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Turning leads into booked appointments is a must for growing your contracting business. After all, no new appointments equals no new business!
So improving your set rate - the percentage of leads that turn into actual appointments - is a smart and effective way to increase potential revenue without spending another penny on advertising.
My name is Martin Walsh, I’m HomeBuddy’s Director of Call Center Operations and it’s my job to maximize set-rates for our contracting clients so they can squeeze the most out of their leads. We work on behalf of our clients and are happy to give you a hand if you need any call center support - full time or supplementary, we offer our help on an ‘as-needed’ basis.
But either way, onwards and upwards!
Here are my five key ‘real-world’ strategies to convert more leads into in-person sales appointments:
1. Track and Analyze Your Set Rate
It’s impossible to improve what you don’t measure! The first step to boosting set rates is tracking calls so you can see how you are doing in different areas.
First you have to group different kinds of leads:
By keeping track of the reasons for non-converted leads, you can make a plan based on hard data. For example, if many leads reject an appointment due to budget concerns, your team might need to change how they present pricing options or possibly create a more accurate ideal-customer profile.
2. Avoid Getting Marked as Spam
If your number gets flagged as spam, a lot fewer people will answer your calls, making it harder (impossible?) to set appointments.To maintain a good caller ID reputation:
- Use consistent phone numbers - frequently switching numbers increases the risk of being flagged.
- Check your caller ID status - there are tools (eg. Hiya) and services can help.
- Use local dialing, you want your calls to come from the prospect’s area. We all get those random numbers calling us these days, just ‘mentally’ assume they are spam and ignore them!
Staying TCPA-compliant (Telephone Consumer Protection Act) is also a must - violating these regulations can lead to big fines AND annoying your prospects.
3. Call Leads at the Right Time & With the Right Frequency
When you call a lead matters just as much as how you call.
For the best chance of turning a lead into an appointment, your call center has to act quick! HomeBuddy’s call center calls prospects within 60 seconds of receiving a lead because homeowners are most interested right after sharing their information. A follow-up call within four hours increases the chances of reaching them. We also change the time of day for follow-ups since different homeowners may be more responsive at different times. Using a combination of calls, texts, and emails can boost response rates even more and is our go-to approach.
4. Train Agents to Maximize Conversions
Even with the best leads and calling strategy, agents have to be able to handle prospect calls with finesse.
- Call Scripts: Give agents structured call scripts while allowing room for them to personalize.
- Regular Coaching: High-performing agents should train newer reps to improve techniques.
- Use AI Tools for Real-Time Coaching: AI-powered coaching software can offer live feedback.
Martin stresses that even small changes in tone and phrasing can make a huge impact:
5. Match the Right Agents to the Right Leads
We make sure to assign the right reps to the right leads to boost conversions. Your top agents should handle first-contact calls, as they have the biggest positive impact on set-rates, while newer agents can take follow-ups to gain experience. Skill-based routing helps match prospects with agents best suited to handle objections, maximizing appointment-setting success.
The Bottom Line
Over the years, we’ve found the formula for a high set rate is about making the right calls, at the right time, with the right call center agents and the right strategy.
And just so you’re aware, HomeBuddy’s Call Center is at your service should you need us!
We can call leads on your behalf to set in-person sales appointments, using the strategies outlined in this article to maximize your set-rate. HomeBuddy’s call center agents are on duty to follow-up with prospects for your company up to 15 hours a day, 7 days a week on an as needed basis. If you already have call center operations, we can support your team during off-hours or act as your outsourced agents if you need a total end-to-end solution.
Either way, we hope you enjoyed this post and if you even need a hand, please reach out as we are happy to help!
