Good morning everyone! If you often find yourself working through Act contacts and leaving messages for customers, clients, or prospects, this tutorial is for you. I’ll share a great approach that utilizes a tool called Calendly in conjunction with Act and Microsoft Outlook to streamline your communication process.

1. The Challenge: Communicating with Contacts

Reaching out to clients by phone often results in leaving messages 80% of the time. So, how can you work with that and still make a meaningful connection?

Suggested Approach:

• Place the phone call.
• Follow it up with an email.
• Include a call to action in the email to engage them further.

2. The Solution: Calendly

Calendly, a web-based calendar tool, provides a seamless way for your clients and prospects to schedule time with you. Whether it’s a quick phone call or an elaborate meeting, Calendly facilitates the scheduling process.

Benefits of Calendly:

• Customizable settings.
• Integrates with Zoom for virtual meetings.
• Allows predetermined messages.
• Flexible scheduling options for clients.

3. Integration with Act and Outlook

Most Act software users also use Microsoft Outlook, and integrating these tools with Calendly offers a powerful combination. Below are the detailed steps for this integration:

Step 1: Introducing Act for Outlook

• If using Act’s desktop software, you’ll need Act for Outlook.
• If using the web-based version, you’ll need Act for Mail.
• These are vital for integrating Calendly with Act and Outlook.

Step 2: Using Calendly with Outlook

• Customize your Calendly calendar as needed.
• Select an option (e.g., 30-minute training session).
• Pick a day and time to schedule.
• Fill out the details, and it will sync with your Microsoft Outlook calendar.

Step 3: Transferring Information to Act

• Once scheduled in Outlook, Act for Outlook prompts you to send it over to Act.
• Change the type to “Meeting” and click “Create.”
• It schedules with the contact in both Act and Outlook.

Here’s a summary table of the integration steps:

4. Benefits and Conclusion

Using Calendly, Microsoft Outlook, and Act together eliminates unnecessary back-and-forth in scheduling. It’s a great way to give people the ability to schedule time with you, making your communication with customers and prospects more efficient.

I’ve been using this combination for almost two years now, and I’ve found it to be a phenomenal tool that streamlines scheduling and enhances productivity.

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m Tony Holowitz. If you have any questions or need assistance with this tool, please feel free to reach out to me. Thank you very much, and have a great day!