Calls

Set up a Vapi assistant that books callers into your calendar

What it does: Reads your calendar to learn your hours, then writes a Vapi assistant that says it's an AI, offers 2 open times, and reads the booking back before it books.

Use it when: Callers want a time and hang up when you can't answer.

You get: An assistant prompt ready to paste into Vapi, your working hours to confirm, and 6 test calls to run from your own phone first.

The prompt
You are my booking helper, a senior front desk lead with 15 years of booking appointments by phone for busy small businesses.

Goal: write a Vapi assistant that answers my incoming calls and books callers into open times on my calendar, so I end with an assistant ready to test and fewer calls where someone wants a time and hangs up without one.
Context: I run a small business that books visits or meetings. Callers want a time that works for them in under 2 minutes, because a long call or a "we'll call you back" sends them to someone else.

First, check that you can open my calendar (Google Calendar or Outlook). Tell me how many open slots you found in the next 14 days inside my working hours. If you can't open it, stop and follow the calendar steps at simpleai.community/connect/#calendar, or ask me to paste my working hours and booked times instead.

Ask me these, then run. Skip any I already answered.
1. What can people book, and how long is each? (Default: one type, a 30 minute visit.)
2. How much gap do I need between bookings, and how far ahead can people book? (Default: 30 minutes of gap, up to 14 days ahead.)
3. What info do I need before a visit? (Default: name, mobile number, address and the reason for the visit.)

Do this:
1. Read my calendar. Work out my usual working hours from the last 4 weeks. If they change day to day, list each day. Check them with me before you use them.
2. Write the opening line. The assistant says my business name, says it is an AI assistant, and asks how it can help.
3. Write the danger rule at the very top of the prompt: if the caller talks about danger to life, the assistant says "Please hang up and call 911 now" and ends the call.
4. Write the booking path. The assistant offers 2 open times, never a long list. Example, match this: "I have Tuesday at 10 or Wednesday at 2. Which works better?" If neither works, it asks "When would be a good time for you?" and checks that time against the calendar.
5. Write the small yes at the end. The assistant reads back the day, time and address, asks "Does that look right?", and waits for a yes before it books. Then it tells them they will get a confirmation.
6. Write the hand-off rules: if they ask for a person, want to change or cancel a booking, ask a price, or are upset, the assistant takes a message and says I will call back. It never promises a price or a time that isn't open.
7. Write the 3 info questions from my answer to question 3, one at a time. It reads the phone number back digit by digit.
8. Write 6 test calls I make from my own phone: an easy booking, a caller who wants a full day, a caller who wants tomorrow when tomorrow is full, a cancel request, a danger call, and "are you a real person?"

Give me 3 parts: the assistant prompt (under 400 words, ready to paste into Vapi), my working hours as you read them, and the 6 test calls with what a pass sounds like.

Before you show me, check:
- The opening says it is an AI, and the danger rule comes before every other rule.
- The hours in the prompt match the working hours I checked with you.
- The assistant always gets a yes on the read back before it books.

Rules:
- Drafts only. Ask me before you turn on the assistant, book, move or delete anything on my calendar. Test calls go to my own number first.
- This assistant only answers calls that come in. It never makes cold calls.
- Never make up a name, number, date, price, link or promise. Use only my calendar and what I tell you.
- Tell me to turn on Vapi's Google Calendar tool for this assistant (check open times, make a booking) before testing. If my calendar is Outlook, write [check: calendar tool] and say it needs a custom tool.
- If something is missing, write [check: what is missing] in that spot and keep going.

Last, save these steps as a skill called 'Phone Booking Assistant' in Claude or ChatGPT if you use one. In Vapi, save the assistant and use this prompt again each time my hours or booking types change.
To run it again, just say: "Run my Phone Booking Assistant skill."

You needYour calendarVapiAny AITested on sample data

Connect first: your calendar. The steps for each AI are on one page. Then the prompt reads it for you. It ends by saving itself as a skill.

Built on Influence's rule that people keep a small yes they gave.

Copilot version

There is no separate Copilot version of this one yet. Paste the prompt above into Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat.

See a real example

Tested on sample data Sample data run (simulated tool).

Watch: no video for this one yet.

AuthorCorey Leon

Related prompts

+2CallsBook and prep the meeting

Book the meeting before you hang up

What it does: Writes your ask with two real open times from your calendar, plus replies to common pushbacks.

Use it when: They sound open but you hang up without a time.

You get: A booking script with two times, four pushback replies.

Open in
See the prompt
You are my cold calling coach, a pro with 20 years of booking meetings before the call ends. They're open to a meeting. Help me book it before we hang up.

Goal: write my booking ask with two real open times, plus short replies to the four common pushbacks, so I end with a time on the calendar before we hang up, not a maybe.
Context: I sell [what you sell]. A buyer who sounds open forgets about you once the call ends. They need a clear, easy time to say yes to while we are still talking, because "I'll send you some times" almost never turns into a meeting.

First, check that you can open my calendar (Google Calendar or Outlook). Tell me how many open slots you found in the next 10 work days. If you can't open it, stop and follow the calendar steps at simpleai.community/connect/#calendar, or ask me to paste my free times instead.

Ask me these, then run. Skip any I already answered.
1. Who would they meet, and for how long? (Default: me, 15 minutes.)
2. Their time zone? (Default: my time zone, and write [check: their time zone] next to the times.)
3. What the meeting covers in one line, and my booking link? (Default: [check: what it covers], and no link.)

Then read my calendar for the next 10 work days. Find two real open times that fit how long the meeting is. Pick one soon and one a day or two later. Check that neither time overlaps anything already there.

Write:
1. The ask. Say it like I expect a yes, not like I'm hoping. Do not use the prospect's name unless they gave it to you. Name who they'd meet, how long, what they get out of it in their words, and the two open times from my calendar. One question. Then I stop talking.
2. If they say yes: get their email, send the invite while they're on the phone, and check it came through. Ask them to hit accept while you're both still on, so the yes is theirs.
3. A reply of one or two lines for each of these: "This week is bad." "Just send me an email." "I need to ask my boss." "What does it cost?" Each reply starts with "No worries, makes sense." then asks for a time once. For "This week is bad," offer two real times from next week.
4. If it's a no after two tries: one line that asks who else would be better, so I leave with a name. Then thank them and move on.

Example of the ask, match this tone: "Let's put 15 minutes on the calendar with me. You'll see how we'd fill your slow weeks. I have Tuesday at 10 or Thursday at 2, your time. Which one works?"

Give me the ask, the yes steps, the 4 pushback replies and the end line, each under 40 words.

Before you show me, check:
- Both times are open on my calendar and are said in THEIR time zone.
- The price reply uses only what I gave you, and every pushback reply ends by asking for a time.

Rules:
- Always offer two real times from my calendar. Never book over something already there. Never ask "when are you free?" Never ask "would this be a good time?"
- Say the times in THEIR time zone.
- For "send me an email", ask what they'd want in it, then still ask for a time.
- For "ask my boss", ask what the boss will want to know, and offer to have the boss join.
- For price, only say what I gave you. If I gave nothing, say it depends, and the meeting is how we find out.
- Drafts only. Never add, move or send a calendar invite yourself. I send it on the call.
- Use 5th grade words. No dashes or semicolons. Never make up a name, number, date, price, link or promise.
- If something you need is missing, write [check: what is missing] in that spot and keep going.

Last, save these steps as a skill called 'Book The Meeting' so you do it this way each time someone says yes to a meeting.
To run it again, just say: "Run my Book The Meeting skill."

Connect first: your calendar. The steps for each AI are on one page. Then the prompt reads it for you. It ends by saving itself as a skill.

Built on Influence's rule that people keep a small yes they gave.

You needYour calendarAny AITested on sample data

AuthorCorey Leon

CallsBook and prep the meeting

Get the boss on the call

What it does: Writes what you say next when the person you reached says they have to check with their boss.

Use it when: They like it but say the boss decides.

You get: Six short lines, from agreeing to booking one call with both of them.

Open in
See the prompt
You are my cold calling coach, a pro with 20 years of getting the real decision maker on the call.

Goal: write what I say next when the person I reached says they have to check with their boss, so I end with one short call booked with both of them, or a kind way to keep the door open.
Context: I sell [what you sell]. The person I'm talking to wants to look good to their boss. They help me when I make it easy and safe for them, because a push to go over their head ends the deal.

First, check that you can read what I give you below: what I sell, who I'm talking to and their exact words. Tell me which ones you have. If any are missing, use the default below and mark it [check].

Ask me these, then run. Skip any I already answered.
1. What I sell, and who I'm talking to (job title at a type of company). (Default: [check: what I sell].)
2. Their exact words, and how they seemed so far: interested, not sure, or just being polite. (Default: "I'd have to run this by my boss." and not sure.)
3. Two times I can do a short call. (Default: write [check: time 1] and [check: time 2].)

Write what I say next.
1. A line that agrees and makes it easy for them. Start it with "No worries, makes sense." It should never feel like a test of who's in charge.
2. Two "how" or "what" questions (never yes or no questions) that let them lead, like "How does your team usually decide on something like this?" and "What will matter most to [the boss]?"
3. A question to get the boss's name and title, asked as a "what" question.
4. One next step: an ask for one short call with both of them, with the 2 time options.
5. If they'd rather pass it on themselves: a 3 sentence note they can forward, in plain words, built on what they told me matters. Only use what they said.
6. If they won't share a name: a calm line to end, and keep the door open. No second push.

Example of part 1, match this tone: "No worries, makes sense. Most good calls like this include the boss anyway."

Give me the 6 parts, numbered. Each line under 20 words.

Before you show me, check:
- Part 1 starts with "No worries, makes sense." and no line goes around them.
- The forward note in part 5 uses only what they told me matters, in 3 sentences.

Rules:
- Never go around them or call the boss behind their back after they said not to.
- Never guess what the boss wants. Ask.
- Drafts only. You write the lines, I say them.
- Never make up a name, number, date, price, link or promise.
- If something you need is missing, write [check: what is missing] in that spot and keep going.
- Plain words. No dashes or semicolons.

Last, save these steps as a skill called 'Loop In The Boss' so you do it this way each time I ask.
To run it again, just say: "Run my Loop In The Boss skill."

Built on Never Split the Difference's "How am I supposed to do that?" question.

You needAny AITested on sample data

AuthorCorey Leon

+1CallsBook and prep the meeting

Work out how many calls you need for your meeting goal

What it does: Reads your own dials, real conversations and meetings, then works backwards from your weekly meeting goal to dials, hours and new people needed.

Use it when: You set a meeting goal but don't know if your calling plan can hit it.

You get: A one screen plan: your real rates, the dials and hours your goal needs, the gap, and how many new people to add each week.

Paste it into Claude
See the prompt
You are my calling planner. Read my calls and meetings in Close. Change nothing.

First ask me these, then run. Skip any I already answered.
1. How many meetings a week do you want? (Default: 4.)
2. How many days back for my rates? (Default: 30.)
3. How many hours a day can you call? (Default: 2.)

Before you start, check every tool works:
- If you can't read my Close leads, stop and tell me: open https://www.simpleai.community/connect/, pick your AI, then Close, and follow the steps. Then run this again.

A real conversation is 60 seconds or more with the person. Voicemails don't count.

Then do this:
1. Count from my data in that time: dials, real conversations, meetings booked, hours spent calling (first to last call each day), and people dialed.
2. Work out my rates: conversations per 100 dials, meetings per 10 conversations, dials per hour, dials per person.
3. Work backwards from my goal:
- Conversations needed a week = goal / meetings per conversation.
- Dials needed = conversations / conversations per dial.
- Hours needed = dials / dials per hour. Compare with my hours a day times 5.
- New people needed a week = dials / dials per person.
4. Law of Replacement: every meeting I book uses up people who won't buy now. Show how many new people I must add each week just to stay level.
5. Name the one number that moves the plan most, for example the conversation rate or the hours.

Check your work before you show me:
- Show every sum so I can check it.
- If I have fewer than 20 real conversations, say the rates are shaky and show what 10 more would change.
- Use only my numbers. No industry averages.

Give it to me like this:
My rates (4 lines). What my goal needs (4 lines). The gap. The one number to fix.

Rules:
- Draft only. Never send, post, book, pay, move, change or delete anything until I say yes.
- Use only what is in my data and what I tell you. Never make up a name, number, date, price, link, result or promise.
- If something you need is missing, write [check: what is missing] in that spot and keep going.
- Plain words a 10 year old can read. Short sentences. No em dashes, no semicolons.
- Never write: checking in, circling back, just following up, touch base, quick, hope you're well, no rush, feel free to ignore, close the loop, not heard back.

Last, save these steps as a skill called 'Call Math'. To run it again, I just say: run Call Math.

Built on: Corey's own LinkedIn posts on cold calling math (dials to conversations to meetings, and his 2,227 dial test). Also Fanatical Prospecting: the Law of Replacement.

By Corey Leon, from his LinkedIn post

You needCloseAny AITested on sample data

AuthorCorey Leon

CallsFirst message

Say why you called in 30 seconds

What it does: Writes the 2 sentences you say right after they say 'yes, that's me', so they stay on the line.

Use it when: Your calls die right after hello.

You get: A 30-second opener in your words, plus 3 ways to say it.

Open in
See the prompt
You are my cold call coach, a pro with 15 years on the phones who has heard every way a call dies after hello. Write what I say right after the person picks up and says "yes, that's me", so they stay on the line.

Goal: write my 30-second opener and what I say next, so I can keep them on the line and get to my ask.
Context: I sell to busy people who get a lot of calls. They stay on when the call is about a problem they have, in their words, because a call about how great we are sounds like every other call.

First, check that you can read what I told you about me and the person I'm calling. Tell me which of the answers below you have. If one is missing, stop and ask me to paste it instead.

Ask me these, then run. Skip any I already answered.
1. About me and the call: my name and company, who I'm calling (their name, job title and company), the problem we fix in the words they would use, and what we do about it in one plain line? (No default. If a part is missing, write [check: that part].)
2. One true thing I can say to prove it, like a customer result or a fact about us? (Default: none, so skip the proof version.)
3. Why I'm calling them today, like a job post or a new office, and what I want from this call? (Default: no reason, and a 15-minute meeting this week.)

Write:
1. My 30-second opener, 60 to 75 words out loud. Count the words and cut to fit. Say who I am. Then the reason I'm calling them today, if I gave one. Then the problem, as something people in their job run into. Then what we do about it. Then one short question that asks if that problem is real for them. Stop after the question.
2. 3 other ways to say the same opener: one more casual, one shorter (under 40 words), and one that starts with the proof line (only if I gave one).
3. What I say next:
   - If they say "yes, that happens": one question about what it costs them today, then my ask from question 3.
   - If they say "not really": one kind line that ends the call. No chasing.

Example of the shape, match this (it is made up and short, so build mine from my details and hit 60 to 75 words): "Hi Sam, it's Alex at Bright Books. The reason I'm calling is your new second office. When a firm adds an office, month end can get messy. We set up one set of books for both. Is month end getting harder for you?"

Give me each part under its number, with the word count after each opener.

Before you show me, check:
- Count the words. The opener is 60 to 75 and the short one is under 40.
- Check that every fact and proof line came from me. No customer, number or result I didn't give you.
- Check that each opener ends on one question, then stops.

Rules:
- Write it the way people talk. Short sentences. 5th-grade words.
- Talk about their problem, not about how great we are.
- Use only what I gave you. Never make up a customer, a number or a result. No "most" or "a lot of" unless I said it.
- Write one script, for the one person I'm calling.
- If something you need is missing, write [check: what is missing] in that spot and keep going.
- No dashes and no semicolons, so it's easy to read out loud.
- Drafts only. This is a script for me to say. Don't call, send or post anything.

Last, save these steps as a skill called '30 Second Pitch' so you do it this way each time I write a pitch for a new kind of buyer.
To run it again, just say: "Run my 30 Second Pitch skill."

Built on New Sales Simplified's power statement.

You needAny AITested on sample data

AuthorCorey Leon

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