In this post, we’ll talk about booking meetings and how to create a meeting request email.
Booking meetings is an incredibly important skill to have for anyone running a business and especially those in sales. The most common way to book meetings today is via cold calling. Cold calling is the method most people use to book meetings.
There are many good reasons to book meetings, the most common reason is because you and your company are looking for new business.
However, there are some differences when it comes to booking meetings. Is the person you’re trying to book a meeting with someone you already know? Or is the person completely unknown, but someone you’d like to do business with?
Sometimes it’s also about booking a meeting with your existing customers. After all, it’s much easier to make sales to existing customers.
In this post, we go through the key elements of writing effective meeting request emails, with insights into how to handle different scenarios where you know the person you want to meet or don’t know them at all, also known as cold and warm emails.
Emails can be categorized based on the recipient’s existing connection to you or your company. As mentioned, it’s often referred to as cold or warm emails. Here’s a quick explanation.
Warm emails are sent to those who already have some familiarity, like newsletter subscribers, past or present clients, or colleagues. This allows you to build on that existing relationship and skip lengthy introductions. In contrast, cold emails go to complete strangers. With these, a strong introduction and extra effort are needed to capture their interest and establish trust.
Regardless of who you’re contacting, it’s crucial to craft a professional and clear email when scheduling a meeting. Here are three scenarios with accompanying tips to help you do so:
When we don’t know the person we’re sending email to, it goes under the category of a cold email.
Start by introducing yourself and your role, and briefly explain why you’re getting in touch. Next, show that you’ve done your research by mentioning a relevant issue the person, company or industry may have and explain how your solution can help. Politely suggest a meeting to discuss the solution in more detail and offer alternative times to show flexibility.
In the example, I have no idea who the person is, but at least I know something about the industry and the company.
If you’re sending to a lot of people, you should simplify the sentences so that you don’t have to do too much research per lead.
Hi [firstname],
My name is [your name], and I’m with [your company].
I recently came across [lead’s company name] and was impressed by [reason why you are impressed].
The reason I’m contacting you is that we work with a number of companies in your industry, many of whom experience headaches every day because of a [problem].
The problem that many in your industry and that your company may be experiencing as well is about [briefly explain the problem].
We help companies like yours by [briefly explaining your solution]. I believe our solution could be beneficial to [specific aspect of their business].
Could we schedule a brief call next week to discuss this further? You can book a time directly in my calendar here [insert calendar link], or let me know your availability.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to the possibility of working together.
Best regards,
[your name]
[Your Contact Information]
To learn more about how to write a good text, read the post 9 Important Tips on How to Write a Cold Email Professionally.
When you have some knowledge of the person you’re reaching out to, we can usually say that the email is warm.
Start by refreshing the acquaintance by mentioning where you met or how you know each other. If the person you’re contacting has been referred by someone you know and that’s the only acquaintance you have, mention who you were referred by.
Having a reference for the person you’re sending an email to is a fantastic opportunity. People tend to drop their defenses when they realize that they know who you are or that you are acquainted with someone they know.
Clearly explain the purpose of the email and what you want to achieve. Next, show that you’ve done your research by mentioning a relevant issue the person, company or industry may have and explain how your solution can help. Ask if they have time for a meeting to discuss the matter further, and keep your tone friendly but professional.
In the example below, I have received a reference from a good friend. The email I send might look something like this:
Hi [firstname],
Our mutual friend, [name of reference], gave me your contact details and he informed me that you are the right person to talk to about [product/service].
My name is [your name], and I’m with [your company].
The reason I’m contacting you is that [name of reference] and I were talking about an issue that many in your industry are struggling with.
The problem that many in your industry and that your company may be experiencing as well is about [briefly explain the problem].
We help companies like yours by [briefly explaining your solution]. I believe our solution could be beneficial to [specific aspect of their business].
Could we schedule a brief call next week to discuss this further? You can book a time directly in my calendar here [insert calendar link], or let me know your availability.
Thank you for your time, and I look forward to the possibility of working together.
Best regards,
[your name]
[Your Contact Information]
If you know the person well, you can start with a personal greeting, such as thanking them for the last time you met or mentioning something else nice you’ve shared together. Then get straight to the point by briefly explaining what you’d like to discuss and why a meeting could be of value to both parties. Ask if she has time for a quick meeting to grab a coffee and chat, and offer to accommodate your schedule.
In the example below, it’s a person I already know. The email I send might look something like this:
Hi [firstname],
Long time no see 😀 It must have been at that sales event in Stockholm last year that we last saw each other?
I would like to meet with you regarding an interesting opportunity 😀
[Brief explanation of interesting opportunity]
Do you have the opportunity to have a coffee or possibly a web meeting with me?
Regards,
[your name]
Once you’ve received a positive response that the person wants to meet, you can of course arrange a meeting by email or phone. It doesn’t take very long to make a phone call where you find each other’s respective calendars and find an available time for both parties. The problem with this solution is that you don’t always want to make this phone call due to time constraints or because the person in question doesn’t have the time.
Alternatively, you can send an email with suggestions for times or get the other party to make suggestions. The problem with this solution is:
1. There is a lot of back and forth before you find a suitable time.
2. You don’t get a response to the email.
A better solution is to automate this process by, for example, using LeadJabber and Calendly to schedule the meeting.
LeadJabber allows you to set up a meeting booking sequence that automatically sends out an email thanking them for requesting a meeting and attaching a link to a calendar via Calendly. This sequence can, for example, have 3-4 emails that follow up until the meeting has been arranged.
This is a great help in a hectic everyday life, both for you who arrange the meeting, but also the counterparty since it does not go into oblivion.
Regardless of whether the email you send is ‘warm’ or ‘cold’, follow-up is key in all phases of the sales process. Everything from the first contact, to arranging the meeting.
The problem for many people in sales and salespeople is follow-up. You have to constantly build your pipeline, but at the same time you have to follow up all the prospects at every stage. This requires an extremely good system and discipline to manage these processes.
LeadJabber helps you with email outreach, but the system is designed so that you can have different sequences for different phases of the sales process. This means that a prospect who, for example, has asked you to get in touch in four months’ time can easily be placed in the respective sequence for follow-up. This means that you as a salesperson can drop this prospect and be absolutely sure that they will be followed up at the right time.