Just three steps? Can it really be that easy to increase appointment show rates?
Yes and no.
First, managers and team members must all share a common goal of building trust, being human, and holding conversations. That means choosing tools and creating processes that empower reps to prioritize relationships. It means optimizing your lead nurturing and the sales cycle at all points.
So yes, when you put all that in place and get everyone on board, these three steps essentially guarantee more people setting appointments and then showing up.
Talk How People Want to Talk
Want people to care about showing up? Talk with them like people in the way that they want. People want human interactions and conversations. The most convenient and fastest way to do that? Through texting.
This doesn’t mean automated confirmations and reminders sent directly from your CRM. That’s the bare minimum you should be doing to help improve show rates. Your teams needs to be using a conversational messaging platform. That way from the first moment a lead comes in, you make it clear that you want them to text you and that you’ll be fast to respond. Then when they do respond, keep it going!
In other words, communicate with them like a person — not a means to your sales quota.
Show Genuine Interest in Who You’re Talking To
People are more likely to remember and want to show up when you show a serious interest in them, not just their money. Get to know them and don’t make assumptions based on what customers are usually like.
Ask clear and specific questions about their problems, how they’ve solved them in the past, and what they want for a future solution. You of course want to ask open-ended questions, but make sure you use their responses as the basis for your next questions.
For example, sometimes you may be so focused on looking for a specific answer to qualify a lead that you miss important information about their business. Carefully consider their answers before proceeding with further questions.
Showing off your active listening skills not only makes someone more likely to schedule and want to show up but also helps you customize a demo to their needs.
Send Multiple Personalized Reminders
When someone does schedule an appointment with you or a rep, a single confirmation is not enough. A generic 24-hour reminder is not enough either. Use reminders to your advantage by continually showing leads that you are a real person who cares about their time and business.
Skipio users see the most success when reminder sequences include a confirmation message, a reminder one day in advance, and a reminder one hour in advance. Additional reminders can be valuable if appointments are set more than a week out.
Content-wise, the best reminders show your own eagerness and clearly explain when and how to show up. For instance, if you’re doing video calls, include the Zoom link in a message. If people will need to show up to your office, provide info like parking instructions. The easier you make it for them to show, the more likely it is they’ll show.
Be more like people
By doing each of these things, you prove to leads and customers that you are a person who wants to help other people. Ultimately, that’s the driving force behind improving show rates — and getting more responses, scheduling more appointments, and converting sales.
Teams that use Skipio see those wins all the time. See how Skipio fits into your lead nurturing and sales strategy.