CHAPTER 4
Getting Gatekeepers to Work for You

PHONE SALES CHALLENGE – Jake, a longtime salesman in commercial banking, complains: “I could close twice as much business if it weren’t so hard to get the actual decision maker on the phone!”

If you define a gatekeeper as the person or system that stands between you and your sale, you will encounter a number of different types as you work through your daily sales calls. These may include actual people (PBX or company operators, administrative assistants, and receivers of forwarded calls), voice mail systems, and automated company menus. Bypassing these different gatekeepers requires slightly different strategies, but each type is a barrier you must move beyond in order to get to the real decision makers.

As an example, let’s look at what can happen during interactions that salespeople may have with actual people on the phone:

SALESPERSON: Good morning. I’d like to speak with your director of marketing. Is that person around today?

GATEKEEPER: Who is this? Who are you with? And what is this about?

In this example, the salesperson’s lack of knowledge allowed the gatekeeper to seize control and put the salesperson on the defensive. When you are on the defensive, you have no credibility and consequently will not get through to the decision maker.

SALESPERSON: Oh, good morning, what a lovely voice you have. This is Jake Shamrock and I’d like to speak with your director of marketing. Would you be a sweetheart and switch me over?

GATEKEEPER: What? I really cannot put you through unless I know what this is regarding.

Ah yes, here is an example of the old “charmer” technique. It’s surprising that this guy didn’t call the gatekeeper “honey.” Comments that are too familiar or are merely empty compliments have no place in the business world, and often don’t work. Remember, the person on the other end of the line can’t see your perfect hair or your killer smile.

SALESPERSON: This is Jake Shamrock. Connect me with your director of marketing.

GATEKEEPER: Who are you with? I’m not authorized to patch calls through. Do you have the person’s name that you’re looking for?

Now we have the worn-out “voice of authority” approach. This guy thought that if he sounded stern and no-nonsense, the gatekeeper would be appropriately intimidated and put him through. Wrong!

And then, there’s always voice mail:

VOICE MAIL: You’ve reached Ray Davenport’s desk. Leave a message.

SALESPERSON: Well, hey Ray, I can’t believe I still haven’t caught up with you. We’ve got a great deal on some new corporate CD rates. Call me back. (pause) Oh, this is Jake with NBS Banking. You know the number!

In each of these situations, a more professional approach would have made a dramatic difference in the response the caller received and would most likely have resulted in a connection. Granted, not all first calls will result in a direct transfer to the appropriate decision maker, but the caller stands a much better chance using the right tactic.

To be effective in selling over the phone, you need to acquire the tools necessary to help you engage gatekeepers as partners. For example, to best connect with your gatekeepers, focus on the strategies introduced in chapter 3 outlining how to adjust your approach to different personalities. The ideas work as well when managing your gatekeeper relationships as with your customers.

Engage the Person Answering the Phone

Whenever you reach an individual who is not the intended customer, request in a polite, businesslike manner to be put through to that person. There are different tactics governing your wording and the amount of disclosure that you might offer regarding your reason for calling. The one you ultimately choose will depend on who you are speaking with.

RECEPTIONIST OR CENTRAL OPERATOR

By definition, the receptionist or central operator handles all inbound calls to the company, answering the phone and then transferring each call to the proper person. Depending on the size of the organization or level of responsibility, this person may have a tremendous amount of information or be able to do little more than transfer the caller to the appropriate extension. There are a number of different strategies you might use when dealing with a central operator or receptionist.

Strategy #1: Provide minimal disclosure. In dealing with a small company, offering minimal disclosure is the best technique. When you use a relaxed, casual tone to sound comfortable and expected, the receptionist will often read into your tone and inflection that you are a close personal friend of the person you are asking to speak with:

RECEPTIONIST: ACE Construction, this is Jessica. How may I help you?

SALESPERSON: Jessica! This is Jake Shamrock. Is Rasida around this afternoon?

Strategy #2: Provide partial disclosure. If you are calling a larger company, your best bet may be to offer some information but not a lot of it. The strategy in offering partial disclosure is to prevent whoever is on the phone from refusing to put you through to the individual you are trying to reach. You might want to give your name and company, or perhaps just your name and purpose only. The receptionist or central operator is not a decision maker and likely will not understand the value of what you have to offer:

RECEPTIONIST: Good afternoon, Bi-Marginal Assemblies, how can I help you?

SALESPERSON: Good afternoon. This is Jake Shamrock with NBS, could you connect me with Rasida Sandera in finance, please?

Partial disclosure is most effective if you have a name and department (back to the need for proper customer research).

If you have to give your name and purpose, then you’ll want to prepare the description of what you offer in advance:

CENTRAL OPERATOR: Good afternoon, Bi-Marginal Assemblies, how may I direct your call?

SALESPERSON: Good afternoon and thank you. This is Jake Shamrock and I need you to direct me to finance, please.

CENTRAL OPERATOR: And what is this in regards to, Mr. Shamrock?

SALESPERSON: This is about our banking relationship with your firm. Will you connect me, please?

It’s important to sound like a professional on a professional mission in all instances. Do not offer your company name if it sounds too sales-y, but be sure to be forthcoming with your own name. Most of the time, receptionists don’t ask for company names if you make it sound like the decision maker is a personal friend. If you are asked, simply offer your company name confidently, as if the intended customer would want to hear from your company. You may even disclose what business you are in, if the company name isn’t obvious. This approach disarms a nosy receptionist, or one well-trained in restricting noncritical calls.

But always remember to use a friendly voice. Keep in mind that you are talking to someone who is treated like a private branch exchange (PBX) all day. A friendly voice will be welcome as long as you don’t overdo it. Remember, too, to give your name first. Manipulative salespeople typically don’t offer their name, and since receptionists and operators are trained to ask questions in order to screen callers, by exchanging your name for theirs you disarm them by not presenting an invasive front.

Finally, keep in mind that whoever is asking the questions is in control of the call. If the receptionist has to ask questions such as your name, your company, or what the call is in regard to, then that person becomes the controller of the call. We never want to have a barrier between us and the real decision makers. We want to be in control of the call.

Strategy #3: Make a scouting, or “recon” call. This sort of call can be very useful, especially for your first contact with a company. The purpose here is only to get a name—a direct contact—and the company operator can give you valuable information. Don’t ask to be put through, although if the operator offers, you can consider it a bonus:

SALESPERSON: Hello, this is Jake Shamrock with NBS Banking and I’d like to find out who your director of marketing is.

Strategy #4: Make a follow-up call. Follow-up calls increase the likelihood that you will be put through to the party you are trying to reach. In this case you are using partial disclosure because you have established a relationship with the decision maker, and you assume the receptionist is familiar with that. Remember, only use this wording if it is true. A receptionist who puts through a call under false pretenses gets in trouble, and you have forever closed that gate (Believe me, she’ll remember your voice, company name, and maybe even have noted your number from the caller ID.):

SALESPERSON: Jessica! Hi. This is Jake Shamrock. Rasida Sandera wanted me to give her a callback today. Is she in?

Or, you might choose to say:

SALESPERSON: This is Jake Shamrock. I’m returning Rasida’s call. What’s the best time to catch her in?

Sometimes the receptionist or central operator will put you through, or give you information on when to call back. This individual is an initial contact and has less of a stake in screening calls than other types of gatekeepers.

ADMINISTRATIVE (OR EXECUTIVE) ASSISTANT

Personal assistants have responsibility for a person or group of people. The assistant’s job is to take care of the people to whom he or she reports. If a visiting vice president is on a low-carbohydrate diet, the administrative assistant will ensure that low-carb snacks are on the conference room table for a meeting. This is someone who knows what the bosses are thinking almost before they think of it. He or she can also be your most valuable partner.

Some customers are very dependent on their assistants for not only organizational matters, but also decision making. In some cases, an admin can make decisions on behalf of the boss or help to push decisions through. In our competitive selling environments, where customers are busier than ever, never underestimate the power of an administrative assistant’s influence.

Strategy: Treat the assistant as a key decision maker. Assume the assistant will play a central role in getting you to the person who signs the checks. Keep in mind, however, that assistants are well-trained screeners and have heard every trick in the book, so forget about your bag of tricks and employ your professional strategies. Be respectful and engage this person as your internal sales partner, the one who can make or break you. Ask the assistant the same questions you would ask the final decision maker. When you do this, you elevate yourself in that person’s eyes by asking meaningful questions and by directing those important questions to him or her. By doing this you are also differentiating yourself from your competition by affirming the assistant’s power; and you are doing it over the phone!

It’s helpful to find out how the assistant fits into the decisionmaking picture. How will your product or service affect this person or his or her boss’s goals? You may learn, for instance, that this assistant has had to field shipping complaints, which have become a personal irritant. He or she has to either handle or forward these calls and sees this as a time-consuming nuisance. Now that you know what motivates the assistant, you can connect with this person. Connection could become sympathy for the situation or confirmation of the relationship between the decision maker’s need and the assistant’s discomfort. Get the buy-in from this individual, and he or she will likely help you set up a phone meeting with the decision maker.

Also, use full disclosure when an executive assistant who has decision-making authority answers the phone. Identify yourself and explain who you are with and what you are calling about. This is especially important when the assistant is working for a major decision maker.

DESIGNATED ADVISER/RESEARCHER

Another gatekeeper you may meet on the way to a sale could be the key adviser to a decision maker. Although this person doesn’t make the actual decision, he or she is very involved in the sales process. Think of this individual as an information-gatherer for the company.

Years ago, the decision maker would call with inquiries when there was a need. Now, however, managers have much more responsibility in terms of numbers of people they manage, and as a result they will delegate the initial search process to an adviser/intermediary. Often these information-gatherers are Ps—detail-oriented, thorough, and virtually unaffected by emotional decisions.

This type of selling scenario takes longer because you need to sell this individual, who also acts as a screener for the person he or she reports to. Decision makers will not talk with you unless their screener is convinced it’s worthwhile and has recommended your product or service. In this situation you must, in effect, persuade an internal agent to sell for you.

Strategy: Treat this individual as if he or she were the direct conduit to the sale. Never underestimate the intelligence and potential influence of advisers/researchers. They will be both highly skilled and professional, which is why they are chosen as screeners. Respected as subject matter experts, they are generally the ones on whom the decision maker relies for information and recommendations.

At times you may find that an intern has this level of expertise and respect in a company. For example, the intern emails you for information on your product. Eventually, you get the intern on the phone. Because an intern is not as invested in keeping people out and is often flattered to have a phone call, you may obtain a great deal of recon-rich information from him or her.

Whatever capacity the adviser/researcher is in officially, he or she is the one who can make or break you. Think of it this way. They are like the first door into the lobby. You don’t get to the sixth floor unless the lobby door is unlocked.

ROLLOVER OR CALL FORWARD—COLLEAGUE OR EMPLOYEE

Typically, in a smaller office there might be a vice president and a few managers. This could be a regional office of a larger organization. So, when a decision maker is out, he or she may just set the call forwarding to whoever is going to be in the office at that time. As the one who is just answering the phone when your customer is out, this person doesn’t feel any great responsibility for relaying the urgency of a message. For instance, someone in accounting might receive a rolled-over call for human resources.

Strategy: Recognize that your forwarded call is an intrusion but it may be your only link to your customer. Typically, this individual may answer with just the company name, or their name. This means you will be unaware of whether you’re speaking to a marketing assistant, human resources manager, vice president, or operations director. In this case, glean what personality information you can from the voice, adjust your minimal disclosure energy level and tone accordingly, and proceed. In short, every answered phone is an opportunity to get to your decision maker if handled skillfully.

It’s best to provide minimal disclosure by offering only your name and the name of the person you are calling. Once again, use your warm, friendly voice and make it sound as though you are calling your very best friend in the world. The likelihood of getting through will be significantly increased.

GATEKEEPER PARTNERSHIPS

As you can see, in several of the previous possible call scenarios, you are going to be challenged to have a conversation with an intermediary. Intermediaries can, intentionally or unintentionally, make your job a lot tougher. You need to engage them in partnerships with you—either temporary or long term, depending on the situation. And you generally have only a few seconds to process that situation and strategize the best course of action.

In the example that follows, you’ll see how the salesperson maintains a listening and professional strategy and is therefore able to uncover a business need.

SALESPERSON: Angela, I’m sure you’re very busy. (Pause here just a second or two to see if Angela wants to tell you how busy she is.)

GATEKEEPER: Why, as a matter of fact I am. Tracking my boss’s paperwork for travel expenses takes a lot of my time over and above my regular work.

SALESPERSON: I can understand. Our company has some really easy-to-use software that even your boss might feel comfortable with. Would that help you at all?

You see, just the fact that you acknowledged the duress many receptionists and assistants are under will differentiate you from other callers, who may treat them like voice mail. It only takes a few seconds to be supportive, and support, unlike flattery, is always welcome. As a result, in that call or other calls that will follow you can likely expect a cooperative reception.

For example, let’s say you are returning a call from a customer and reach a receptionist:

SALESPERSON: Keisha! Michael called me earlier. I’m trying to reach him, and I hope you can help me out. He said to call him at ten, but I haven’t been able to get in touch with him. Do you mind paging him, or should I call back this afternoon?

In this scenario, the gatekeeper might, as a consequence of your approach, feel sorry for you, appreciate your honesty, and find the contact for you or give you a better number—cell or other location. As a sales professional, you can differentiate yourself from others who call and aren’t professional.

A note here about formality. The more formal approach can be more effective, meaning that you should call a person by Mr. or Ms. and use their surname. With receptionists and administrative assistants, however, we often have only their first name. They may answer the phone with, “Alexander Courtney’s office, this is Pat.” Or even say, “This is Kevin.” Thus, calling Pat or Kevin by a first name would not likely be perceived as being too familiar or unprofessional. If you have a last name, such as Ms. Kendall, then address the admin in that way. Also, remember, when someone answers with their name, include that information in your CRM or notes for future reference. Incidentally, if the administrative professional fails to answer with his/her name, make sure you ask at the end of the conversation by using this question: “Thanks for your help, and tell me your name again, please?” That way, you get the name from the person, but it doesn’t sound intrusive, and next time you can say, “Hello Kevin, I’m trying to reach Michael …”

As in so many of our examples, professional tone is important. Treating a decision maker’s assistant with respect instead of contrived familiarity will help you to stand out among others who call with the “cheesy” approach.

Use Voice Mail to Gain Useful Information for Strategic Calling

Think of voice mail as the automation that most individuals and companies use to announce who they are as well as to accept messages. Conversely, it may be the customer’s first introduction to you. Let’s look at how personality assessment plays into your voice mail strategy—not only in the way you leave strategic voice mails for your customers, but also in the hints customers’ voice mails give you.

PERSONALITY AND VOICE INFLECTION

You can often get all the information you need to best match the new customer’s personality style from his or her voice.

Strategy: Listen to your customer’s voice mail announcement. There is a lot you can learn about your customer by listening to the voice mail recording. If you know you need to make an important call on Tuesday to Jose Juarez, a very solid lead, call his voice mail late at night, when you know he isn’t there, and listen to his message, so you can prepare for the call the next day. Using this method, you will be able to listen and learn his personality style from the voice mail clues. It will be as if you already know him through his voice, and it will allow you to better plan for your call the next day.

As you listen, pay attention. Does he sound assertive and brusque, or more passive? An assertive tone sounds forceful, confident, perhaps hurried, direct, clear, and even abrupt. A passive tone might sound more hesitant, careful, perhaps detail-oriented, includes more filler words (“uhm,” “er,” etc.), and typically contains pauses. This assertive versus passive determination is the first-level screen for you to identify the customer’s real personality type—in advance of having a conversation.

If the voice sounds assertive, the customer will be an Assured or an Energized; if passive, the customer is either a Kind or a Precise.

The next clue you need to listen for is whether this person sounds abrupt, friendly, or upbeat:

The P sounds more monotone, remote, and possibly disinterested. (“You’ve reached Jose Juarez; leave a message or email me at [email protected].”)

The E sounds more upbeat and animated, comparatively. (“This is Jose. Since I missed your call, leave me a message and I’ll call you back. Thanks a lot.”)

The A sounds terse. (“This is Jose, leave me a message.”) Notice how short the message is. As do not like to waste time; they thrive on accomplishing tasks quickly. You might note that many As also record their phone messages from their mobile phones (often on their way to the airport and going through a tunnel!).

If the customer sounds passive, he or she is a P or K.

The K sounds warm, calm, happy, and fairly detailed (“Hello, you’ve reached the voice mail of Jose Juarez. Sorry I missed you. You may leave me a message and I’ll call you back just as soon as I return to my desk later this afternoon. Have a nice day.”)

The challenge for you as a sales professional is that in a real-time call, you have only two or three seconds to determine the personality type if you haven’t already gleaned that from a prior contact or the customer’s voice mail. For this reason, prime yourself before each call to be ready to analyze and respond to a voice interaction. Be patient with yourself as you become accustomed to this process. You will learn to respond more quickly just by practicing. It helps, though, if you are free of distractions each time and are listening at a deep level so you can concentrate.

LEAVING A MESSAGE

So many times we have to settle for leaving a voice mail rather than having an actual conversation with our customer. You can, however, make this type of contact work for you with these useful strategies.

Strategy: Leave a voice mail message consistent with the customer’s personality. You have already heard your customer’s voice mail message, and decided on a personality type. Now make the match. Your tone, inflection, speed, energy level, amount of detail, rhythm, and approach should be consistent with the customer’s natural style. Doing this, you are more likely to elicit a returned call.

The P sounds monotone, unemotional, and low energy. They typically do not like to communicate over the telephone. Email is their preferred contact method. So it stands to reason that they sound as if it is almost painful to use the phone. This impression does not necessarily equate to their character or general happiness, but it does typify the way they communicate over the telephone. If you are a high-energy person, you will need to speak more slowly and deliberately for the P. Keep your message brief—between seven and twelve seconds—but resist the urge to speak too fast. If that’s too much pressure for you to do on the fly, prepare in advance with some sort of outline for a message that fits that person, such as:

“Hi, this is Renee Walkup from SalesPEAK, and I’m calling to briefly discuss your sales team. Call me at 678-587-9911.”

Remember to say your number S-L-O-W-L-Y. You are used to the number, but your recipient is not. No one will play the message several times to try to make out a garbled phone number. Even though that is generic as a message, you will need to change the energy level and tone to match the personality of the person on the other end.

For Es, you’ll want to match their style with an energetic, lively, compelling message. Use clear enunciation and an upbeat rhythm. These customers enjoy excitement and want to hear enthusiasm in your voice, tone, and inflection. Just remember to slow down when you leave your phone number! Your message may sound like this:

“Hi Kathy, it’s Renee Walkup with SalesPEAK and I wanted to get your opinion on an opportunity. Call me back at 678-587-9911. Thanks, Kathy, and I look forward to hearing back from you.”

For As, you’ll match them with extreme confidence; be clear and quick. Use strong words, such as “need,” “have to,” and “call me.” Remember, “uhms” and pauses will make you sound less confident and professional. An A will pick up on this immediately. Also, avoid leaving a lengthy message. As are the customers who are the least patient and have the shortest attention span, which includes voice mail. Leave a message similar to this:

“Gary, this is Renee Walkup with SalesPEAK. Call me at 678-587-9911.”

The K prefers pleasantries and a calm, warm, and friendly-sounding voice. Don’t hurry. Take your time with your message; feel free to include as much detail as necessary, and you’ll find that you build rapport just in your voice mail. Avoid sounding too hurried, pushy, or “cheesy.” These customers need to hear sincerity and caring in your tone. Your message may sound like this:

“Robin, hi. This is Renee Walkup with SalesPEAK. Hope you’re having a good day. Give me a call at 678-587-9911 so we can discuss an idea that may interest you. Thanks, Robin.”

When you practice leaving personality-specific voice mails you build your flexible communication skills, which will allow you to engage and secure the attention of more customers than you likely do now. If you can’t get them on the phone, you can’t sell them!

DIRECT FIRST-PERSON VOICE MAIL

When you are sure that you have your customer’s personal voice mail, you can leave a customized message that will support your selling process.

Strategy: The message you leave should last no more than twelve or thirteen seconds. No matter how much you would like to give your entire “pitch,” don’t! Do, however, be certain that you speak distinctly and leave a very clear message. If calling from a landline, your entire message will likely be clear, as long as you take the time to say your number slowly. If from a cell phone, you might repeat your phone number. Not everyone checks caller ID and you want the customer to make the return call.

Watch out, though, for this scenario: Shoko says: “I’ve got about a half hour before my next appointment; I’m going to make some cold calls.”

This is a good use of Shoko’s time, but she took out her Black-Berry when a landline phone was right there on her desk. We forget sometimes that we are infinitely clearer on the landline. For a test, call your own phone and leave yourself a message from your cell and then from your landline.

You might argue, “I like to use my BlackBerry for the call record.” But what’s more important—the record or clarity? Mobile phone devices provide convenience, but not necessarily strategic effectiveness. Break yourself of the adolescent need to have your mobile phone permanently attached to your hand. Business is about securing sales from customers, not about being able to chat while you’re at the drive-up window at the local fast food restaurant. Effectiveness of communication, not necessarily ease of communication, is the goal for the phone salesperson.

VARIATION ON VOICE MAIL: RIGHT CUSTOMER, WRONG VOICE

Even when you’ve been directed to your customer’s desk phone, occasionally you hear someone else’s voice and not your customer’s.

Strategy: Use the clue to approach this new gatekeeper. When the outgoing message is in the voice of someone of the opposite sex, it’s obvious that this isn’t your customer. It’s possibly an assistant, very likely a gatekeeper. You know immediately to try to get a receptionist or someone else on the phone.

You now have a new hint: an additional gatekeeper is involved; there is a person between you and your customer, not just voice mail. Identify yourself and say, “I noticed that Matt isn’t answering his own phone. Can you tell me the best way to reach him?”

Sometimes the person will give you an alternate number—including a mobile phone number!

If a male voice says, “This is John Jones’s line; please leave a message at the tone,” can you assume it’s John’s voice? In this situation, too, you might try to reach a receptionist or John’s assistant. You’ll want to confirm in your call notes whether John has a male assistant.

COMPUTER-GENERATED MAILBOX RECORDING

A computer-generated mailbox recording may be technically required by a phone system, or it’s possible that the person is such a high P that he or she hates the phone communication. This customer will leave their name only to be substituted into the programmed message. In some cases, the reason for the computer-generated message is that the customer is an A who doesn’t want to waste time recording a message because he or she is too busy doing much more important things.

Strategy: Listen to the energy level in the recorded voice. There is some differentiation in energy among personality styles even when they are only saying their name. When you leave a message, use an even, generic voice and tone—not too energized or too slow—but use strong words to create a sense of urgency without sounding like it’s an emergency.

COMPANY AUTOMATED MENU (NO INFORMATION)

Many companies are going the automated menu route to save money on receptionists or PBX operators. Perhaps you simply hear a robotic extension number or a computer-generated voice. Here are two ways you might deal with an automated menu:

1. One approach is to listen for the options to reach a receptionist, and take the time to follow the menu to get to the person’s extension. If the specific extension for your customer is not on a list, opt for another person to help you secure the exact extension or number. Even if you get the wrong person, he or she might be inclined to give you the number—rather than transfer you to a receptionist, who has been trained to keep people (like us) out.

2. Another approach is to punch any number until a human answers, and then ask for the person you are targeting by title or name. Call the president’s office if you have to, and when an administrative assistant answers the phone, ask for help or to be transferred. You can also contact the sales department and speak with a salesperson, since salespeople are open and likely to be helpful. They might even give you some information that would be useful for your sale.

The Payoff

Getting to customers is one of the biggest challenges of phone selling. Learning to manage gatekeepers as well as other obstacles such as alternate contact media will help you fast track to your contacts. Once you get to your customers, you have the opportunity to do what you do best—sell to anyone over the phone.

Let’s see what Jake has learned.

JAKE: Hi, this is Jake Shamrock and I’m calling from NBS Banking. I’d like to get the name of the director of marketing. Can I get that from you?

OPERATOR: Oh, that’s Julia Walthers. Would you like me to see if she’s in?

JAKE: Good morning, this is Jake Shamrock from NBS Banking. How do you spell your marketing director’s name? I’m trying to send an email and it keeps coming back.

RECEPTIONIST: It’s Julia Walthers. Most people leave out the aitch.

JAKE: Hello, this is Jake Shamrock from NBS Banking. I’m calling because we have a new online payment process that might be able to help your marketing department. What’s the best way to get in touch with your marketing director?

RECEPTIONIST: I don’t know if they’re interested or not, but you would need to speak with Julie Walthers on that and I’ll switch you to her voice mail. (In some cases they may respond with an email address: [email protected])

JAKE: Can you give me that extension number in case I get lost in the transfer?

RECEPTIONIST: Certainly. It’s 4751.

JAKE: Thanks.