LinkedIn Poll

Does your business use appointment setters?

I recently launched a LinkedIn poll to which I would love you to respond.

You can find the poll via this link here.

An appointment setter sets up a call for your sales reps often qualifying and disqualifying prospects, so the sales team has the best chance of closing new business.

Typically an appointment setter responds to inbound inquiries to your business via webforms or opt-ins for paid ads or other promotional offers.

An appointment setter can email or call the leads, add them on LinkedIn, message them, ask them questions, and otherwise "set up the appointment" for a longer conversation and sales call.

An appointment setter can also DM interested leads via Facebook or Instagram, targeting members of Facebook groups or users who have shown interest in some content you have shared or offers you have made.

If your company is running paid ads and retargeting ads, an appointment setter can follow up with leads, sometimes increasing your call booking rate by 300%.

Often the sales team will set the appointments themselves;

However, a separate appointment-setting role is necessary in the case of a high volume of leads.

Appointment setters can be in-house or externally sourced.

Does your company use appointment setters?

Let me know via the poll on LinkedIn here.

LinkedIn Poll | Jen Bishop consulting and lead generation agency london UK

The Problem Based Niche

If you have a niche, perhaps you help ‘home contractors’ such as electricians, plumbers, and builders with Facebook ads.

Or, if you are getting more specific, maybe you help ‘home remodeling contractors’ with Facebook ads.

Or, if you are even more specific, maybe you help ‘heritage-listed home remodeling contractors’ with Facebook ads.

What each of these niches LACK, however, is a ‘problem-centered approach.

What does your group of ‘heritage-listed home remodeling contractors’ have in common that is a significant challenge or pain?

Is it that they currently get work by referral but need a system for bringing in regular leads?

Is it that they are currently stuck at $10k months but would like to grow to $100k months with more leads and bigger contract sizes?

Is it that they need to get more of their IDEAL contracts, which are large-scale renovations and million-dollar home remodeling contracts?

Once you have a niche with a common problem and a common starting point, you are better positioned to appeal to them with your messaging.

1. You know where to find them, and this means you can focus your search on the one or two platforms that they frequent

2. Your content and message speak to them because you resonate clearly with their current situation and desired future

3. You can offer value in a short period because you can map out a solution and get results for them succinctly

4. You can create consistent and highly leveraged results because you are positioned to help them in such a specific way

5. You can charge higher fees because you are now a thought leader and industry specialist within your niche and create such significant results

When thinking about your niche -do you have a problem-based niche?

The Problem Based Niche | Jen Bishop consulting and lead generation agency london

Holiday Objections

Around this time of the year, it is common to come against the “holiday” objection in sales calls with prospects.

By this, I mean the prospect shows interest in your offer or working with you but says, “I’m keen to start in January.”

Or, “things are quiet between Thanksgiving to New Year, so let’s touch base when we are back from holidays.”

Or, “we are winding down now and planning for 2023, so keen to kick things off in the new year.”

How do you handle this delay objection which can mean December is a graveyard of new business and cash flow?

I have recently been taught this by Mike Mark and have used it to change the direction of sales calls and so sharing here with you.

First, acknowledge the objection.

Something like, “Yes, I understand things slow down at the end of the year, and we are all in planning mode for the new year.”

Second, challenge the objection with this question:

“When would you like sales calls to start filling your calendar?” or “When are you hoping new business conversations will start being generated?”

When the prospect answers, count the lead time required to achieve this goal with them.

For example, “When you sign up, there is an onboarding and campaign design period that takes about two weeks before we start campaign outreach, and typically you can see calls trickly in after a week or fortnight of the campaign launch. As a result, it’s best to count back 3-4 weeks before you hope to see results and kick-off.”

Third, calculate the cost of delay.

Challenge them that if they DO wait until January to kick things off, then, in fact, they are delaying real momentum for their new business goals to February or March, which is then close to Q2 of the new calendar year.

Finish up by affirming that December being quiet business wise is the PERFECT time to commence the work, planning, and preparation for a BIG January month.

And in fact, the quieter business period allows space to do the groundwork necessary for a New Year push.

Don’t let the holidays become an objection.

Turn it into the best season to work with you.

Holiday Objections | Jen Bishop consulting best lead generation agency