Option three
Pay an outside team to book meetings for you
The short answer
An outside team dials and emails on your behalf and puts meetings on your calendar. It is the fastest way to create conversations when you have no one to make calls, and the most expensive per outcome. You are usually buying the meeting, not the list behind it.
- Typical cost
- $100 to $800 per booked meeting, often with a monthly minimum
- Who it suits
- Teams with closers but nobody prospecting
Pricing is per meeting held or per meeting booked, and the two are very different. Most providers ask for a minimum monthly commitment on top.
Compare it against delivered prospects before you commit to a term.
What you get
Features included
Outsourced callers
Their staff make the dials and send the emails using your pitch.
Calendar booking
Qualified meetings are placed straight onto your reps' calendars.
Qualification criteria
You agree what counts as a valid meeting up front, which matters more than the price.
Reporting
Dial counts, connects and bookings, reported weekly or monthly.
No-show policy
Some providers replace no-shows, others count them as delivered. Ask before signing.
Use cases
When this is the right call
- 01
No calling capacity at all
Closers who should be in meetings, not dialing, and no SDR to hire yet.
- 02
A short push into a new segment
Buying a block of meetings is a quick read on whether a segment responds.
- 03
Covering a hiring gap
Keeps the calendar moving while you recruit and ramp an internal caller.
Honest read
Strengths and limits
Where it wins
- Fastest route from zero to conversations
- You pay for an outcome, not an input
- No hiring, training or dialer to run
Where it costs you
- By far the highest cost per conversation
- Meeting quality swings with how tightly the criteria are written
- You rarely keep the underlying list or the learning
- Your brand is being represented by people you do not manage
Side by side
Appointment setting next to delivered prospects
| Point | Appointment setting | LeadNumbers delivery |
|---|---|---|
| Cost per conversation | $100 to $800 per meeting | From 10 cents per contact, you own the dial time |
| What you keep | The meeting, rarely the list | Every contact, permanently |
| Control of the pitch | Delivered by an outside caller | Your own reps, your own words |
| Speed to first call | Onboarding then a ramp period | Five free sample prospects, then daily delivery |
FAQ
Questions buyers ask
Is appointment setting worth it?
It is, when you have closers idle and no caller. If you already pay reps to dial, buying prospects for them costs a fraction per conversation.
Can I do both?
Yes, and many do. Delivered prospects feed your own reps while a setter works a separate segment.
What should I check before signing?
How a valid meeting is defined, what happens on a no-show, and whether you keep the contact records.
Keep comparing