Five Basic Rules...that most people ignore
If you really want to reach somebody you need to pick up the phone and call them. That does not mean that you should be stalking your prospects and calling them all day long everyday or hanging up as soon as a gatekeeper answers. It does mean that you should be calculated about how often you call (I suggest never more than twice a day). If you do reach a gatekeeper, you should be polite, but busy.
2. Gatekeepers can rarely say yes to you, but they can always say no. It is important to keep in mind that a gatekeeper has their job because they are good at keeping people like us away from their bosses! Always be polite and professional, but be busy and sound important. A few tricks to get around leaving a message with a gatekeeper without burning any bridges are letting them know:
"I am actually in and out of meetings this week so I would hate to leave a number with you as I know it would result in John & I playing phone tag. I will just try back between my meetings."
"That is so nice of you to offer, I actually just have a quick question for John so when is a better time to reach him today?"
"I am actually on a quick break from a meeting right now. I was just trying to catch John in that five minute window. No worries, what time do you think he will leave the office today? Maybe I can try back then if my meeting wraps up."
These are just a few phrases to allow yourself to have another chance to reach the decision maker directly. In the future, I can delve further into gatekeeper scripts to help you get the helpful information you need.
3. Instead of trying to overcome a gatekeeper, try to circumvent a gatekeeper. I see people get so frustrated trying to "overcome" a gatekeeper. As I mentioned, a key tenant of their job description is to not let us through! Rather than beat your head against the wall--think outside the box and find new ways to reach the decision-maker that doesn't involve calling their administrative assistant to ask if they are available. I can give you some ideas in the future on how to circumvent the gatekeepers, but do not hesitate to be creative so long as you maintain your professionalism!
4. Most of your message is conveyed through your tone. Two sales executives can read the exact same script, but if one of them delivers the information articulating and with conviction and the other delivers it in a passive or indifferent manner--I am sure we can all guess which is going to get more sales.
I know this sounds intuitive, but more often than not we are not ready for each person we call to answer the phone. Do not fall into the habit of being lazy when you dial the phone. Our voice is going to reflect our mentality. Do you sound startled when the person answers or do you sound like you were ready for them to answer? Are you leaning back in your chair or are you standing up? Do you sell with belief in your tone or are you just going through the motions? It is important to ask yourself these questions each day. You never know when your next deal is waiting on the other side of the phone, but it is up to you be to be ready to capture the opportunity!
5. Sales is a number game! Yes, I know that this is an old adage. Yes, it is still important to have strong research and dial smartly. BUT Yes, dials do still matter. The important thing to remember is that sales is not JUST a numbers game. It is critical that you take qualified leads to the phone so that each dial counts.
A common trap I see strong sales people fall into is that they are performing at strong levels by doing an average amount of dials. What I wish each of them would understand--is that if they get such a high rate of return on an average number of dials....imagine what they could do by increasing their dials by even 5% a week. Even if you are accomplishing your sales quotas by dialing fewer times than other people, do not let that stop you from stepping up your performance. Most sales positions include a commission element--so sales is still a numbers game for anybody who wants to exceeds their earnings month after month! There are a lot of people out there just waiting to say yes to you. I hope that by sharing my insights I can help you reach more of those people!
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