Manager Essentials The Basics of Managing the Process of Appointment Setting www.contactscience.com/manager
The dial starts the deal Ave. value of sale Ratio of Customers to 1st appts 5 Sales Cycle P A C D $$ Conversations Appointments Pipeline 1 2 3 4 Dials
The Learning Curves Callers have three learning curves The appointment setting skills to convert the conversations into appointments . The Best Practices to pursue each target correctly to generate a conversation. The technology to stay organized to operate the Best Practices (also keeps metrics automatically.) Managers have learning curves also Participate in the Caller learning curves – understand at the conceptual level. Review activity, analyze performance, select remedies, implement remedy. Learn to Role Play (participate in skills training classes.)
Manager Daily - OnBoarding Check in with caller each day Ask for best / most challenging call from yesterday Review the Daily Call Block (can be emailed to you each morning) Ask ‘are there any roadblocks to hitting your dial goals today?’
Managers Weekly Call Block Review Meeting Agenda Discuss Ratios and Remedies Review operational efficiency Examine adherence to Best Practices – Short, Long, Scenario Role Play a couple of skills techniques
$$ Sales Cycle Elements A A C D Business Process Series of events P Pipeline A Manage the Pipeline A C D Run the Appointment Set the Appointment
Process Elements Skills training to turn conversations into appointments (what to say when they say Hello) Pursuit plan for who to call, the number and frequency of calls, the messaging to deliver, what to do when the pursuit ends. Navigation of Best Practice, organization, record keeping, metrics and reporting. Discipline.
Prospecting Metrics Efficiency – Generating more conversations with a Decision Maker in less time. Effectiveness – Converting more of those conversations into appointments. A D C Conversation Ratio Appointment Ratio Dials per Week
Prospecting Metrics 10% 100 = 1 Appt 10% A C Conversation Ratio D C Conversation Ratio Appointment Ratio Dials per Week 100 = 1 Appt 10%
Prospecting Metrics 13% 100 = .5 Appt 4% A C Conversation Ratio D C Conversation Ratio Appointment Ratio Dials per Week 100 = .5 Appt 4%
Prospecting Metrics 4% 100 = .5 Appt 13% A C Conversation Ratio D C Conversation Ratio Appointment Ratio Dials per Week 100 = .5 Appt 13%
Prospecting Metrics 13% 100 = 1.5 Appt 12% A C Conversation Ratio D C Conversation Ratio Appointment Ratio Dials per Week 100 = 1.5 Appt 12%
Simple Metrics; Solid Remedies 5 2 4 14 3 15 16 13 8 7 11 9 10 17 12 2 1 6 Activity Efficiency - Effectiveness Remedies to Increase Performance : Improve the List of companies to call Improve the Best Practice Improve the Skills of the Caller
Common to Both Ratios ‘Conversation’ is the key to accurate metrics. C Conversation Ratio D C A Dials per Week Appointment Ratio
The Key to Metric Accuracy Conversation is selected only when You spoke with the Decision Maker, And, had the conversation you wanted. (It does not have to turn out like you had hoped; that would be an Appointment.) Anything else is a Chat Chats If there is a Chat, there should be a Comment. What constitutes a Conversation? They answer, you open They respond You can respond to that response
Prospecting Metrics 20% 100 = 1 Appt 5% A C Conversation Ratio D C Conversation Ratio Appointment Ratio Dials per Week 100 = 1 Appt 5%
Prospecting Metrics 10% 100 = 1 Appt 10% A C Option 3 better for understanding skills of the Caller 10% A D C Conversation Ratio Appointment Ratio Dials per Week 100 = 1 Appt 10%
Remedies Better List: Call through it once Qualify on First Call (Best Practice) Email appending Marketing to generate leads Insight into eMail marketing activity Canvass Review Local Periodicals
List Size
Best Practice & BackFill Week 1 100 Week 2 100 Week 3 100 BackFill 20 New Targets BackFill 24 New Targets Monday Targets Out of Business Not Qualified Qualified but no appointment Set an Appointment Said to call in 2 weeks Made all calls, waiting a week for response 80 76 ## Friday
Improving the Call Block Web Forms SEO Conversation Ratio Direct Mail D D C A ## Weekly Backfill # Select ## Direct Mail Targets Appointment Ratio ‘Drop and Chase’ direct mail campaigns are inefficient . . And over.
Marketing vs Prospecting I may not be able to Call everyone. But, I can eMail Market to everyone. Own your market: Append emails to current list Purchase remaining names in Market (get list w/email) ContactScience PROSPECTING ContactScience MARKETING
Improving the Call Block Web Forms SEO MARKETING Conversation Ratio eMail D D C A ## Weekly Backfill # Call or Raise their Hand Appointment Ratio ‘Paying Attention’ Opened eMail Clicked a Link
Marketing benefits Prospecting ‘Paying Attention’ The Scoring of eMail marketing activity ‘Opens’ Marketing eMails ‘Clicks’ Links in those eMails Keep those you have contacted warm with ‘drip’ emails. ContactScience MARKETING ContactScience PROSPECTING
Short Term Best Practice D $$ S A P S Pipeline Hi Bill, you may have noticed that I have been calling the last few weeks. This may not be a good time, so I won’t continue. However, if my messages about <core message> are of interest to you, I would enjoy a short conversation. Otherwise, I will give you another call in a few months. Week 1 VM - EM Short Term Best Practice Set Appointment Qualify account Identify DM Begin relationship & branding process D Week 2 VM - EM D Pursuit Framework Pursuit Messaging Week 3 VM - EM D Week 4 VM - EM
One Piece Mailing With Pre-Call C A P $$ D C A P $$ S A P S Pipeline Week 1 To Gatekeeper My name is Bob Howard from Contact Science. We are mailing information to local executives and I need to confirm your address is still 123 West Main 37099. Thank you. And one more quick question so I make sure I am not wasting Kyle time? Our records show that you have at least xx people who use computers every day to do their job? Is that still accurate? Great thanks. If Qualified, continue with this message- The information I am mailing to Kyle is (description) Please be on the lookout for it. And, could I leave a voicemail for Kyle? Thank you. Mail One Piece Mailing With Pre-Call Confirm as qualified Create ‘anticipation’ Reduces ‘throw away’
Move On – Recycle for another pursuit in a few months. D C A P $$ S A P S Pipeline Week 1 VM - EM - DM Mail To Gatekeeper My name is Bob Howard from Contact Science. I spoke with you last week about sending information to Kyle. Did it arrive? What did you think about it? Would you put me through to Kyle? Gatekeeper puts you on Hold and rings Kyle? The person who sent you the mail piece is on the phone, shall I put them through? One Piece Mailing With Pre-Call Confirm as qualified Create ‘anticipation’ Reduces ‘throw away’ D Week 2 VM - EM D Week 3 VM - EM Move On – Recycle for another pursuit in a few months.
Move On – Recycle for another pursuit in a few months. D C A P $$ S A P S Pipeline Week 1 VM - EM - DM - Blast Add an eMail Blast Mail Hi Bill, I have asked my associate, Bob Howard, to give you a call about an analysis our customers have found valuable to make sure they fully leverage their technology investments. If you can, please take a couple of minutes to speak with him. Thanks, CEO D Week 2 VM - EM D Week 3 VM - EM Move On – Recycle for another pursuit in a few months.
Long Term Best Practice Cold Warm Follow-Up Long Term Best Practice Business development strategy Territories as assets Dials No Contact ReCycle ReCycle Conversation Remove ReCycle Appointment Remove Goes into Pipeline Success
ReCycle Remove Success Goes into Pipeline Cold Warm Follow-Up Put through another Cycle later. Remove Do not call again. (not DM, company not qualified) Success An opportunity. Going into Pipeline. Dials No Contact ReCycle ReCycle Conversation Remove ReCycle Appointment Remove Goes into Pipeline Success
Scenario Best Practices Some pursuit scenarios require a decision on preferred direction to take Replace or Clone Qualify on the First Call No Answer Strategy Remove Rules and Revisit Plan
First Call Qualify While on the Action Page during the first call - qualify the account. Gatekeeper Another Department (Sales, AR) IT Department (technology sales) D D Dial
Remedies Better Best Practice: Personalize / Adlib messaging Put more ‘Marketing’ into emails Add Direct Mail to messaging suite A / B Testing
Skills Drive Effectiveness $$ Business Process Series of events P Pipeline A Manage the Pipeline A C D Run the Appointment Set the Appointment
Separate Sales Skills Business Process Series of events
Separate Sales Skills Business Process Series of events
Sample Technique “Does the Flux Capacitor work for companies in my industry?” Good Question. Flux Capacitors are a huge benefit to some companies and that may be the reason we should get together. I can share how our customers have evaluated Flux and what they are finding important. Would you have 30 minutes next week we could get together? No reason that it shouldn’t. Let me ask you a couple of questions: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
When would be a better time to call? Sample Technique I am too busy When would be a better time to call? I understand - could I give you the Cliff Notes version of why I am calling?
Environment Business Process Series of events The techniques are useful for: Cold Calling Referral Calls Lead Follow Up Direct Mail Calls
Remedies Better Caller Skills: Invest in a Skills class (mgr. attend, too) Role play, role play, role play Listen to / Review calls Find a peer buddy
Behavior Modification Manager focus Weekly review of reports until caller ‘gets it.’ Prospecting process is part of each Sales Meeting Role Play, Role Play, Role Play Callers ‘get it’ Understand ratios and can analyze for remedies Operate the process(es) correctly – Eg. Backfill, Closure Achieve weekly ‘dial’ goals
Pushbacks from Sales I have my own way of doing things I don’t like scripts This is a different process than I used before My way is faster / easier / better Software is hard to learn / use I don’t like report cards
Activity, not Time Minutes spent on Action Page by very efficient callers: 1.8 - No Conversation or Chat; leave VM and send email. 3.0 - Couple of conversations or chats in the hour Monday Tuesday Wed Thurs Friday 3 to 5 8 to10
The Learning Curves Callers have three learning curves The appointment setting skills to convert the conversations into appointments . The Best Practices to pursue each target correctly to generate a conversation. The technology to stay organized to operate the Best Practices (also keeps metrics automatically.) Managers have learning curves also Participate in the Caller learning curves – understand at the conceptual level. Review activity, analyze performance, select remedies, implement remedy. Learn to Role Play (participate in skills training classes.)
Manager Essentials The Basics of Managing the Process of Appointment Setting www.contactscience.com/manager
ROI Activity Goal 2 & 3 4 5 They may not be known, but every company has prospecting metrics.