Appointment Setting Tips – Dealing With Technophobia

Suppose that, like any business software group, you believe that technology is only moving mankind forward. That is the message you send from the start of your appointment setting campaign and you are not afraid to repeat it during your sales meeting. It expresses your hopes and embodies the vision that both your company and your industry have for humanity.

Alas, you also feel that there are businesses out there who refuse to accept this vision. And worse, they do so irrationally and close themselves off when it is clear to everyone (from competitors to customers) that they are on the path to decline. You feel that these are the businesses who need your help the most and cannot just abandon them to ignorance.

Making B2B Leads Out Of Them

Well if you really think that you can talk sense to these people, just make sure you take precautionary measures. For example, if you were marketing accounting software, do not let your zeal blind you from the basics. Remember, their lower level of interest would already disqualify them if you were treating them like normal accounting leads. If you cannot do well with the basics, your conversation with them will only take a turn for the worst if you try something more advanced.

Related Content: B2B Software Leads – Telling You How To Teach

• Gain more information – How sure are you that a certain business has an owner that is averse to using software? Is it because of their industry? Is it because of their location? Did they have negative past experiences? Plenty of these things can tell you a lot about a prospect so use subtle means to learn about them beforehand. You can also consult or outsource appointment setting companies for ideas.

• Stay humble, be open-minded – Obviously, avoid coming off as arrogant (especially when your marketing tactics are more direct like email). You fear a close-minded attitude? Avoid being close-minded yourself. Not all prospects are as averse as your initial information made them out to be. You will only know if a prospect has just been misunderstood or is in fact exactly what you assumed if you hear their side of the story.

• Challenge their fears – Being humble and open-minded does not mean you should deny the facts. Investigate the logic or the so-called evidence behind their views. Some forms of hesitation towards accounting software could be valid (data security, compliance issues) while others are clearly misinformed (Luddite philosophies, influence of fear-mongers, slanderous tabloids). If it is the former, be more engaging and have your salespeople discuss ideas on how to handle these concerns. If it is the latter, start clearing things up immediately.

Related Content: How Lead Generation Can Create Or Clear Up Misunderstanding

Technophobia still exists in this century even if those who suffer from it deny the term. There is also the possibility of confusing it with valid criticism of your product as well. But if you feel that it is your calling to fix these problems, you now know what to do. Make sure your lead generation services know how to gather more information, remain humble and open to exchange, and challenge people’s fears about business technology.