Now, here’s an idea to get an appointment

Don’t tell prospects you have an idea when trying to get an appointment. It causes them to ask what the idea is before you have established a relationship. If you are on the phone, the prospect thinks of you as another telemarketer and gives little credence to what you may say.

Instead, show you are knowledgeable about the prospect’s industry and business. Use a research statistic or two. Perhaps point out something you noticed in their online marketing that is a problem, like a search in Google Maps that doesn’t list the prospect. Ask for the appointment on the basis that together you can determine if you may be of value.

To throw out an idea without knowing the prospect in advance sounds like a traditional-style salesperson just trying to make a quick sale. See an example of a cold call script here.