Credibility When Setting Appointments
First impressions can last a lifetime. Continuing that first impression, if done correctly, should continue through eternity. When it comes to being successful, consistency can make or break a business. Consistently bad service (substitute any descriptor here with the word bad or poor) can cause a business to shut down. Consistently good service (substitute any descriptor here with the word good or best) will cause a business to flourish. When we show up with the idea that success is the only option, we will choose to do things with intention so that our consistent outcomes will allow us to grow.
So, it is true that when setting appointments, following a consistent strategy is important to creating success. If you want to be successful, make appointments you plan to keep even if something better comes along. Your credibility depends on it. If you want to find a business person who is successful, s/he will always make appointments they plan to keep.
Successful people are also timely. In California some say it is chic to be five minutes late. In New York the rule is to be 15 minutes early. I enjoy the latter as the rule to live by. If I plan to be 15 minutes early I can always bring something to work on to build my business (like writing an article.)
Being timely also has to do with canceling appointments. If it is an emergency or in some cases a necessity (see the next paragraph) breaking an appointment is okay. Do it in a timely manner. Something more than five minutes before is acceptable. An hour before an appointment scheduled time is considered rude and should be avoided unless it is an emergency. Emergencies include life, death, or illness. Preferably, days in advance are most accepted. The day before can be cutting it too close.
Considering outcomes can often be the reason for breaking an appointment. When building a relationship it is poor etiquette to break an appointment a number of times in a row before meeting someone for the first time. The message sent when breaking the appointment two or three times in a row says that something else is more important. However, in the case of a long standing relationship it might be okay to break a number of appointments in a row with a good business explanation. Recently I had an associate break three Monday morning appointments. We have been friends and business associates for 11 years. She is starting a new company working on CD’s and editing the content. She can only meet with her editing/producer on Mondays.
To set an appointment there has to be an initial meeting. Consider as acceptable behavior never meeting with that person again. Frequently, however, one party is eager to get together and the other is “just along for the ride.” It is usually the “rider” who breaks subsequent appointments as away to avoid the relationship. How about at that initial meeting telling the other person your level of interest in developing a friendship or business relationship? Set the record straight from the beginning without remorse or pandering. Being clear on who we are looking to add to our business/personal associates can also be important. We can take the approach that “whoever comes our way is okay,” yet we do ourselves as well as the person who is eager to know us an injustice. It is far better to set the record straight from the beginning.
To accomplish this create a dialog that might look something like this below:
“I sense your eagerness to work with referral partners and get new business. Can I refer you to one or two of my business associates who work in your area of interest?” Thus you can spend the time connecting your new associate with the types of people they really need to be setting credible appointments.
Gerry Rose runs INTEGRITY Networking Solutions in Oceanside, CA. He works with people in business who want to attract the right prospects and generate more referrals. More than 10,000 businesses have been presented the INTEGRITY Networking Solutions system in San Diego, Los Angeles, Riverside, and Orange Counties.
Gerry’s stimulating presentation Unlimited Prospects, Unlimited Referrals is ideally suited for small business owners, home-based businesses, and independent professionals who want clearer direction and want to attract more prospects, develop dynamic systems, and strengthen their companies’ accountability. Gerry does one on one consulting, conducts a range of keynote speeches from thirty minutes to full-day education workshops.
His book series, Unlimited Prospects, Unlimited Referrals, are available on the website, www.integritysd.com.
Gerry has more than 20 years’ experience directing business owners how to grow their businesses. He is a networking dynamo. Those who know him will assure you that he does a great job of bringing people together—which is why he started INTEGRITY.
Involved with networking organizations since 1984, Gerry is a Distinguished Toastmaster, a member of Toastmaster International, and has chaired numerous chambers of commerce and non-profit organizations.
Are you truly committed to attracting the right prospects and generate more referrals? If so then contact INTEGRITY Networking Solutions for availability and information. You can contact Gerry by mail at 1610 Quiet Hills Drive, Oceanside, CA 92056. Direct dial (760) 439-4623; e-mail to gerry@integritysd.com. For more information, go to www.integritysd.com