How can I get past the gatekeepers during a COLD CALL?

Answer 1

Business 2.0 magazine http://money.cnn.com/magazines/business2/business2_archive/2005/12/01/8364583/index.htm in an article entitled "Firing Up Your Cold Calls" has some very interesting and practical tips on how to improve your cold calling strategies:

1. Call when the screeners (secretaries, assistants) are out - the ideal time to talk to the decision maker and busy executives would be just after daybreak or after dinnertime. They would still be at work, but their assistants and minders would have already left. Yes, the timing is unconventional, but if it could put you on the phone with the person you need, then that's the thing to do.

2. Engage the gatekeeper. Because you can't always call before or after 9-to-5, chances are there will be times when the secretary or assistant will answer the phone. Charm them or disarm them with unexpected one liners. Make them think of you as a person not as a nuisance.

3. Find something - anything - in common with the person you are cold calling. Sometimes it takes a little digging to get the response you want from the company you want to do business with. An example given in the article is about a vendor trying to get in touch with the head of an asset management company. Since his calls or emails are not returned, what he did was to find other executives in the company with his same last name, and sent that person an email. Pretending to be a long lost cousin may not always work, but it sure can get you the exec's attention.

4. Buy before you sell. You have to first know the needs of the company you want to sell to, even to the extent of doing market research about that company. If you are able to zero in on what they need, and articulate it to them, you stand a greater chance in getting at the exec's door.

5. Be a little unprofessional. Even well-rehearsed scripts can sound, well, scripted. Your pitch may sound professional, but your calls are not returned or your emails deleted. The example given in the article showed the head of a nanotechnology company who have been calling the HR head at Kmart for the last 6 months, to no avail. Finally, he called and simply left the message, "Hey Dante, throw me a bone!" -- and got a call back within 5 hours! Unconventional sometimes work, I suppose.

6. Learn to love striking out. The word "NO" will not kill you. Don't be discouraged by it. You will always get a "no" somewhere somehow. But sooner someone will say "YES" so just keep prodding along until you improve your batting average.

Answer 2

I would never 'better' the professionals at "Money" however, I think that some research might help. Have some 'names' within the company. When you're cold-calling, there has to be some reason that company is on your list. What will it do for them? Be ready to send information and SPECIFIC reasons that product/service will be a 'fit' for them.

Can you direct mail BEFORE the cold call? Another tactic (No idea if it works) is to call into the mailroom and get 'additional information' about who is where in the company... (engaging them in conversation).

Answer 3

In a business-to-business situation, you should definitely have a contact name on hand. In most places the receptionist (or whoever answers the phone) will just patch the call through as long as you give them a name. If they ask who you are, be honest and let them know what the call is about. If they're already a client of yours, definitely say so.

Answer 4

do not difficulty V. Its completely typical. we've the equivalent over the following In Scotland in simple terms its Ben Doon?????. Oh and certain, Its completely typical (i imagine). when you're unhappy?,provide him up for a Scotsman?.

Answer 5

Ask them politely?

Force them aside with brute force?

Stun them with a Star Trek phaser?

Shoot them from afar with a high powered tranquliser gun?

So many ways. The choice, however, is yours.

Answer 6

You can't in my office. Or in my home. Or anywhere that I have a phone. You cannot even walk in my office and get past me!!!