Getting the first appointment

The first appointment is the toughest to get for outside salesmen. How do you do it? Is there a right and wrong way to go about it? Let me tell you from 12 years of outside sales experience, there is no right way. What works in one town might not work in another. Let me tell you what I do. I make a list of contact names and numbers and start at the top of my 40 or so prospect list. I call and ask for the person I need to talk to by first name. When the gate keeper(secretary) asks who is calling, I tell them it is David. Simple as that. If they ask what it’s concerning, I say it’s personal. Simple as that.

I then talk to the decision maker and tell them I just need to make an appointment and that is all. Have a little pitch ready because they always want more info. Mine is…”I have a way to cut down your advertising costs. Would you like to do that, no strings attached?”

When I don’t get an appointment, I always make a note of it, then stop in on them on Wednesday and Thursdays. Just pop in and get right to the point. Tell the secretary that he should be expecting you(because you told him on the first call that you might swing by). Just don’t try to sell them on the first call or contact. Just make the appointment.

The Master has spoken!