Asking for an appointment .

Manta sends me a NL with sales tips among other info. One of their tips, at least to me, was interesting. They said:

Research has shown that when sales people used the word "meeting," they were 30% more effective in securing time with their prospects. Doctors, lawyers and dentists set appointments with their clients, and that usually involves the client parting ways with a sizeable chunk of money and receiving some amount of pain in return. As sales people, we solve problems. We want to sit down with our clients and consult with them on solutions. When you call your prospect, don't ask for the appointment; go for the meeting.

I'm guilty of asking for an appointment when I call prospects. I will now try the word meeting based on the above advice. Anyone else have an opinion?

Thanks in advance,

Tom

I think a meeting is much less threatening than an appointment.

I'd like to 'get together' with you about this... could be even less so.

Keep track of your results, and have your report on my desk by Monday week.

Hey Tom,

Just in case [Jeffrey Gitomer] hasn't ''Yet'' made it into your Knowledge base and Swipe File Collection...

Highly recommend Digging throughout his resources of Great information on that subject and Pretty much Everything else...

In regards To... “People hate to be sold, but people love to buy”...

Gotta {Thank} All the Sales Gurus out There and Then Some for that Ongoing Sales Education...
http://www.google.com/search?q=http%...ient=firefox-a
http://www.google.com/search?q=Jeffr...ient=firefox-a

Phil

[Glenn]

Thanks Tom,

You're on to something.

I interviewed a consultant charging 25K a day.

He never submits a "Proposal" because the word intimates his prospect
might say "No".

Instead he sends an "ACTION PLAN." People Luv to think of themselves
as TAKE ACTION TYPES. And he gets a "YES" more often.

(I've not written a Proposal since.)

You seem to be saying
there is a similar underlying PAIN
involved with the word "APPOINTMENT".

Because an Appointment is perceived as a sales appt. Thus the word "Meeting" might be better.

My Tests Agree.

In fact I shy away from mention of both words "Appointment or Meeting."

------------------------
------------------------
75K a Month Telemarketing CASE STUDY -

After I referred a Phone sales client to a 2nd Client wanting to sell
Leads to Orthadontists at 75K a month I discovered a big Problem.

They had ZERO Case Studies or Success Stories with Orthadonists!

YOU try getting time (Making Appts) with cynical
Practice owners who get all their
patients BY REFERRAL from Dentists
Without paying!

Our Solution?

A 3 Step TIME-TO-TALK Bribe System.

Step I - Call and talk your way to the practice owner.

Step II - A Checklist of 14 Proven Million Dollar Bullets or Headlines
the Practice owner can CHECK OFF Items He's Interested in Finding Out
MORE ABOUT.

Step III - Then we schedule TIME TO TALK about the Million Dollar
Checklist. (The closer is credentialed and can segue into the 75K Lead
generation Program.)

As you can tell
we Stay Away
from any Whiff of Sales Lingo at this point.

PLUS this method Turns GATE KEEPERS into HELPERS
because they can SEE Their Boss Will Be Interested.

Thanks,
Glenn Osborn

P.S. - Wanna SEE the 14 Million Dollar CHECKLIST?

Below is a link to FREE ezine #2293 -

http://archive.enchantednlp.com/ezine.php?issueno=2293

Agreed. I never, ever mention either meeting or appointment.

I usually say something along the lines of stopping by to show them what has been working for others in their industry.

Boz,

It'll be in triplicate...

Phil,

Looking up Jeffrey Gitomer now...

Glenn,

Thanks for the corroboration...

Funny but when I think back to 1985 and me starting at Dean Witter as a new broker and Black Friday hitting about the same time I have to stop and ask myself what's the difference in me then and me now.

With the market completely in the doldrums I put 333 (odd # isn't it?) new clients on the books in a little under 6 months. That put me in the top 10 for rookies that year.

I never had a problem making money. If I needed 2000 this week, I made it. If I needed 10 bux to buy lunch, I had it by 10 a.m. My wife and kids never went w/o plus we had 12 goats, 6 ducks, 50 chickens, 4 dogs and 5 cats. I was there 401k, health ins plan and sinking fund. No problem, dollar bills fell out of the sky.

Then one day, the fun stopped. My sales skills went south. Now I actually had to work to make money. What a terrible awful feeling. I had to learn new skills. I think that is why I made the above post. I'm still learning.

Don't get me wrong, I ain't broke and never will be nor am I crying on your shoulder. I'm grateful to everyone who made a reply. I have been truly blessed with more knowledge to use.

That's why I like this forum. People step up and help or straighten a guy out.

Best wishes to one and all,

Tom

Edited for violation of rules.