If you’re looking to win new business as a B2B company, it’s important to use the right channels to set B2B appointments, meet with leads and prospects, and move them down the sales funnel. But what channels are the most effective for B2B appointment setting? In this blog post from Incept, we’ll go over four of the most effective channels that you should use to set appointments with B2B customers.
Related Article: The 5 Most Effective Tactics for B2B Appointment Setting - Set Yourself up for Success
1. Phone Calls
Cold calls are a tried-and-true method of appointment setting. When you make a call to a new contact, be brief, and to the point, and make your value proposition clear. Also, make sure you have a plan to leave a voicemail. Many people screen their calls these days due to the rise of spam calls – and leaving a voicemail gives you more of a chance to be heard by a lead.
Also, you should make sure that you’re using a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software to take notes about each contact, track each successful and unsuccessful contact attempt, and determine if the lead is worth pursuing. This makes things much simpler, especially if you have multiple people working on your sales team.
2. Emails
Emails are a useful tool for setting B2B appointments. When crafting a sales email, use the same basic strategy as a cold call – make sure to write an engaging headline, personalize the email, and get right to the point. You don’t want to waste a lead’s time.
However, email open rates are sometimes quite low – about 20% across all industries. It’s best not to rely on emails alone, but to pair them with phone calls and other communications channels to increase response rates.
Want to learn more? Read about the five email strategies that can help convert cold leads.
3. Text Messages
Text messages are a particularly effective way to connect and finalize appointments after initial conversations. While a lead may not always check their email or voice messages, they will almost always check their texts – most texts are opened and read within 90 seconds.
However, SMS messages can be seen as spammy or invasive, particularly if you “cold text.” Because of this, we recommend using SMS messages to follow up, send reminders, and schedule appointments after you get in touch with a lead through another communications channel.
And to prevent your messages from appearing “spammy,” you should send them from the same number that you’re calling from – this increases your chances of a response, since a lead is more likely to recognize your name and/or number.
4. Social Media
Monitoring social media is a great way to find new opportunities to connect with potential leads. For example, if you run a cloud computing company and notice a thought leader complaining about their current service on LinkedIn or Twitter, you could reach out to try to schedule an appointment, or even just have a conversation and make a connection with someone new – someone who could turn into a lead later down the line.
Even if you don’t use social media to contact someone, social media is a great way to find out more information about a contact, including their role, company, their position, and even their contact information, in some cases. Twitter and LinkedIn are typically the best social media platforms for these purposes.
Related Article: How to Provide Excellent Customer Service via Social Media.
Need Help With B2B Appointment Setting? Contact Incept Today!
At Incept, we specialize in helping clients set appointments, win new business, and get results in the B2B space. If you need help winning new business, our team of B2B specialists are standing by to assist you. Contact us today, set up a consultation, and see how Incept can help you get results.