complete Lead Generation Experts, offering the automobile industry marketing programs specifically geared toward the special finance industry.
This article is from the September issue of World of Special Finance Magazine www.wosfmagazine.com.
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