Suggest Time Slot For Meeting
Our inboxes have never been busier.
More than 280 billion emails were sent and received every single day in 2018. By 2023, that number is expected to reach 347 billion. For a bit of (terrifying) context, that’s more than three times the number of humans who have ever lived.
When making an appointment, you can suggest a few time slots, but always say something like “If these times do not suit you, please feel free to let me know any other time that you prefer / that is convenient to you.”.
First, TimeBridge lets you arrange meetings quickly. You can pick up to five possible time slots, enter the emails of your desired attendees, and hit send. The app lets recipients choose from “yes,” “no,” or “best.” It can then automatically choose the best time, arrange the calendar invite, and even send out reminders. It often ends up being a battle royale with clients when setting up the schedule for meetings and team building retreats. I recently blogged about a client with whom I battled for weeks as they insisted in cramming a session for which I needed 3 hours into a 2 hour time slot. Tuesday sounds fine. Shall we say around (time) at (place)? Saying a time is not convenient (formal) Unfortunately, I will be away on business during the week of July 6 – 11, so I will be unable to meet you then. However, if you were available in the following week, I would be glad to arrange a meeting with you.
So it’s hardly surprising that a lot of emails get ignored – in fact, it’s a wonder we ever get around to responding to any of them. With all that competition around, it’s vital that your business meeting request emails cut through the noise. Here’s how to do it.
What are the key elements of a business meeting request email?
First things first: let’s consider what we’re actually trying to achieve here.
When I use the phrase “business meeting request email,” I’m not talking about requesting a one-on-one with your line manager or a campaign debrief with your team. For that, you can use an internal email tracking tool. I’m talking specifically about reaching out to a prospect. You want to book a meeting – a phone call, a video conference, a screen sharing session or ideally in person – to discuss your product and how it’s relevant to their needs. You want to sell to them.
You might already have a relationship with that person, and if you do then you should be sending them text messages, or this might be the first time you’re reaching out to them. Perhaps you’ve been given their details by a mutual connection, met them at a networking event, or found them on LinkedIn. Having these 10 meeting request email templates allows you to scale your sales engagement outreach efficiently.
Whatever the status of your relationship with the prospect in question, there’s a simple rule you can follow to help you structure your meeting request email. It’s called the RAP model:
- R – provide a reason for writing;
- A – request a specific action;
- P – end the message professionally
There are a couple of other principles to keep in mind, too. Endeavor to keep your sentences short and simple – you’re trying to communicate a clear message in the most concise way possible, not write War and Peace – and make your subject lines brief and to the point. Additionally, personalizing the email to your target recipient is generally more effective than mass email blasts.
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Examples of great business meeting request emails
So you’ve read my advice. That’s fine, but you’re probably still wondering what a great business meeting request email – one that gets you in front of your prospects – actually looks like. It’s definitely not the type of writing you are used to creating for social media. Also, it has nothing to do with your college assignments. And even if right now you’re thinking something like “writing my papers was as easy as ABC”, take your time and have a look at the emails below.
Never fear. I’ve put together ten examples of meeting request emails that get results. Feel free to adapt them to your own situations and recipients.
Example 1: Professional cold email #1
Dear [name of client],
I’m [your name], and I work in [your position] at [your company]. We’re specialists in [detail activities]. Given that you’re a leading [role of prospect’s company] within our niche, I believe a collaboration would be in both our interests. In particular, you’d benefit from being able to access our consulting team and our award-winning product suite.
I’d like to take this opportunity to invite you for a meeting at [location], at [proposed date and time], when we can discuss this further.
Feel free to suggest another time and location if that doesn’t work for you.
Kind regards,
[your name]
Example 2: Professional cold email #2
Dear [client name],
I’m [your name], and I work in [your position] at [your company]. Our companies work in the same niche, so I believe we could both benefit from cooperating with one another.
Our product suite is specifically tailored to [product purpose] and could really help with [prospect’s pain points], so I’d love to discuss how we could work together. Are you free to meet at [location] on [date and time] to talk this through?
I look forward to your response.
Have a great day,
[your name]
Example 3: Cold email displaying your credentials
Hi [prospect’s first name],
I’m [your name] and I’m with [company name], which specializes in [what you do]. We’ve built a client base ranging from venture-backed startups to Fortune 500 companies like [big-name clients].
Unlike [other companies in your niche], we take a different approach to growing companies. We move fast – and if we don’t think we’re right for you, we’ll tell you upfront.
Are you free for a chat at [time options] to talk through how we could help you with [prospect pain points]?
Kind regards,
[your name]
Example 4: Reaching out to someone you’ve recently met
Hey [prospect’s first name]!
We met at [event] yesterday.
Sounded like you were interested in some of the [your services] we offer.
Want to book in a quick* meeting this week to see what we can do?
Let me know when you’re available.
Sincerely,
[your name]
*When I say quick, I actually mean it – we’ll keep it to 15 minutes tops. I know you’re busy!
Example 5: Cold email highlighting an issue
Hi [client’s first name],
I was on your website yesterday for [use case] when I noticed an issue. [Give brief details].
I’m a [job role] and I’ve fixed this same issue for lots of other companies, including [client names], so I could definitely do the same for you. It would help you to [benefits of fixing problem].
I’ve got some free time next week to talk this through. Here’s a link to my meeting scheduler [include link].
Best,
[your name]
Example 6: Cold email for SaaS companies
Hi [client’s first name],
You guys are doing some pretty great things in the [client’s industry] space.
I’m emailing you because my company, [company name], has helped lots of companies in similar positions by:
- [Product benefit]
- [Product benefit]
- [Product benefit]
Time Slot For Meeting Email
We’ve worked with [client names] in the past, and would love to do the same for you
It’d be great to find out more about your business and see if we’d be a good fit. Do you have five minutes this week to talk?
Regards,
[your name]
Example 7: Product demo request email
Hi [client’s first name],
I’m [your name] from [company name]. We do [company specialism] for clients like [client names].
Growing companies rely on us day in, day out to handle their [product area]. By choosing us, they’ve enjoyed:
- [Product benefit]
- [Product benefit]
- [Product benefit]
We’re currently offering 10-minute demos – would you like to schedule one? [Link to scheduler].
Regards,
[your name]
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Example 8: Cold meeting request and customer testimonial
Hi [client’s first name],
As a [your job role] in your industry, I wanted to reach out to you about [your company name].
Suggest Time Slot For Meeting Email
We work with companies like [client’s company name] on their [product area], helping them to:
- [Product benefit]
- [Product benefit]
- [Product benefit]
But don’t take my word for it – listen to one of our clients, [customer name, job role and company]:
“[Short client testimonial, no more than two sentences].”
I’d love to show you how we can do the same for [client’s company name]. Do you have some time this week for a quick chat?
Best,
Time Slot For Meeting
[your name]
Example 9: Using questions to demonstrate your expertise
Hi [first name],
Do you and your team use [third-party service]? Do you wish it offered some extra functionality? Wouldn’t you love if it could [list benefits of your product]?
Pretty sweet, right?
We thought the same – so we made it happen.
I’m [your name] from [company name]. We give companies like yours the ability to [expand on benefits listed in email intro].
Sound like something you’d like to try? And what if you could try it for free?
I’d love to offer you a free trial and show you how it all works. Here’s my calendar [link to calendar] to book a time this week or next.
Sincerely,
[your name]
Example 10: The brutally honest approach
Hey [client’s first name],
[Your name] here. You don’t know me, but I found you on LinkedIn and I know that people like you often have to deal with [pain points].
You’re in luck, because I can [solution]. One of my clients, [company name], even achieved [result related to your service].
Would you be interested in hopping on a quick 15-minute call to learn more?
If so, click here to schedule a call [link to scheduler].
If not, just tell me you’re not interested – I don’t offend easily.
Looking forward to your response!
[your name]
What’s your method for sending meeting requests? Will you be changing it after reading these ideas? Let us know in the comments below: