For many companies considering using telemarketing, appointment setting is main objective. I've lost count of the number of times I've spoken with a client and they tell me ?I just need to get in front of them??

Indeed, if you have a complex or high-value proposition, such as software or consulting services, getting that initial appointment is essential.

So, if you are considering using an appointment setting telemarketing company, what are the top three things you need to know?

Of course, there are many telemarketing companies providing appointment setting services, so understanding which telemarketing company is right for your business is the key to success of any appointment setting campaign.

As an owner of an appointment setting telemarketing company, and having run hundreds of telemarketing & appointment setting campaigns over my career, I've learnt to identify the campaigns that work and the ones that don't.

So, here's my top three tips for choosing the right appointment setting telemarketing company for your business.

1)Do they have the right sector experience?
2)Can they be credible at the right level?
3)Are they used to setting the right volume of appointments?

These are all critical areas in which to evaluate any prospective appointment setting telemarketing company; let's look at them in turn:

1)The right sector
How important is it that your appointment setting telemarketing company has previous experience of your market. Well, from our experience, it's a considerable factor in the success of any appointment setting telemarketing campaign.

Sector experience brings a level if understanding, often a subtle one, that helps ensure success. Simply having working in a particular sector previously means that your appointment setting telemarketing company will be understand all the nuances of the market and companies they re calling into. Small aspects such as internal terms, job titles, jargon, organisational structures vary so much from sector to sector that it's very difficult to teach.

Believe me, this does make a difference. Thing about the last time you were called by an appointment setting telemarketing reading a canned script. As soon as you asked a question and they had no idea what you were talking about, what do you think about the prospects of actually meeting the company?

2)The right level
Again, this is a critical, but subtle thing that you should always look at when considering appointment setting companies. If you're trying to get a meeting with a senior-level decision maker, and let's be honest, that's all decision makers, what will they think if you've got an 18-year old calling them?

Wherever possible, seek to match the appointment setting telemarketing consultant with the target prospect. For example, in my appointment setting telemarketing company, we only work with senior, experienced telemarketing consultants for appointment setting campaigns.

Why? Because we set appointments with senior decision makers. Our people have worked in senior management roles; they're credible when it comes to pitching a departmental head or CEO. Appointment setting requires your telemarketing company to establish credibility within seconds. This is achieved by more than a script ? it's achieved by presence.

3)The right volume
We generally work with Directors of small companies who want us to get meetings with very senior decision makers in medium to large companies. Why? Because as an appointment setting telemarketing company, we specialise in high-quality and low-volume appointments.

That's right; we're not interested in setting 3 appointments per day for our clients. If you're looking to keep a team of hungry salespeople busy with 15 meetings per week each, then we're not the type of appointment setting telemarketing company for you.

Equally, if you've got a high-value proposition, and you're also running your own business, then you probably want an appointment setting telemarketing company that only send you out on well qualified, serious meetings. For a start, you probably couldn't afford to spend more than two days a week out on sales appointments.

Getting the match right between the volume of appointments you need and then amount that your appointment setting telemarketing company is geared to deliver is important. If you only want a few and they're a call centre wanting to keep three agents making 100 dials a day, guess what will happen?

So, in summary, choosing the right appointment setting telemarketing company is all about fit. Do they fit your sector, the level of prospect they are calling and, finally, do they fit with your expectations of the number of appointments you want.

Get all these three right and you can expect a profitable and successful appointment setting telemarketing campaign.