The Best Appointment Setting Scripts for Different Situations [+Samples]

‍Consider this: 

Your ideal customer is sitting in front of you in a face-to-face meeting. This prospect checks all the boxes, has shown interest in your offer, and is an ideal fit. 

This is the opportunity you’ve been waiting for, but how can you be sure that the appointment you set leads to a sale?

This is where appointment-setting scripts come in handy. 

A well-written script helps you convey your idea clearly and succinctly and guarantees you remember all crucial points throughout the session. 

You may schedule an appointment that results in a sale and lays the groundwork for a long-term business relationship with the appropriate script.

This article will cover the benefits of using appointment-setting scripts that have proven effective in various settings to assist businesses and organizations in scheduling meetings that lead to sales. 

Instead of asking, How can I sell to customers? 

You will ask, How do customers now buy? and expand on that. 

The Value of an Appointment-Setting Script

Did you know that it now takes an average of 18 dials to connect with a buyer?

Yes! 18 dials.

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This is why an appointment-setting script is crucial in the lead generation process.

The primary objective is to secure a meeting with a potential client.

Nevertheless, there are other things it can accomplish.

A scripted appointment can serve three primary purposes:

• It’s a great chance to show off your company’s personality and assist the prospect in feeling more comfortable doing business with you. Appointment setters can be given various personality types and scripts to represent the company’s core values best.

• Appointment scripts incorporate lead qualification features because not all leads in your funnel will be ideal. For the sales team, this is helpful information in determining whether or not to pursue the lead.

• It’s an excellent opportunity to learn more about the potential customer, so you can better serve them if you close the deal. In addition, you can learn more about their character traits and make better use of your close teammates by taking notes.

The Different Parts of an Appointment Setting Script

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A quality script shapes your organization. 

However, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to creating a script. Still, it should include the following components.

Opening Statement in Appointment Setting Script

As an SDR, you should introduce yourself and the company you represent as the opening statement of an appointment script. 

It can be as simple as saying, "Hi, I’m *SDR name* calling on behalf of *Company Name*.

Your tone should be upbeat and enthusiastic, setting a positive tone for the conversation. 

To achieve this, you must practice your opening statement’s delivery tone. 

• It should reflect your brand’s image and resonate with the core audience. 
• A solid opening statement makes the lead feel comfortable continuing the conversation.
• It addresses the lead by name to create a familiar atmosphere, showing that you have done your research. 
• The opening script should confirm that the person answering the call is the lead. 

Sometimes, the person answering the call is a gatekeeper, such as a secretary or personal assistant. 

The script should also have answers for these cases. 

As a well-trained SDR, you will politely ask how to contact the lead when dealing with a gatekeeper. Including this direction in your appointment script will increase your chances of reaching the decision-maker.

Qualification Statement in Appointment Setting Script 

After you have made a good impression and confirmed the lead’s identity, you need to qualify them. This section allows you to determine if the lead is the right fit for them, especially if they have a diverse list of leads.

Examples of qualification questions include 

• Probing for pain points
• Determine who the decision maker is
• Whether the prospect plans to buy
• What the prospect feels about their current solution

Before starting these questions, confirm that the lead has time. 

Because if they don’t, ask if you can call them back to continue the conversation. 

You should always be courteous and respectful during the call, even if the lead answers negatively.

Appointment Statement in Appointment Setting Scripts

The next step should be to schedule an appointment once you have determined that the lead is qualified. 

It is the easiest part of the script since you must ask the lead when to speak with the account executive at the most convenient time. 

When setting an appointment, provide a few options, but stay objective. 

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After the lead chooses a schedule, confirm the date to avoid misunderstandings. 

If the lead is not a good fit, you can thank the lead for their time and say goodbye. 

Even if they must meet the qualifying criteria, maintaining professionalism is essential for brand image and awareness.

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Closing Statement in Appointment Setting Scripts

You can close the call with the closing statement. This section confirms the appointment by reiterating the schedule.

You must ensure the lead has no outstanding questions when they close the call. Including relevant statistics and answers to common questions is highly recommended. 

If the lead has no questions, end the call with a cheerful goodbye. 

Expressing that you look forward to speaking with the lead again is also recommended.

Appointment Setting Scripts for a Researched Lead

Before calling, research the person’s pain points to improve your odds. It saves time and puts the client at ease. You should also check their website and social media to understand their brand voice. 

Below is a cold call script after researching the firm and its pain points:

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This example uses your client research to position your product as a solution to the client’s problems, which may increase interest in your product and make scheduling a discovery call easier.

Appointment Setting Scripts for a Gatekeeper

Warning: sales staff may have a gatekeeper. Executive secretaries and virtual assistants screen calls. 

But you can get over these gatekeepers through kindness and relationship-building. Here is a cold call script to get past receptionists:

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During the call, don't forget to write down their names and titles to find people on the phone quickly. Also, write down the recorded menu names to improve virtual assistant interactions.

Appointment Setting Scripts for a Referral Lead 

Phone calls are a great way to make professional connections. Even better, it’s a great way to get clients.

Getting a referral from an existing client can provide an advantage because prospects are more likely to heed the counsel of someone they know and like than someone they don’t know and have never heard of. 

Here is a dialogue for conducting cold calls to gain referrals:

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Remember, though, if you claim that someone referred you, you’ll need to provide that person’s name and some information about them and your relationship with them. 

Appointment Setting Scripts for SaaS Sales

Here it is!
Let’s look at three scripts you can use to make effective sales calls.

Scene 1: Positive First-script

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Scene 2: Defying Time

Scene 3: Managing an irritable lead

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Appointment Setting Scripts for Every Kind of Lead 

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Social networking and internet research help salespeople close transactions.

This script makes your call make sense and can go in any direction. 

You’re reaching out for a good purpose, and researching the lead before calling shows that you respect the connection and want to chat with them specifically.

Appointment Setting Scripts with Pain Point Strategy

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B2B and SaaS will profit the most from this script. 

Because many problems are global, you demonstrate research and reliability by appealing to your potential client’s interests. 

Avoid being a pushy salesperson here.

Appointment Setting Scripts to Find the Decision Maker

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This script is helpful for salespeople who need to be sure they’ve reached a decision-maker because it’s always positive. 

Even if they can’t help, be friendly to everyone. After confirming that you’re talking to a decision-maker, you can request an appointment.

Appointment Setting Scripts When You Are in a Hurry

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This script is for representatives that need additional prospect information or are pressed for time.

Why it works: People enjoy directness. 

By stating your aims upfront, this script respects your prospect’s time and intelligence.

Appointment Scripts to Find Common Ground with Prospect 

This script is for representatives who understand their prospect’s industry and pain areas.

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Your prospect should say yes to both questions to show that their company is capable and competitive. And if you want to know more about their problem and how your solution may help, ask your prospect to explain.

If they say no, schedule a time to discuss how you might help them solve the issue you raised.

Why it works: This script gets your prospect nodding and curious. Saying yes to your prospect may lead to an appointment.

Why should you use a script to schedule appointments?

I put this in this blog section because you already know this, right? But for emphasis, I lined them up for you below:

Better Preparation 

According to MarketingProfs, 82% of B2B decision-makers think sales reps need to prepare. 

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Not only do most businesses need more staffing and funds to generate as many high-quality leads as they’d like, but they also need more time to try. 

Neither you nor your sales team probably expected to spend so much time on lead generation, cold calling, and following up. 

They would prefer to devote their time and energy solely to sales. 

Their efficiency and success are hindered because of the time they have to spend making appointments. The freedom from lead generation and scheduling that appointment setting provides to sales teams is the fourth significant benefit of the service. 

If you can find someone to take on this role, you’ll have more time to devote to running the business. While the B2B appointment-setting firm brings in warm, qualified leads, you and your team can concentrate on making the most of your appointments and closing deals.

You Look Confident

17% of salespeople think they’re pushy, while 50% of prospects view them as pushy.

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Showcases Brand Identity

As an SDR, you face constant uncertainty and numerous rejections daily, affecting your performance and demeanor. 

Call scripts to ensure that you provide consistent information that reflects the company’s brand and messaging. They also eliminate incoherent responses and stuttering. It allows for quality conversations with leads.

Better Results 

A cold call script can help you think more about your approach because it is planned. 

When you write the script, you can refer to facts, statistics, and persuasive techniques by outlining the points you want to make and how you want to approach the customer. 

Scripting can help you control the conversation rather than reacting to how the customer responds. 

You can improve the script by making more calls and refining your sales approach.

Creating a Standard

Cold calling can take a lot of energy; some days, you may be more successful than others. 

But every call you make will be the first time the client hears from you, so you want to make the best impression possible. 

With a script in place, you can be upbeat and outgoing during a phone call, even when you may not feel that way. 

It can also help you establish a standard for all your calls, so you can accurately gauge the most effective approaches.

Leaves a Lasting Impression on Your Prospects

36% of B2B executives believe salespeople understand their business problems and offer clear solutions. 

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Good meeting scripts are critical to success. 

Developing a customized meeting script based on your client’s needs gives direction and flow to your conversation.

It eliminates the inconsistencies of an off-the-cuff conversation, keeps the discussion on track, and increases the chances of winning over your prospects.

Qualifying the Leads Becomes Easier 

It can be challenging to qualify prospects over the phone. However, a script is a checklist for determining whether your contact is the best person for the job. 

The scripts are written in a way that you can analyze the prospect by the time the call ends. You can make a quick decision as to whether or not to set up an appointment.

In summary, a  great cold call script for getting a meeting meets all of the above.

But…
Creating one is a challenging task. 

So how can you make your scripts work?

How to Make Your Appointment Setting Scripts More Efficient

A successful sales appointment approach requires a lot of work.

Of course, each funnel stage comes with its challenges, but the first significant barrier to closing deals is the sales appointment-setting process.

To prevent wasting time and resources on dead-end calls, sales leaders must create a strategic framework that positions their appointment-makers - and ultimately the rest of the team - for success.

Sell the Appointment First, Product Second

Diving into a list of product features or benefits during a cold call may be tempting.

However, doing so could cause your prospects to tune out.

Your job isn’t to sell your product over the phone: it’s to pique their curiosity to the point where they’re hungry to learn more. That’s the whole point of the appointment.

Instead of a long-winded pitch, stick to a feature, benefit, or pain point relevant to your prospect and most likely to make them want to learn more.

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When in doubt, keep it simple.

While you may need more time to sell a product, chances are you can pique someone’s interest.

This mentality ultimately makes your job easier because it keeps your conversations focused on the single goal of making an appointment. It helps you avoid a lengthy Q&A session on the phone that’s likely to get off track.

Be Ready for Objections

Once you qualify the prospect and start working toward the close, you’ll likely encounter some objections. It is cold calling, after all. 

At the very least, you can expect to hear “not interested,” “don’t have time,” and “send me an email.”

Get ahead of the inevitable and equip your team with an objection for every common goal they might encounter during that first call. 

Here are a few key things to remember as you develop your strategy.

• Ask Thoughtful, Open-ended Questions

If your prospect says, “It’s too expensive; I don’t know if we have the budget right now,” you might respond with something like this: “I understand that price is a concern. 

But what budget did you have in mind ?” 

At this point, stop talking and listen to what your prospect is saying.

Again, this shouldn’t feel like a hard sell. Ultimately, you should view these early conversations as an opportunity to gain insights that can improve the sales process later. 

• Turn Objection Into Value

You can frame the objection around the problem your prospect is trying to solve and use it to explain how your product/service addresses their unique needs.

Share customer stories that include specific numbers that make your offering more tangible-what kind of ROI or cost savings have you helped similar customers achieve?

• Highlight Your Competitive Advantage

Consider viewing objections as an opportunity to demonstrate your solution's competitive edge. 

Train your reps to counter objections with case studies, data-driven insights, and numbers that support your best claims.

Doesn’t Hurt to Do a Little Research

Our cold-calling scripts for appointments have a common theme:

Personalization

A creative, tailored pitch will gain you more appointments than a generic script. Even if someone thinks you’re trying to sell them anything (hint: give your prospects credit), they’ll appreciate your research.

Consider how much research you can perform in a minute to get talking points and details to gain bookings.

A short Google search can establish someone’s company role and social media profiles:

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LinkedIn and Twitter can provide valuable cold call information. It lists company positions, achievements, and recent content that indicate how you may contribute.

Embrace the Assumptive Mentality

Practical cold calling demands thought.

Do you fear cold calls? Will your call finish in seconds?

If so, reconsider your cold-calling approach (or prospecting tactics).

Assumptive selling can significantly improve your calls. Assumptive selling involves cold calling with two assumptions:

Your product benefits the other individual.

Your prospect wants to meet.

The goal is to communicate confidently to prospects, which is nearly contagious.

Say you’re utilizing one of our cold call scripts to get appointments. You offer a date and time rather than asking them.

For example,

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Assumptive selling shows your zeal and boosts sales. Would you prefer to talk to someone who sounded half asleep or someone passionate about a product?

Put Extra Effort Into Being Personable

Cold calling isn’t merely a numbers game.

Don’t talk to your prospects like robots—make a human connection whenever feasible. Research is needed, but these things emerge readily in prospect interactions.

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Deviate from your script if it relieves call tension. Our sales conversation starters can also lighten the mood and uncover critical prospect information.

To Agitate a Problem, Share Problems

The next step is to mention the problems you know the prospect is experiencing based on your gathered insights.  

Your goal is to get the buyer to acknowledge that they have a problem-creating enough interest or urgency for that person to continue the conversation. 

Again, because this is the first point of contact, you don’t want to get too deep into benefits and product specs. 

The goal here is to plant the seed for future interactions that gives prospects about what you’re selling once they decide to take the next step.

Make Scheduling Appointments as Simple as Possible

Someone wants an appointment.

Great!

But before celebrating, make sure your meeting arrangements are precise. Get someone’s contact info and confirm your meeting details.

• Meeting time and date (a no-brainer, but worth repeating)
• Who will attend (you, your prospect, or someone from their company)?
• Meeting topics (e.g., conducting a product demo)
• Meeting location (in person, via Skype, or a conferencing tool such as Zoom)
• should be confirmed without an unending email chain.

Focus on Adding a Value

Always think first about the value you add. We need to talk about how your product meets your customers’ needs. 

We are talking about how your sales process meets your customers needs. So don’t just hit the phone book with cold calls and tired phone scripts. 

Remember, the number one reason people say no is because you don’t give them a good enough reason to say yes.

Learn pitching techniques to structure your sales B2B appointment setting the script to help you get consistent appointments with top decision-makers.

Where to next?

Appointment scripts are easy to make.

They don’t have to be filled with fluff or use a lot of psychology to get the job done. You can create scripts that sound sincere and resonate with your prospect by being direct, friendly, and respectful.

You see, the goal is to make a real connection from the very beginning.

The first voice they hear from the company will come from the initial appointment-setting call. That’s why it’s so important.

So, whatever you do. Make sure you are trying to connect with your prospects.

Need help closing more sales and appointments?

AI bees will generate leads and sales for you. 

Please contact us for more information on how your new customers can drive your business forward. 

We work with clients to develop their B2B appointment script and best sales process. 

Snippets and Hashtags 

According to Gartner, it now takes an average of 18 dials to connect with a buyer.

Lead generation relies heavily on appointment setting.

In some cases, this is the first time a potential customer has met a representative of your company.

Also, there are numerous possible outcomes.

Here, we’ll go through a tried-and-true method for writing effective appointment scripts you may use repeatedly.

Give me a few minutes of your time, so I can help you grow.

Well, so let’s begin.

One helpful piece of advice is to improve upon established best practices in your field. 

Find out how other businesses in your industry set up scripts for making appointments with potential clients.