Getting Past the Gatekeeper!

You can’t sell if you can’t get in front of the people who would find value in talking to you. It’s a vital step in the sales process and none of your other selling skills matter if you can’t get to the people who buy. Getting past the gatekeeper is critical.

A Gatekeepers has two concerns:

• Keep the wrong people from their boss
• Get the right people to see their boss

Gatekeeper: Classical Definition

Any individual whose job it is to protect their boss’s time. You can’t always judge them by their title. They could be a receptionist, administrative assistant, executive administrator or someone else. They serve as a wall or buffer. Their job is to keep you out and not let you in to see or talk to their boss.

Gatekeeper: Re-Definition

The word gatekeeper has a negative connotation. Most sales professionals view the gatekeeper as their enemy and this creates a self-imposed psychological barrier to success that is difficult to overcome. We suggest you replace in your vernacular the word gatekeeper with protector. Individuals that are protectors are guardians and this word more accurately reflects their role and function. The most valuable element an executive has is his or her time. It must be guarded carefully because it can never be recovered. Protectors help align an executive’s time with their priorities.

Key Notes About Protectors (AKA Gatekeepers)

1. They can keep you from talking to people of importance.
2. They are trained to keep you out and most do it exceptionally well.
3. They are experienced and have heard every trick in the book to get past them.
4. Don’t “game” them! You have a rough idea of the hours that they work. Forget the nonsense of trying to call their boss before or after hours. Your chances of getting through are minimal with caller ID and even if the boss answers he won’t know you or appreciate receiving your call unsolicited. Leave this approach to your competitors.
5. They remember anyone that stands out. If they help you by providing information that gets you to the relevant executive or if they refer you to someone else thank them on the telephone and then again in writing. Send a hand-written follow-up note. It will be remembered and make you memorable.
6. They hate tricks and gimmicks. Don’t get on their “Get Out and Stay Out” list.

Strategies to Get Past Protectors

There are five approaches that may help you get past the Protector:

1. Treat them with respect. Ask for their help and assume they are the decision maker. Most protectors want to be helpful especially to their boss. Be specific about what you need and the value you provide. Protectors know what is important to their boss so make the linkage for them. They know their manager’s objectives, priorities and focus. Treat them properly and turn them into an advocate. Make the telephone call a personal conversation between you and them. Remember sales representatives are calling them constantly trying to get an appointment with their boss. Leverage their knowledge and stand-out as a professional.
2. Use an internal referral. The best way to get past the protector is through an internal referral. Because you have been referred by a trusted resource the protector will discuss a potential meeting with their manager and get back to you. In some cases, this will lead to a telephone call or meeting with the manager while in others instances you will be relegated to another executive.
3. Convey urgency. Consider connecting your appointment with urgent, time-sensitive priorities of the executive you are attempting to meet.  For example, you know the executive is leaving town and might appreciate getting the material before his/her trip.  Explain that you only need 15 minutes to put the material in the proper perspective and answer any questions.
4. Leverage an external contact. With permission, you might reference an external contact such as a consultant or executive from a partner company.  Make the reference truthful and connect the name with some value that suggests a benefit for your target contact.  For example, you might point out that you’ve just completed a project with XYZ company that resulted in a $4M reduction in expenses. Give the protector a compelling “sound bite” that they can remember and convey.
5. Circumvent them. This approach is dangerous because it can create an enemy that can make life miserable for you even if you get the appointment and/or the sale. It should be used with extreme caution and only when you have no other possible course of action and no revenue within the account.

For each approach you must carefully plan your call. Remember the old adage: “proper planning prevents poor performance.” Here are two tips that we have found beneficial throughout our sales career.

• Get their name and write it down. You may need to talk to them several times so document their contact information.
• Sound professional. Treat your message as important. Be clear, concise, honest and polite about why you are calling. They know their company better than you and may direct you to someone else. Respect that guidance.

Parting Thoughts

We all want to get to the senior manager or relevant executive that will make the final buying decision. It’s natural, important and often required to win the sale. We must remember, however, that if we are successful in getting to the senior executive and we get the sale it could be very valuable to have the protector on our side. They can help you navigate unknowns and other landmines that may surface. Make them an ally and not an enemy.