Gatekeepers! Love them or hate them all sales professionals need to direct a healthy dose of respect their way because they are valuable influences in any well-run business. They will usually hold the role of the receptionist or administration assistant, and they are trained, and on the lookout for two types of callers
1. The time wasters or product pushing individuals, i.e. SPOILER ALERT the sales rep and NOT the sales professional
2. The right person, i.e. the caller who holds excellent value to the owner or key person of influence and needs to be put through immediately!
So, how does a sales professional engage with the more experienced and highly skilled gatekeepers to become the caller in the 2nd category?
1 Preparation/Research
Research is conducted before making contact (usually in the form of the company website, LinkedIn, Google, CRM system, etc.). Information gathered could include the following:
• Owners details
• Gatekeepers details
• Company information, e.g. their unique selling proposition, latest news, areas of growth or interest, geographical targeting
• Mutual Connections (again LinkedIn is excellent for this or reaching out to someone you know in their industry to gain some insights and name dropping on the call)
• Prior contact with the business (using CRM history)
2 Introduction
This part is critical for the sales professional as they have limited time to make a good impression, prove value, and create engagement and interest.
• Their tone is essential, the sales professional will ensure they are positive, familiar, necessary and confident, NOT aggressive and certainly NOT “salesy.”
• The gatekeeper is bound to introduce the business, and themselves personally. The sales professional knows it goes a long way if they acknowledge and greet them by their name and introduce themselves by their own first name. This can create familiarity, and sometimes they can get “lucky,” and the gatekeeper will put them straight through thinking the owner knows them because of the first name basis and assumes they are one of the essential people!
However, more than likely, a professional gatekeeper will be smarter than that and will probe for more information. Remember they are on the lookout for time wasters.
3 The Pitch
• The sales professional is going to be upfront and honest. They will start by asking them for their help before introducing their business or pitching. It is a biological phenomenon that human beings have an innate behavioural need to want to help others. That gatekeeper Is going to say “I will try my best” when asked, and now they have committed there is usually no turning back they will feel compelled to help in some way or another. The sales professional has just gained control of the conversation.
• The business is now going to be introduced with useful industry information, latest news, case studies, network connection and a “snip it/elevator pitch” of a granular solution, all derived from the pre-research.
• If the sales professional knows the name of their prospect, they will ask if they can be put through. If they don’t know the decision makers name again, they will ask the gatekeeper for help by asking them who would be the best person to speak to and at this point and then three things could happen:
1. They will “help” because the Sales Professional has earnt the right, they have created value or given a compelling reason or new fact, and they are now a person that the owner needs to speak to!
2. They will not be put through but will be offered an email address for them to send some more information through. Don’t forget they still want to “help” in some small way as they have said they would earlier.
3. Finally, they will get the dreaded “I’m sorry we are not interested” response.
4 The Close
• In the situation that the sales professional is put through appreciation is shown, a nice compliment is a great touch, and they will make a point of thanking them by name.
• The email option is offered. The sales professional will again thank them by name and ask them for more help! This time in the form of content. E.g., thanks, Erin! From our conversation today, could you help me by suggesting what “x” might be most interested in so that I can ensure the email I send is relevant and valuable to them as I can only imagine how precious their time is? NB if the email address is a general one, e.g. info@ the sales professional will ask them if they can drop their (the gatekeeper’s) name in the email. In the instance that they don’t get a response from their email they gain prior permission to follow them up in a specific time period (of course they will log a task in their CRM to do just that!)
• If they still say no sorry not interested, like with any objection this usually means that the sales professional has not shown value. They will acknowledge the opposition, re-direct in a slightly different approach and again ask for help.
• It is a great idea to connect on LinkedIn with the gatekeeper after contact and thank them for their time! In my experience, they really appreciate this approach, and sometimes they will go out of their way to help you.
It must be noted that some gatekeepers are just NOT allowed to let anyone through regardless of how valuable your offering may seem to them or how magnificent the rapport building was between the two of you. If this is the case, the sales professional will still be respectful and thank them for their time today and always ask if they can send some information to put on file and then gain permission to touch base again in a specific time frame (again make a note in CRM to do just that)
5 Alternative Strategy
• The sales professional will drop in next time they are in the area to personally introduce themselves and leave their business card
• The sales professional will use social networks to connect again
• The sales professional will send a nice thank you card to the gatekeeper with their business card inside
• The sales professional will reach out to someone else in the business
• The sales professional might try the before or after-hours approach in the hope that they get a different, less experienced employee or, they may just get lucky, and the business owner will answer the phone as they are usually the one putting in the most extended hours!
In closing, I will say that some of my most rewarding sales experiences have started with a professional gatekeeper. I have always found if I treat them with respect they deserve and have a natural, authentic conversation with them they end up being my biggest champion and are a critical “key” to my success and of course the company they so fabulously represent.
Good luck and have a very purposeful day!
Rachel