Reducing no-shows: This is what I do

Read time: 3-minutes

Today, I'll show you how you can reduce no-show rates on your discovery calls.

No-shows suck. They waste your time, lead to fewer sales conversations and, ultimately, less money in the bank account.

Having a process for reducing no-shows results in more people showing up to your calls, excited about the meeting.

Unfortunately, too many agencies make the mistake of assuming their prospects will turn up. And then get annoyed when they don't.

4 reasons why agencies struggle with no-shows

• They let people go cold by offering call slots too far in advance.

• They don't remind people that they have a call booked with them.

• They don't nurture them through content to keep them warm.

• They don't make it clear to the person what to expect on the call.

Fear not. With a few automations, you can get more people attending your calls, ready for a productive business conversation.

Here's how:

Step 1: Limit the booking window

Giving your warm leads a big window of time to schedule a meeting increases the chances of them going cold.

Calendly recommends three days for inbound leads and five days for outbound ones. I set mine to four days for simplicity.

I find this works well as it gives a bit of urgency while allowing the prospect space to find a time that suits their schedule.

Step 2: Set automated reminders

People are busy.

If they booked a call with you four days ago, the chances of them forgetting (or prioritising something else) are high.

I like to set call reminders to 24 hours before, 1 hour before and 15 mins before the call.

Step 3: Redirect to case studies

Most marketing agencies have case studies on their websites and assume people will check them out.

Don't leave this up to chance.

The agency I'm selling for has a link to their case studies on the call booking confirmation page.

They also use ActiveCampaign to drip-feed case studies every two days for two weeks via email to help build trust.

I hear stories of brands getting burnt by agencies most days, and trust is at an all-time low in the industry.

If you don't showcase studies, the chances of the person doubting your ability to get them results and deciding not to hop on the call goes up.

Step 4: Share an agenda in advance

If you follow steps one to three, then this step will push you over the top.

Every week people thank me for sending an agenda ahead of time and comment on how rare it is.

In an email titled "Before Our Discovery Call," I introduce myself, say I’m excited about the call, outline what I suggest we cover, and invite them to add any additional topics.

I clarify that this is a discovery call, not a sales pitch, and emphasise that a separate call will focus on that aspect (if appropriate).

Lastly, I ask that they value my time and offer the option to reschedule if necessary.

We follow these steps, and so far this year, our show rate is ~80%. To put this into context, I've seen examples of agencies with no-show rates as high as 50%.

Final thoughts

No-shows are inevitable, but you can reduce them with simple automations and preparation.

Limiting the booking window, setting up reminders, sharing case studies and sending an agenda in advance will improve your show rates and help you win more clients.

Next steps

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