The Importance of Knowing How to Work a List

Working a list for appointment setting purposes is not the most glamourous task but that doesn’t mean it isn’t vital to your bottom line. Working a list can be particularly daunting when it seems you have been making call after call with no results.

Of course, results ultimately do come. This is why people continue to work lists even when they can see no light at the end of the tunnel.

The fact is, after you have made what seems like endless calls, appointments start to fill in. So why does it take so long? It has to do with taking the necessary steps to create a funnel effect that gathers the best prospects together in one place. These steps include:

Zoning in on decision makers
Determining whether or not that decision maker should be pursued
Warming up that lead

One of the biggest pitfalls to avoid when it comes to working a list is skipping steps to make the process shorter. This is never the right thing to do. Rather, the best appointment setters will always do the hard work necessary to make sure that they identify the decision makers who are ultimately most likely to convert into a sale.

Working a list is often best left to a professional telemarketing firm. This is because professional, experienced appointment setters always make sure they take the appropriate amount of time when cultivating a lead. They also will not give up too soon.

The right telemarketing firm also will make sure that they document every piece of information so that they have the facts about why a prospect is or is not worth pursuing. They also won’t give up in the face of adversity. If the phone number for a lead always goes to voicemail, or no one answers at all, they don’t just throw out the lead. Instead, a little detective work is in order. These professionals also know how to interact with leads once they are able to get them on the line. They are able to engage the person in the most appropriate way, taking into account different personalities.

Lists must also be constantly sorted into cold, warm and hot categories. The most experienced telemarketers understand the fluidity of such labels. A cold lead can quickly turn warm and vice versa.

Like anything else in life—and in business—persistence pays off. By the same token, giving up too early can do irrevocable damage.