Gatekeepers

If you have ever made prospecting calls, you have faced gatekeepers and you’ve probably been asked to “just send some information.”  While the line above may not work for everyone, it does make a key point.  To maximize your chances of getting to decision makers, you need to work with the gatekeeper, instead of working against him or her.  You can befriend gatekeepers by using humor, by showing appreciation, and/or by identifying common interests. Here are some other tips from top performing salespeople on getting past the gatekeeper:

• Ask for advice.  This approach has numerous applications throughout the sales process.  With gatekeepers, salespeople often gain valuable information by asking questions like:  “I need your help.  What is your advice on the best way for me to arrange a 15 minute conversation with Sally?”  Many people talk down to gatekeepers because they don’t think they’re influential.  Gatekeepers can often be extremely influential and this approach makes you stand out because you’re asking for their opinion and not speaking down to them.
• Perfect your opening line and tone.  “Good morning.  This is John Smith with Accelerate Performance for Sally please.”  There are numerous reasons why this opening line works better than most others.  For example, the salesperson does not ask permission with questions like “Is she there?”  Or “by chance is she available?”  Also, this opening line can easily be delivered with a confident and sincere tone, not a desperate and apologetic one.  Using the right tone, the salesperson conveys that he expects to get to Sally. While it’s important to not talk down to the gatekeeper, it’s also critical to not talk up to the prospect by putting her on such a high pedestal.  Your time is just as important as the prospect’s, and you can convey this sentiment by using the proper tone and words.
• Call at strategic times.  If you are attempting to get past a gatekeeper that works as an executive assistant, the gatekeeper probably works different hours than the executive.  Call early, call late, or call during lunchtime. Then be ready with a quick positioning statement and value proposition because your prospect just may answer the phone!  

Remember, you are in sales because you are persistent.  No single method works every time. Using the approaches above gives you more chances to be successful with decision makers.  Exceed your goals by getting past more gatekeepers and speaking to more decision makers!