How to get past the gatekeeper

The gatekeeper gets a bad reputation. After all, they do keep the gate, the very gate you and I are trying to get through. However, I’ve grown to love gatekeepers. Think about it. What’s their job with regard to us sales reps? To weed you and me out from the important callers and to protect the time of the people we’re trying to reach. So…you could say, right out of the gate, we’re already getting off on the wrong foot.

However, I no longer think of them as a roadblock…I think of them as a guide. I’ve spent time building rapport with gatekeepers because they know everything about the organization. Instead of considering them as the enemy, think of them as a resource. When you walk through the door, assume they’ve already dealt with 10 other salespeople today because they probably have!

Treat them with respect. Be friendly. Don’t be another boring, scripted, selling robot. Why not make the interaction pleasurable? Be nice! Be courteous! Be joyful! Maybe compliment them or try to make them laugh or smile. It will make an annoying and uncomfortable experience, at the very least, more enjoyable for both of you! This will also improve your chances of getting through the gate and help you get as much information as possible from the gatekeeper. And you need that information!

I like to collect three pieces of info that are crucial to the follow-up process (FYI – it takes about 5+ follow-up touches to get the prospect’s attention). I’ll unpack that below. If you’re arrogant or rude, they aren’t going to help you. But if they like you and you make the experience different from the 10 other reps they encountered that day, they may just help you. Even if they don’t send you through to the contact person you’re seeking, they have a wealth of knowledge about their organization. Gatekeepers are the eyes and ears of that place…they know how it works, who makes decisions, and what items they are in the process of purchasing (which could be your product!).

That being said, I like to get three pieces of information from gatekeepers that greatly aid in the follow-up process:

1.???DO YOU BUY? - Are you a potential customer for my product? If you can get the answer to this question early on, it will save you a lot of follow-up time. If they do purchase your product, GREAT; add them to your CRM for FU’s (follow-ups). If they aren’t a candidate for your product, GREAT; get them out of your crosshairs and move on to someone else who is. A word of caution: Some gatekeepers might lie or unknowingly give you bad information. Use your intuition. Don't always take them at their word.

2.???WHO BUYS? - Who on your team handles the purchasing of said product? If the answer to DO YOU BUY? is “yes”, then you need to find out who does this. Is it Sally? Is it Jim? You need to know who makes this decision. You certainly don’t want to be calling the wrong person for months.

3.???WHEN DO YOU BUY? - When does this purchase typically happen? In this case, I'm speaking to salespeople within the promo/apparel industry. We know the primary buying seasons of our clients are typically spring, fall, winter, and Christmas. Additionally, some businesses need your products for company events, anniversaries, trade shows, etc. Therefore, you need to know which buying season they purchase in, and the appropriate time in advance to follow up for that buying season. If they buy in June, you need to follow up 1-2 months prior. This is because the purchase process may take a few weeks or a month to sort out (inventory availability, samples, shipping time, artwork, etc.) If you follow up the month they make the purchase, you may have missed the boat as they are probably planning all those details in advance with another vendor. Worst case, you follow up too soon and they aren’t ready yet.

National Sales Executive Association tells us 80% of sales are closed between the 5th – 12th contact. However, HALF of all salespeople stop after the first contact!?If you have a follow-up strategy that has a minimum of 5 touches coupled with collecting the answers to all three vital questions (or even two out of three), then you have a recipe for a successful follow-up campaign.

In any case, back to the gatekeeper. When encountering the gatekeeper, you should exude energy and friendliness. Find a joke to break the ice or come up with something clever. I know some will roll their eyes at these "cheesy" strategies, but have you ever heard of the foam foot strategy? Have your company invest in a batch of foam foot stress balls. When you walk through the prospect’s door, toss it to the gatekeeper and say, “I just wanted to get my foot in the door”. I almost guarantee they’ll laugh and then tell you whatever you want to know. And if they don’t, they’re probably heartless.

Most will love it though.

I used to buy big tubs of specialty popcorn (caramel, chocolate, nuts, etc.), hand it to the gatekeeper and say, “I just wanted to pop-in.” It’s never not gotten me a laugh, a few minutes of conversation, and sometimes, an invitation to meet the contact person.

I’ve also handed the gatekeeper a single roof shingle and said, “you plus me equals sales through the roof.” It ALWAYS gets a laugh.

Gatekeepers are human after all. If you can win over the gatekeeper, you can earn your way inside the gate, but also learn some valuable info that will later help with the sale, even before you meet the decision maker. Here are some other practical tips:

• The first time you visit be observant! Look at their desk for clues, tips, and things they might be into. Absolutely don’t lie or fake any kind of connection; but if you see a genuine commonality, don’t be afraid to comment. Also, look for signs that they purchase your products. Are employees wearing branded merch? Are there branded mugs, pens, lanyards, signage, banners, etc. around their office? This will help you qualify the prospect before you open your mouth.
• Some might frown on this, but buy ‘em lunch! Yes, I’m talking about bribing them with food. What gatekeeper isn’t going to accept a free lunch? This probably isn’t something you should do for every prospect because that could get costly. However, you can use this tactic for strategic accounts.
• Don’t be pushy or inappropriately aggressive. This should be assumed, but some sales reps just don’t get it. You can be bold and not afraid to ask questions. However, be respectful. Listen to and comprehend what they say before your "objection handling" mode kicks in. Don't bulldoze them. They hate that. Have empathy and respond accordingly.
• If you see a “no soliciting” sign (I’m not necessarily encouraging this…ok, I am actually kind of encouraging this)…walk right in. I could probably count on one hand the number of times the gatekeeper has even cared. And I’ve made thousands of cold calls. Also, even if they do mention the “no soliciting” sign, I respond with, “Oh, I’m not selling anything; I’m giving away my business card for free.” So far, that response has a 100% laugh rate.
• Be creative. Gatekeepers see salespeople every day. Don’t be boring like the rest. Come up with something different to get their attention! If you can get their names ahead of time, research them. Find out what they like: their favorite show, favorite sport, favorite food, whatever! Find out what it is and then use it to be personable. People enjoy connection and talking about what they like. Utilize your personal skills to enhance the interaction. Are you an artist? Musician? Good with video editing? Find something the gatekeeper enjoys and then use your skills to communicate that personalization. For example, I met with a prospect years ago…we'll call him Joe. He shared a great story about how another salesperson used his personal skills to impress and ultimately win his business. The salesperson met with Joe and noticed his plethora of Marvel superhero pictures and memorabilia in his office. Turns out, the salesperson possessed impressive drawing skills, so he decided to draw one of Joe’s favorite Marvel characters. Then he framed it and mailed it to him. This move earned Joe’s business. Be creative!
• Lastly, and this is going to sound super salesy, but?DON'T TAKE “NO” FOR AN ANSWER.?According to NuGrowth Solutions 60% of all buyers say “no” 4 times before they say “yes”. And as you saw from the chart above by the National Sales Executive Association, about 95% of all salespeople stop calling by the 4th contact. 95% of salespeople are foolishly giving up too early and they don’t even know it. They are missing out on 80% of all sales. DON’T MISS OUT ON THE 80%. Make the 4th, 5th, or 6th contact…or whatever it takes. Play the odds and you'll start to win, even if you're boring and dull. The numbers don't lie. That doesn't mean don't be strategic or smart or respectful about it. It also doesn't mean you ask them 4 times in a row while you're standing there. I'm talking about a minimum (preferably between 5-12 for best results) of 5 distinct contacts over a period of time whether it be in-person, on the phone, voicemail, email, video, etc. This strategy needs to be put in place for every target prospect you're pursuing.

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