Every sales person dreads running into the “gatekeeper” or “bulldog” in a prospect company. Their job is to stop salespeople and others from wasting the time of the business leader you are trying to contact. In today’s blog, I will share some ideas I have heard from successful salespeople over the years on how they get to the boss. Since every person is different, every gatekeeper will be different so more than one approach may be required. Good luck!
Contact the Boss Via LinkedIn InMail
One of my personal favorites and most successful tactics is to bypass the Gatekeeper via the social networking service, LinkedIn. If the boss is on LinkedIn, you can send him/her a direct message via LinkedIn’s InMail feature. My personal experience is that the Boss opens these messages himself/herself and will respond. LinkedIn even guarantees that the InMail is opened in 7 days.
Have the Right Paradigm
To get through to the decision maker, you must think like the decision maker. What is important to them. A good Gatekeeper will be in touch with what’s important to their boss. Your conversation with the Gatekeeper must get the Gatekeeper to say “OK, my boss will want to talk with you.” One way to accomplish this is to focus on business outcomes. Remember WIIFM – What’s In It For Me or in this case What’s In It for My Boss.
Call When The Gatekeeper Is Away
Bypass the Gatekeeper by calling when they are away from the phone. Calls between 1 and 2 p.m. can be good since many receptionists are at lunch and someone from the administrative staff takes that role. That person is not really focused on being a Gatekeeper as much as making sure they don’t mess up forwarding calls. They tend to let people through the gate. You can also try between 7 and 8:30 a.m. before the gatekeeper gets in, but the decision maker is likely already in and they tend to pick up calls. After 5 p.m. when the gatekeeper has gone home and you reach the automated voice system, which increases your chances of reaching the decision maker directly.
Go through the Sales Department
Go around the Gatekeeper and call the company’s sale department. Once you have one of their salespeople on the line, tell them what you are trying to do and see if they will privately give you a direct phone number to the boss. Try the old sale people need to help each other out routine.
Contact the Boss Outside the Company First
Try to meet the boss outside their company. This could be a industry events or socially in the community. When you call, tell the Gatekeeper that you were talking to [boss name] at [event] and he/she instructed you to give him/her a call to follow up. Many Gatekeepers have instruction to allow people from certain organizations they are involved with to get through automatically.
Formal Introduction
In olden times, before you would call upon people of importance, you would first send a formal card of introduction prior to calling upon them. Create a formal introduction card similar to a small invitation and mail it to the boss. Make it fancy and make a subtle impression of importance. More than likely, the Gatekeeper will pass it along to the Boss and be more open to your first call.
Act Important/Act Like the Boss’ Friend
When you call, it’s important to right away ask for the decision maker by first name. Act as if you are a good friend of the decision maker’s. Good friends don’t use Mr. or Mrs. They also don’t usually ask “please.” If you hesitate, they’re going to eat you up.
Become Friends With the Gatekeeper
If after several calls the gatekeeper still won’t let you through, ask her name and make friends with her. I have gone as far as sending her cookies. After establishing a friendly relationship, ask her/him “What are the chances you’re going to help me out today?” Address the individual with respect instead of trying to diminish him/her and make him/her feel inferior.
These are not a complete list of ways to get past the Gatekeepers and one or more of these on any given day will fail. Keep trying. Good luck!
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