What Is an Appointment Setter?
An Appointment Setter helps a company schedule meetings or calls with potential customers (called leads).
Your job is to:
- Talk to leads by phone, email, or chat
- See if they’re a good fit for the service or product
- Book appointments for the sales or service team
Think of yourself as the “first impression” of the company — friendly, organized, and helpful.
Main Goals
- Talk to new and follow-up existing/warm leads and build interest.
- Ask questions to see if they’re qualified.
- Book an appointment on the right date and time.
- Confirm details and send reminders.
- Record everything in the CRM or spreadsheet.
Daily Routine (Step-by-Step)
1. Prep (30–45 minutes)
Start your day by getting organized:
- Open your CRM (customer list) or lead tracker.
- Check the appointments for today.
- Read your notes from yesterday’s calls.
- Open your email or message templates.
- Check with your team if there are any updates or new offers.
📝 Tip: Use a notebook or Google Sheet to list all the people you’ll contact today.
Contact Leads (3–4 hours)
You can reach out to leads by phone, text, or email.
Your goal: Get them interested and book a meeting.
🔹 Step-by-Step:
- Greet them nicely and introduce yourself.
- Explain why you’re calling (keep it short).
- Ask questions to see if they’re interested.
- If yes, offer two time slots.
- Book the appointment in your calendar or CRM.
- Send confirmation via email or text.
Example Script:
“Hi [Name], this is Maria from [Company]. I saw that you were interested in [product/service]. I just wanted to see if now’s a good time for a quick chat to help you get started.”
If they say yes → continue with your questions.
If not → politely ask when a better time would be.
Follow-Up & Admin Tasks (2–3 hours)
After your outreach:
- Send reminder messages for upcoming appointments.
- Follow up with people who didn’t reply yesterday.
- Update your CRM or tracker with:
- Who you spoke with
- What they said
- Whether they booked, declined, or need follow-up
- Prepare a short end-of-day summary report.
The Appointment Process
1. Introduction
“Hi [Name], I’m Maria from [Company]. How’s your day going so far?”
(Be friendly, but keep it short.)
2. Purpose of the Call
“I’m calling because you [requested more info/signed up on our site/checked out our page], and I’d love to help you set up a quick call with our specialist to discuss [main offer or benefit].”
3. Qualification Questions (Ask 3–5)
You don’t have to sell — just find out if they’re a good match.
Examples:
- “What are you currently looking for help with?”
- “Have you worked with a service like ours before?”
- “When are you hoping to get started?”
Take notes as they answer.
4. Offer the Appointment
“Perfect! Let’s schedule you for a quick call with our [expert/manager]. Would [day and time] or [day and time] work better for you?”
Confirm:
- Name
- Phone number
- Time zone
- Preferred platform (Zoom, phone, Google Meet)
5. Confirmation Message
“Thanks, [Name]! You’re booked for [date/time]. I’ll send a quick email now with all the details. Talk soon!”
Normal Follow-Up Schedule
Lead Type | When to Follow Up | What to Say |
---|---|---|
No reply | After 1 day | “Just checking if you saw my message about scheduling your call.” |
Warm interest | Every 2 days | “Hi [Name], I have a few slots left this week. Which one works best?” |
No-show | 1 hour after & next day | “Sorry we missed you today! Would you like to reschedule your call?” |
Common Objections (and What to Say)
Objection | Your Response |
---|---|
“I’m not interested.” | “Totally fine! Just so I understand, what part doesn’t fit what you’re looking for?” |
“I’m too busy.” | “No problem — would tomorrow morning or afternoon be better?” |
“Send me info first.” | “Sure thing! What’s the best email to send it to? After you’ve looked it over, can I call you to answer any questions?” |
“I already have someone for that.” | “That’s great! Many of our clients did too before switching because of [main benefit]. Would it hurt to explore your options?” |
Common Tools You’ll Use (Beginner Setup)
Purpose | Tool Examples | Beginner Tip |
---|---|---|
Calendar | Google Calendar, Calendly | Add reminders 24h & 1h before each appointment |
Communication | Gmail, Zoom, WhatsApp, Skype | Save templates for messages |
CRM/Tracker | Google Sheets, Notion, HubSpot (free) | Always update after each call |
Notes | Google Docs or Notion | Keep lead notes short & clear |
Task management | Trello, ClickUp, Asana | Use checklists for daily tasks |
Common Performance Metrics (Your Scoreboard)
What to Track | Goal for Beginners | Why It Matters |
---|---|---|
Calls made | 30–50 per day | Shows your activity level |
Appointments booked | 2–5 per day | Measures success |
Show-up rate | 70–85% | Good follow-up and reminder skills |
Response rate | 30–50% | Script effectiveness |
CRM accuracy | 100% | Keeps team organized |
Simple Formula:
More calls → more connections → more appointments → more sales.
Tips for Beginners
- Smile when speaking — people can hear it in your tone.
- Use the lead’s name often.
- Stay calm — silence is okay; let them think.
- Take notes right away — don’t rely on memory.
- Ask open-ended questions (that need more than a yes/no answer).
- Don’t sound robotic — practice your script until it sounds natural.
- Always confirm time zones (especially if your client is international).
- Be polite even when rejected — professionalism builds your reputation.
End-of-Day Summary Template
You can send this to your supervisor or keep it for tracking:
Date:
Name:
Calls made:
Appointments booked:
Follow-ups sent:
No-shows/reschedules:
Notes: (example: “Most people preferred afternoons today. 2 leads said they’ll decide next week.”)
Do’s & Don’ts
✅ Do | ❌ Don’t |
---|---|
Speak clearly and confidently | Rush the call |
Verify details twice | Forget to confirm time zone |
Log every call | Guess or skip data |
Send polite reminders | Spam leads with too many messages |
Learn from each conversation | Argue with uninterested leads |
How to Keep Improving
- Record yourself to hear your tone and pacing.
- Ask feedback from your team or supervisor weekly.
- Keep a list of common objections and how you overcame them.
- Review successful calls — what worked?
- Learn about your company’s offer so you can answer simple questions confidently.
Mindset for Success
- Be curious, not pushy.
- Be consistent — one great day isn’t enough, habits matter.
- Remember: Every “no” gets you closer to a “yes.”
- Keep learning — watch short videos on communication and confidence.