Are you still getting screened out by the gatekeeper ?Are you still getting interrogated with questions like:“Will he know what this call is about?”“Is she expecting your call?”If you are, then chances are you’re still making one of three fundamental mistakes listed below. In fact, just last week I was reviewing a client’s sales team’s calls, and I repeatedly heard many of the reps making these common mistakes.And unfortunately, these mistakes lead directly to the kind of screening questions you see above.
The good news is that you can avoid all this by simply not doing what you’re going to read below. So, let’s dive in:
1) When the gatekeeper asks who is calling, don’t just give your name, and especially don’t just give your first name (hoping that the gatekeeper will think the decision maker knows you!).Just giving your name and then stopping invites the gatekeeper to keep screening you. In fact, when you just give your name and pause, it telegraphs to the gatekeeper that you are a sales rep and that you should be screened out. And they proceed to do that.2) Never answer a question (like “What company are you with?”) without giving an instructional statement. This is huge. Many sales reps answer the gatekeeper’s question and they just remain silent….This again triggers the gatekeeper to ask you more questions, which then annoys them, and they figure that putting someone as annoying as you through will only get them into trouble. So—they screen you out instead.Related:
4 Proven Responses to “We’re All Set”3) Use some manners. Again, it’s amazing how rude some sales reps can be. They barely explain who they are, or what company they’re with (see #2), and they rarely are polite. And guess what? You get what you give. If you are rude or not kind with the gatekeeper, you’ll get that exact attitude back—and then some!Little words like “please” and Thank you” go a long way when dealing with anyone—especially the gatekeeper.Avoid these three blunders when dealing with the gatekeeper, and you’ll
go a lot further in getting through to your prospect.For more scripts and techniques on how to deal effectively with the gatekeeper,
click here.
