Avoiding Gatekeepers
While sales is a numbers game there is a truth to the phrase, "work smarter, not harder." If you are not dialing the phone you will not get ahead, but you can dial the phone all day and not reach a decision-maker if you are not dialing smart. In this entry I will discuss a few of the ways to increase the quality of your dials and to avoid gatekeepers as often as possible.
Many of these suggestions may seem quite simple. However, I assure you that they are so simple inside sales executives often underestimate their importance. Not only should you be using all of these techniques, you should be using them constantly and consistently. I promise that you will see results if you execute my advice in that manner!
BEST TIP:
ASK for the direct dials and cell phone numbers of the decision-makers you are trying to reach. I know that sounds silly, but often we are not even asking for the information that we need. Expect a low rate of return on this request. You may ask 10 gatekeepers for a cell phone number and only get one number. That is going to be a highly coveted number and it is well worth nine negative responses to get one positive response!
You now have a direct line to your prospect that a gatekeeper will never answer. Remember not to abuse this number by calling repeatedly, but also remember that most decision-makers have a work cell phone that is used for business and is paid for by the company. Never feel bad about calling a cell phone number.
You can also ask operators, admins, and other gatekeepers for direct lines into the prospects office. Be prepared to have a low rate of return, but if you ask every single time you will notice the quality of your leads increase along the way!
NEXT BEST TIP:
Make sure to access the internal phone directory. This works extremely well with larger companies. Phone directories have "cheat codes" just like video games. I am not going to give the specific cheats away, but I highly recommend that you play around with pressing different numbers, *, and # in different combinations to see what happens. If done correctly, the system will either ask you to punch in the name of a person and then will provide their extension.
EVERYTHING ELSE:
1. Making extensions direct numbers. If you already have a prospects extension, but you are not able to dial it directly you can easily find the information necessary to do so. The top three places I look for phone numbers that would allow me to plug in an extension are the companies fax numbers, their media contact, and their investor relations contact. DO NOT CALL the Media or IR people directly. Instead use any of these three numbers of see if the middle digits (ie. 555-555-1234) are different and may be a direct way in. This works like a charm!
2. Dialing up. If you are trying to reach a Director, call the VPs office first. Here is a sample conversation you might have with the gatekeeper in the VPs office. This works at any level (just dial one title above who you are trying to reach). If you do happen to get transferred to the higher title--pitch them or tell them you were actually trying to reach their direct report and request to be transferred.
You: Hi is James around?
Admin: No, may I ask who is calling?
Y: Yes, it is Leslie, Leslie Venetz calling. If James isn't around I know that John could answer my question. Do you know if he is in office today?
A: I am not sure, but I could transfer you.
Y: That would be great and what is his direct number so I don't have to bother James again? Thank you.
3. Dial around. If you have the gatekeepers number. Try to dial the 10 numbers above it and below it. More often than not, you will reach the direct line of the decision-maker. For instance, if the gatekeepers number is 555-555-1234. Try 555-555-1230, 1231, 1232, 1233, etc. This also works if you have the direct dial of another person in the same division. Often, numbers are clustered among departments!
4. Call early/late/lunch. Make a note to stop calling during normal business hours if the gatekeeper always answers. Often gatekeepers work 40 hours a week, but their bosses and our prospects work many more hours. Try calling before normal working hours or after. You can always try during the noon-one time frame. Keep track of time zones to make this easier. I will often use one color of highlighter for mountain and pacific time which are behind me (I'm in central), one color for central, and one for eastern (one hour ahead.
Using these color-coded system I know that I can call my mst/pst leads at 8am when I get into office in hopes of avoiding admins and at 4pm cst I can start calling my est leads because likely the admins have left for the day and the decision-makers are still wrapping up their work!
These are a few gatekeeper 101 tips. I hope these help increase the quality of your leads and your time spent on the phone. Having more direct dials and cell phone numbers help, but they do not replace putting in the work/making the dials! If you have a specific scenario that you would like to run by me, please do not hesitate to email me at coldcallingmastery@gmail.com. Happy Hunting!
Many of these suggestions may seem quite simple. However, I assure you that they are so simple inside sales executives often underestimate their importance. Not only should you be using all of these techniques, you should be using them constantly and consistently. I promise that you will see results if you execute my advice in that manner!
ASK for the direct dials and cell phone numbers of the decision-makers you are trying to reach. I know that sounds silly, but often we are not even asking for the information that we need. Expect a low rate of return on this request. You may ask 10 gatekeepers for a cell phone number and only get one number. That is going to be a highly coveted number and it is well worth nine negative responses to get one positive response!
You now have a direct line to your prospect that a gatekeeper will never answer. Remember not to abuse this number by calling repeatedly, but also remember that most decision-makers have a work cell phone that is used for business and is paid for by the company. Never feel bad about calling a cell phone number.
You can also ask operators, admins, and other gatekeepers for direct lines into the prospects office. Be prepared to have a low rate of return, but if you ask every single time you will notice the quality of your leads increase along the way!
NEXT BEST TIP:
Make sure to access the internal phone directory. This works extremely well with larger companies. Phone directories have "cheat codes" just like video games. I am not going to give the specific cheats away, but I highly recommend that you play around with pressing different numbers, *, and # in different combinations to see what happens. If done correctly, the system will either ask you to punch in the name of a person and then will provide their extension.
EVERYTHING ELSE:
1. Making extensions direct numbers. If you already have a prospects extension, but you are not able to dial it directly you can easily find the information necessary to do so. The top three places I look for phone numbers that would allow me to plug in an extension are the companies fax numbers, their media contact, and their investor relations contact. DO NOT CALL the Media or IR people directly. Instead use any of these three numbers of see if the middle digits (ie. 555-555-1234) are different and may be a direct way in. This works like a charm!
2. Dialing up. If you are trying to reach a Director, call the VPs office first. Here is a sample conversation you might have with the gatekeeper in the VPs office. This works at any level (just dial one title above who you are trying to reach). If you do happen to get transferred to the higher title--pitch them or tell them you were actually trying to reach their direct report and request to be transferred.
You: Hi is James around?
Admin: No, may I ask who is calling?
Y: Yes, it is Leslie, Leslie Venetz calling. If James isn't around I know that John could answer my question. Do you know if he is in office today?
A: I am not sure, but I could transfer you.
Y: That would be great and what is his direct number so I don't have to bother James again? Thank you.
3. Dial around. If you have the gatekeepers number. Try to dial the 10 numbers above it and below it. More often than not, you will reach the direct line of the decision-maker. For instance, if the gatekeepers number is 555-555-1234. Try 555-555-1230, 1231, 1232, 1233, etc. This also works if you have the direct dial of another person in the same division. Often, numbers are clustered among departments!
4. Call early/late/lunch. Make a note to stop calling during normal business hours if the gatekeeper always answers. Often gatekeepers work 40 hours a week, but their bosses and our prospects work many more hours. Try calling before normal working hours or after. You can always try during the noon-one time frame. Keep track of time zones to make this easier. I will often use one color of highlighter for mountain and pacific time which are behind me (I'm in central), one color for central, and one for eastern (one hour ahead.
Using these color-coded system I know that I can call my mst/pst leads at 8am when I get into office in hopes of avoiding admins and at 4pm cst I can start calling my est leads because likely the admins have left for the day and the decision-makers are still wrapping up their work!
These are a few gatekeeper 101 tips. I hope these help increase the quality of your leads and your time spent on the phone. Having more direct dials and cell phone numbers help, but they do not replace putting in the work/making the dials! If you have a specific scenario that you would like to run by me, please do not hesitate to email me at coldcallingmastery@gmail.com. Happy Hunting!
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