LinkedIn outreach is a critical tool for sales and business development, but turning conversations into scheduled meetings can be challenging. Automated scheduling tools like Closely‘s Appoint feature and Calendly help simplify this process, saving time and increasing meeting bookings. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Closely’s Appoint: Designed for LinkedIn-focused teams, it integrates scheduling with LinkedIn automation, email follow-ups, and AI personalization. It tracks the entire outreach journey, optimizes timing, and supports multichannel campaigns.
- Calendly: A straightforward scheduling tool with a browser extension and profile button for LinkedIn. It focuses on simplifying meeting bookings with real-time calendar sync, video conferencing integration, and automated reminders.
Key Differences:
- Closely combines LinkedIn automation, email campaigns, and scheduling in one platform, making it ideal for heavy LinkedIn users.
- Calendly excels in ease of use and immediate scheduling, perfect for those who need a simple, efficient tool.
Quick Comparison:
| Feature | Closely’s Appoint | Calendly |
|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn Integration | Full automation + AI personalization | Browser extension + profile button |
| Multichannel Support | LinkedIn + email campaigns | Scheduling only |
| Ease of Use | Moderate (all-in-one platform) | Minimal (plug-and-play) |
| Best For | Teams focused on LinkedIn outreach | Simple, direct meeting scheduling |
Choose Closely for a robust LinkedIn outreach solution or Calendly for quick, no-fuss scheduling.
Closely’s Appoint Feature: What It Offers
Closely’s Appoint feature tackles the common headaches of scheduling during LinkedIn outreach campaigns, offering a smoother way to set up meetings. Integrated directly into Closely’s automation platform, it creates a streamlined process that takes you from the initial LinkedIn connection to a confirmed meeting without the usual back-and-forth.
Here’s how it works: scheduling links are embedded into your LinkedIn sequences and email follow-ups. When a prospect shows interest, they can immediately book a meeting, eliminating the delays that often derail momentum. Users have reported saving 15 hours per week by cutting out manual scheduling tasks and achieving 3x more connections with qualified decision-makers.
What sets Closely apart is how it treats appointment scheduling as part of a larger sales automation system. It doesn’t just book meetings – it tracks the entire journey, from the first LinkedIn interaction to the scheduled appointment, giving you full visibility into your outreach activity and results.
AI-Powered Personalization
Closely leverages AI to go beyond generic templates, delivering a highly personalized scheduling experience. By analyzing prospect data, LinkedIn activity, and engagement trends, the platform tailors outreach messages, scheduling invites, and follow-ups to each prospect.
For example, the AI adjusts scheduling invites based on a prospect’s behavior – like when it detects frequent LinkedIn activity. This level of customization helps users see 52% higher engagement rates on LinkedIn.
Timing is another area where AI shines. By identifying when prospects are most active on LinkedIn and likely to respond, Closely ensures scheduling links are sent at the optimal moment. This thoughtful timing prevents your requests from getting lost in inbox clutter and increases the likelihood of securing a meeting.
LinkedIn Automation and Multichannel Campaigns
The Appoint feature becomes even more effective when combined with Closely’s LinkedIn automation tools. The platform can handle tasks like profile visits, connection requests, follow-up messages, and post interactions automatically, while seamlessly integrating scheduling opportunities into these actions.
Taking a multichannel approach – using both LinkedIn and email – further boosts results. Combining these channels can double reply rates, and strategically placing scheduling links across both platforms significantly improves booking rates. In fact, multichannel outreach can generate 70% more engagement compared to relying on a single channel.
Here’s how it works: after connecting on LinkedIn, Closely sends a series of messages. If a prospect engages, a personalized scheduling invitation is triggered. If there’s no response, the system shifts to email, ensuring no opportunity is missed. Automated steps can also be triggered based on specific actions, like when a prospect views your profile or likes a post, making the scheduling request feel like a natural next step.
"Closely is a powerful tool for anyone looking to enhance their sales engagement. The platform is user-friendly and easy to navigate, making it accessible even for those who are not tech-savvy." – Antonio D., Digital Strategist & Coach
Unified Inbox and CRM Integrations
Juggling LinkedIn messages, emails, and meeting schedules can get messy fast. Closely simplifies this with a unified inbox that consolidates all prospect communications in one place, making it easier to manage scheduling conversations and follow-ups.
This centralized inbox is especially handy when prospects want to reschedule or ask about meeting details. Instead of switching between platforms, you can handle everything from one location. This efficiency translates to saving 10 hours per week on manual prospecting and a 35% increase in response rates.
Closely also integrates with popular CRM tools like HubSpot and GoHighLevel, automatically syncing scheduled meetings with your sales pipeline. This integration ensures every meeting is logged with full context, from the initial LinkedIn outreach to the booking.
The platform tracks performance across the entire funnel, letting you monitor metrics like connection acceptance rates, message response rates, and the percentage of conversations that lead to booked meetings. This data is invaluable for refining your outreach strategy. Users often discover they can generate 45% more pipeline opportunities by optimizing the entire process, rather than treating each step as an isolated task. With these tools, Closely provides a comprehensive solution for LinkedIn meeting scheduling.
Calendly: What It Offers
Calendly simplifies the process of turning LinkedIn connections into scheduled meetings by showcasing your real-time availability and cutting out the hassle of back-and-forth coordination. With its direct LinkedIn integration, featuring a "Book an appointment" button, it’s proven to be highly effective. According to Corrina Owens, over 90% of appointments are booked without any prior messaging [3].
Core Scheduling Features
At the heart of Calendly is its seamless calendar integration. It syncs with platforms like Google Calendar and Outlook to display your availability in real-time and prevent scheduling conflicts. To minimize no-shows, the platform sends automated confirmation emails and follow-up reminders, which you can customize to suit your schedule.
For LinkedIn users, Calendly offers a browser extension compatible with Chrome, Edge, and Firefox. This allows you to share scheduling links directly in LinkedIn Messaging, Sales Navigator, and Recruiter [2][3]. Additionally, it integrates with popular video conferencing tools such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Webex, and GoToMeeting [4][6]. When someone books a meeting, Calendly automatically generates a video link and includes it in the confirmation email, making the transition from LinkedIn conversations to meetings effortless.
Liam Darmody, Founder of Liam’s Brand Stand, highlights the platform’s efficiency, having booked nearly 200 meetings with inbound leads through the LinkedIn custom button [3]. He shares:
"The fact that a prospective client doesn’t need to message me to book a meeting, and can instead schedule at their convenience, makes inbound lead sourcing a much more efficient and effective process." [3]
Customization Options
Calendly provides a range of customization tools to ensure your scheduling process aligns with your professional brand. You can create branded booking pages with custom URLs and design personalized confirmation emails to reflect your style and messaging. The platform also allows you to set up multiple event types with unique settings, catering to different meeting scenarios [5][6].
You can further customize confirmation and reminder emails by including detailed instructions, meeting agendas, or preparatory materials. These features not only enhance the user experience but also ensure a polished and professional interaction. On top of that, Calendly offers analytics to refine and improve your scheduling process.
Analytics and Reporting
Calendly goes beyond basic scheduling with its advanced analytics and reporting tools [6]. The platform tracks key metrics such as booking rates, no-show percentages, and meeting completion rates. This data provides a deeper understanding of how effective your scheduling process is and uncovers trends like the most popular meeting times and days.
Louis-Philippe Dalpé, CEO and Co-Founder of C4G Agency, underscores the impact of these tools:
"I’ve been using the new Calendly functionality on LinkedIn since day one, and I now use it every day. It makes it so easy to quickly book a meeting with new leads and hop from a conversation to a call seamlessly. Calendly has been an absolute game changer and their LinkedIn [extension] is the cherry on top." [3]
The analytics not only track meeting-related stats but also provide insights to fine-tune your LinkedIn engagement strategy. Sales teams can use this data to identify which LinkedIn activities are driving revenue, giving them a clearer picture of what works beyond just booking meetings.
Direct Feature Comparison for LinkedIn Outreach
Let’s dive into how Closely and Calendly stack up when it comes to LinkedIn outreach. While both tools offer integrations, their approach to sales engagement and workflow integration sets them apart.
Integration with LinkedIn Workflows
Closely integrates deeply into LinkedIn workflows, acting as a robust automation platform. It allows users to automate LinkedIn outreach and messaging while managing campaigns across LinkedIn and email – all from one dashboard. This seamless setup makes it easy to move prospects from initial contact to scheduled meetings. Closely also uses AI to personalize messages based on profile data, enhancing the relevancy of outreach efforts [1].
On the other hand, Calendly focuses on simplifying scheduling within LinkedIn interactions. Through a browser extension compatible with Chrome, Edge, and Firefox, users can share scheduling links directly in LinkedIn Messaging, Sales Navigator, and Recruiter. For LinkedIn Premium Business subscribers, Calendly offers a custom "Book an appointment" button that can be added to LinkedIn profiles, making it even easier for prospects to schedule meetings [2].
"LinkedIn is my digital storefront, and with the ‘Book an appointment’ button with Calendly now integrated directly into my profile, scheduling a meeting is effortless – no extra steps, no separate website."
– Corrina Owens, Founder and GTM Advisor [3]
Now, let’s explore how these platforms differ in usability and multichannel support.
Usability and Multichannel Support
Once integrated, the ease of use and channel support become key differentiators. Closely shines in multichannel campaign management, offering a unified inbox that consolidates replies from both LinkedIn and email. This feature allows sales teams to conduct multi-touch outreach while keeping the context of conversations intact [1].
Calendly, however, keeps things simple. Its browser extension and profile button make it easy to share scheduling links during LinkedIn conversations. Additionally, the permanent "Book an appointment" button on profiles provides a hassle-free way for visitors to schedule meetings. This streamlined simplicity has delivered real results, with users like Liam Darmody, Founder of Liam’s Brand Stand, booking nearly 200 meetings with inbound leads using Calendly’s profile button [3].
| Feature | Closely’s Appoint | Calendly |
|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn Integration | Full automation with AI personalization | Browser extension + profile button |
| Multichannel Support | Unified LinkedIn + email campaigns | Scheduling only |
| Learning Curve | Moderate (comprehensive platform) | Minimal (plug-and-play) |
| Best For | Complex outreach sequences | Simple, immediate scheduling |
Performance Tracking and CRM Integrations
When it comes to tracking performance, Closely offers a more detailed and integrated approach. It provides insights into campaign and team member performance, helping users fine-tune their messaging and scale successful strategies – all from one dashboard. According to Closely, this approach can increase response rates by 35%, save 10 hours per week per team member on manual prospecting, and generate 45% more pipeline opportunities [1]. Additionally, Closely supports native integrations and webhooks for tools like HubSpot and GoHighLevel, ensuring seamless data flow into your existing sales stack [1].
Calendly, in contrast, focuses its analytics on the outcomes of scheduled meetings. While this helps refine the booking process, it offers a narrower view compared to Closely’s comprehensive tracking. Closely’s ability to monitor the entire outreach journey makes it a more powerful tool for sales teams looking to optimize their efforts.
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Pricing and Value Analysis
When weighing the costs of Closely and Calendly, understanding their pricing structures is key to determining which platform fits your team’s budget and needs. Each platform takes a distinct approach to pricing, reflecting its primary focus and strengths. Let’s break down what each offers.
Closely’s Pricing Plans
Closely bases its pricing on LinkedIn accounts and credit allocations, making it suitable for teams of various sizes. There are four main tiers, with discounts available for annual subscriptions.
- The Starter plan costs $49/month (or $29/month with an annual plan). It includes one LinkedIn account, unlimited email accounts, and 1,000 credits per month. Credits can be used for 250 emails, 50 phone lookups, or 500 AI personalizations. This plan is ideal for individual professionals or small teams beginning their LinkedIn automation journey.
- The Growth plan is priced at $127/month (or $87/month annually). It supports three LinkedIn accounts and provides 3,000 credits monthly, which can cover 750 emails, 150 phone lookups, or 1,500 AI personalizations. This tier is designed for growing teams managing multiple LinkedIn profiles.
- The Essential plan costs $205/month (or $145/month annually). It includes five LinkedIn accounts and 5,000 credits per month, allowing for 1,250 emails, 250 phone lookups, or 2,500 AI personalizations. This option fits established teams handling higher volumes of LinkedIn outreach.
- The Custom plan is $350/month (or $206/month annually) and supports up to 10 LinkedIn accounts with customizable credit options. All plans include whitelabeling, which is particularly useful for agencies and consultants branding the platform for their clients.
Calendly’s Pricing Overview
Calendly takes a simpler approach to pricing, starting with a free plan. This includes basic features like personal scheduling links, automated notifications, and integrations with tools such as Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Zoom. However, the free plan supports just one active event type.
Paid plans start at $6.99/month and offer unlimited event types, multiple calendar connections, team scheduling tools, and advanced customization options. Higher-tier plans also integrate with sales tools like Zapier, Salesforce, and Stripe, expanding functionality for larger teams.
| Feature | Closely Starter ($49/mo) | Calendly Paid Plans (from $6.99/mo) |
|---|---|---|
| LinkedIn Integration | Full automation + AI personalization | Browser extension + profile button |
| Meeting Scheduling | Part of comprehensive outreach | Core focus with advanced features |
| Team Collaboration | Unified inbox & team tools | Team scheduling, shared calendars |
| Best Value For | Complete LinkedIn outreach solution | Dedicated meeting scheduling |
Closely and Calendly’s pricing strategies reflect their focus areas. Closely offers a robust LinkedIn automation solution with meeting scheduling as an added feature, making it a strong choice for teams focused on LinkedIn outreach. On the other hand, Calendly is all about simplifying and optimizing the scheduling process, with a lower entry price that may appeal to those prioritizing meeting management.
Which Solution Works Best for LinkedIn Meeting Scheduling
Now that we’ve covered the detailed feature comparisons, it’s time to figure out which solution best suits your LinkedIn meeting scheduling needs. Whether you go with Closely’s Appoint feature or Calendly depends largely on your business goals and how LinkedIn outreach fits into your overall strategy.
If LinkedIn automation is a major focus for your team, Closely’s Appoint feature might be the better fit. It’s designed for businesses that rely heavily on LinkedIn prospecting, multichannel campaigns, and AI-driven personalization. By integrating outreach and scheduling into one platform, Closely simplifies workflows, letting you handle LinkedIn connections, email follow-ups, and meeting scheduling all from one dashboard. This all-in-one setup is ideal for teams needing a seamless LinkedIn outreach process.
On the other hand, if your main goal is to streamline meeting scheduling, Calendly could be the way to go. It’s particularly effective when you’re working with high-quality leads and need an easy way to convert those connections into meetings. Take Liam Darmody, for example. As the founder of Liam’s Brand Stand, he used Calendly’s LinkedIn profile button to book nearly 200 meetings with inbound leads [3]. Corrina Owens also highlights how Calendly’s direct scheduling approach removes unnecessary steps, making it incredibly easy for prospects to book time.
Ultimately, your decision comes down to two factors: the volume of leads you’re handling and how much personalization you need. LinkedIn messages typically see response rates of 15–25% [7], far higher than cold emails. However, to get those results, your communication must feel personal and meaningful. Closely’s AI-powered personalization ensures scalable, high-quality interactions, while Calendly focuses on turning those conversations into scheduled meetings once the connection is made.
So, it boils down to this: Do you need a comprehensive outreach and automation solution, or are you looking for a dedicated scheduling tool? For LinkedIn-focused sales teams, Closely’s Appoint feature offers a powerful combination of automation and personalization to generate quality leads while also managing scheduling. But if you’ve already nailed LinkedIn networking and just need a tool to schedule meetings efficiently, Calendly is a smart, straightforward option. Up next, we’ll dive into how you can apply these insights to your sales process.
FAQs
How does Closely’s AI-driven personalization improve LinkedIn outreach compared to traditional scheduling tools?
Closely uses AI to revolutionize LinkedIn outreach by creating personalized, natural-sounding messages at scale. This makes your communication feel more authentic and relevant, leading to higher response rates while saving you the effort of manual messaging.
The platform automates the personalization process, ensuring your messages connect with your audience on a deeper level without losing that personal feel. This helps you strengthen relationships and make LinkedIn networking more efficient.
What makes Closely’s Appoint feature effective for LinkedIn outreach campaigns?
Closely’s Appoint feature takes the hassle out of LinkedIn outreach by automating personalized, multi-channel communication. This means you can reach more prospects effectively while still keeping your messages tailored – a combination that enhances engagement and increases response rates.
Designed with ease of use in mind, Appoint also comes with advanced scheduling tools. It not only saves you time but also simplifies meeting organization, making it a go-to solution for LinkedIn-focused sales and networking campaigns.
How does Closely’s CRM integration make LinkedIn meeting scheduling and tracking more efficient?
Closely works hand-in-hand with CRM tools to make managing LinkedIn meetings a breeze. It takes care of tedious tasks like logging meetings and tracking follow-ups, so you don’t have to. This not only cuts down on time spent but also minimizes the chance of errors.
With direct syncing to your CRM, Closely keeps all your LinkedIn outreach activities neatly recorded. This means you can spend less time juggling details and more time building meaningful connections.
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