CHAPTER 19

Getting Past the Gatekeeper

For me, college was built around “outside activities” that frequently had me in conversation with the dean of students. My interaction with the dean was never on my terms. The two of us didn’t quite see eye to eye on a few details, such as campus rules. When I would be “asked” to meet with the dean, I would arrive at the scheduled time at his office, where I faced the “gatekeeper” (the dean’s assistant). She knew her role and played the part extremely well, as her job was to make sure everyone knew she and her boss ran the campus. Over time and through my visits with the dean, the assistant and I began to at least achieve a mutual understanding for each other, even if we weren’t exactly becoming best friends. What began as me being a scared underclassman arriving to face the tyranny of the dean over time turned into me arriving as an upperclassman asking the assistant about her weekend. I even would ask her about her summer plans and, more importantly, how she felt the dean would handle the impending conversation with me. I look back at it all and wonder why I didn’t receive class credit for either sales prospecting or crisis management!

Gatekeepers have a variety of job roles, from the lifelong receptionist who answers every phone call, to the executive assistant who has key company insights, to the mid-level assistant who may work for several vice presidents. Regardless of who they are or the roles they play, nearly all of them are professional and are masters of performing their jobs to the letter. Our job is to never demean them, but rather see them as the key assets they are—to their bosses and to us.

Naturally, the first move when you reach a gatekeeper is to ask if the person you’re trying to reach is available. Don’t blow smoke if the gatekeeper asks something like, “Who may I say is calling and what is this in reference to?” Be up front and state your name and company. The key is how you respond to the second half of the question regarding “why” you are calling. You want to state what you believe will be a benefit or positive outcome for the person you’re trying to reach.

Here are a few examples. As with the scripts in the earlier chapters, I provide these to give you ideas. Base the specific wording you use on the particular outcome or benefit you provide:

We help companies minimize labor.

We allow companies to gain more output from their data centers.

We help people achieve the financial resources they need.

We help improve safety.

We help cut capital expenditures.

It is important you do not get any more specific than necessary, because you want the gatekeeper to come back and ask you a question. When the gatekeeper engages you, it allows you to now begin gaining insights from this valuable source. Their job is to discern if they can trust you enough to forward you to the person you are trying to reach. They need to determine whether or not you will embarrass them.

Use the gatekeeper to your advantage by asking them questions. One way to do this is by asking them the same questions you would ask the decision maker. Many times the gatekeeper will realize they can’t answer the questions and will then connect you with the person and/or department who can. As you ask questions, be certain you don’t use a condescending tone of voice. One approach is to begin by saying, “May I ask you a few questions?” I’ve used this approach on numerous occasions and have found it to be extremely effective, especially if you talk with this gatekeeper more than once in your attempts to reach the decision maker.

Always Treat Them with Respect

On every call, let your personality come through and allow the gatekeeper to see you as a normal person who is merely doing your job, just like them. In the end, it’s just people dealing with people, and I’m always amazed at how smoothly a conversation can go when there is mutual respect. Every gatekeeper has their standard way of handling calls, and yet there’s not one gatekeeper who won’t make an exception based on how they’re treated. Too many times, a gatekeeper who is tasked with answering the telephone all day can begin to feel like a lower-level employee. When you treat them well and allow them to see you as a person they can trust, you’ll be astounded at the amount of information they will share. This is especially important if you turn the lead or prospect into a customer and contact the company on a regular basis.

Persistence can and will pay off. Remember if it’s hard for you to get in, then it’s also hard for your competition. But most likely, they’re not as persistent as you. Don’t take rejection from a gatekeeper personally. If you allow a rejection by a gatekeeper to negatively impact you, there is little chance you will ever be successful. If the same gatekeeper responds each time you call, then you need to make sure you have a new reason for the call. This is one reason I’m a big proponent of having new and relevant information every time you make a call.

While You Look Left, I’ll Go Right

You can never forget that what you sell, whether a product or service, is going to benefit the prospect with whom you’re trying to connect. As much as it may benefit the prospect and others, there can and will be times when the gatekeeper simply won’t understand or care. They will not allow you to get past them. But just because you can’t get through one door doesn’t mean the location is closed. No, it merely means it’s time to use another door.

Other approaches you can try:

1.Most gatekeepers work traditional hours, so calling either before eight in the morning or after five or during lunch may result in someone else answering the phone. The person who is merely filling in might just be more accommodating in connecting people or sharing information.

2.Call and ask for the accounts receivable department. Every company is eager to collect money. By asking for that department, you’ll be connected—and believe me when I say this department definitely will answer the phone. When you are connected, be up front and state whom you are trying to reach.

3.Call one or two digits off from the phone number you’ve been calling. When the person answers, be straightforward and say the name of the person you’re trying to reach. This is not a dark technique. No, it’s totally valid, because you’re telling the person who answers right up front whom you’re trying to reach. Use this approach once you’ve exhausted all attempts to connect via the direct number.

4.Call a different division or location, if the company has one. Use the other location as a way to learn the name of the person you should try to reach at the main location. If what you sell has a long sales cycle with multiple decision makers, reaching out to other divisions or locations can be extremely beneficial.