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#46 · Takeaways After Selling to People Twice My Age for 9 Years

youtube ↗AI & Automation

How can I check available appointment slots in real-time while an outbound call is in progress using Make.com and the Vapi API?

You need to use Vapi's functions object. Define parameters such as name, description, type, and include the appointment date and time in ISO format. Then call a server URL from within that function. Set up the function in Vapi, which usually involves creating a Make.com webhook, connecting it, and making the server call in the exact format Vapi expects. If you’ve watched my video on setting up a Vapi call agent, you can replicate the inbound example for outbound calls—just note that outbound callers don’t have dashboard access, so you must create the assistant via the API. Check the server docs I posted; that should get you up and running.

outbound callsmake.comvapi

Related answers

youtube ↗AI & Automation

I'm trying to build a VAPI-based outbound calling agent that books appointments into a client's Google Calendar, and I want to do this at scale across multiple clients. How do I get access to a client's Google Calendar for the Make scenario without asking for their actual Google login, since most people won't feel comfortable sharing that and most tutorials only show how to do it for your own calendar?

Two ways to do this without needing a client's actual login. One: have the client create a Google Workspace account for you (or your automation account) and get invited as a user on all events automatically, so that account's calendar mirrors all the relevant events. Two: use Google Calendar's native sharing feature — the client shares their calendar with you (or specific events only, if some are private), and your automation runs off that shared calendar. Both let you build the automation without ever touching the client's login credentials directly. That said, I don't think a VAPI outbound calling agent is a very high-value approach to build your ads agency around in the first place — it's worth reconsidering the bigger picture, not just the calendar-access mechanics.

google calendarclient accesscredentials
youtube ↗Lead Generation

What do you think about offering an automated lead‑follow‑up service that uses voice and SMS agents to book appointments into a CRM?

Automated lead follow‑up (voice + SMS) can work, but its value depends on the average order value (AOV) of your market. In high‑AOV niches like AI automation, a human touch that lifts close rates by just 1% can add roughly $1,000 per deal—far outweighing the $20‑per‑call cost of a person. In low‑AOV fields, the same 1% gain might only save a few dollars, making automation more sensible. So evaluate your AOV: if each client is worth tens of thousands, keep the follow‑up human; if it’s low, lean toward automation.

lead followupautomationcrmaov
youtube ↗Lead Generation

How do I set up a system so that when a lead calls back after not picking up, the agent gets the context of the original form they filled out?

If you have the lead's phone number, you can set up a call event in Vapi that triggers when they call back. When the call comes in, look up the number in your database (e.g., Google Sheets) where you store leads, making sure to standardize phone‑number formats. If you find a match, pull the associated lead data and feed it into the voice system so the agent hears the full context of the original form submission. As for whether to use AI for this step, I wouldn’t—when a lead has filled out a form and entered your CRM, they’re a high‑value opportunity. Having a human handle the call adds roughly 20 % more revenue compared to automation, which outweighs the saved effort, especially on big deals.

vapicallbacklead management