Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

When you`re out cold calling, how do you get past that person at the front desk and get to the decision maker? Everyone has been suggesting that I market to hospital gift shops, but the sweet volunteer ladies there, shoot me down before I get 10 words out of my mouth, even though they are not the ones deciding what`s sold in the gift shop. Other people have told me they have the same problem in thier types of business. They`ll get thier name out and be told, we already have that service, or we don`t need that service. Even though they might be told that they can save thousands of dollars per year. How do you get past that person at the desk? For me, I have the problem of curling up into a ball and afraid of being put down at the next one. Help

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kkrafts
"Treat every day as a new adventure"

Ah the wonderful world of getting past the gatekeeper =)  The most important part of the call is the opening of the call.  What are you saying in your first sentence?  You want to keep the opening as generic as possible so that there is a sort of ambiguity of who you are and why you are calling.  The "gatekeeper`s" job is to weed out what they perceive to be a "sales" call.  A generic/ambiguous opening makes the gatekeeper think that the owner already either has an existing relationship or account with your company.  Once past the gatekeeper, you can get down to business, as the decision maker is the one you want to be speaking with anyway =)

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Oliver Mupas
United Bank Card
866-207-6007 ext 303
omupas@ubcnetworkonline.com

Try the "Trojan Horse" method. Tell the Secretary/gatekeeper (usually a Female) that you are offering "free-samples" (whatever you`re selling), or complementary something. Try this: "Hello! "FREE CANDY" is my name! And I would like to send you (sorry! What is your name)...bla..bla."  Sounds crazy right? - It`s not!

This should at least "disarm" that person. Offer the gatekeeper something that is especially directed at them (most secretaries feel they "run the joint" anyway  -  as MOST DO! And welcome ANY due compensation they can get). Then ask to speak to THE MAN behind the double doors.

It`s like throwing a STEAK to a watchdog.

Unless your free samples (products) are expensive.

If your first words are, "This is Jason from such and such," you will get turned away. I would call, and say, "May I speak to [name] about some additional information about a project." The project could be something that he or she may not know of or may forgot that he delegated it to.

I never thought about offering something to the gatekeeper, Only the decision maker. So that could work. Also, what if I don`t know who the decision maker is? And the generic opening? Give me an example. I`ve never been the type that  pushes sales, I`ve always been a believer in "if they want it they`ll buy it". But, now that I`m on my own, it`s a different story. I`ve been working on the backdoor approach, flyers, brochures, price lists in the mail, but help me have the confidence in myself to go face to face. I have confidence in my products, and do well with repeat sells and referrals, but not the cold calling.

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kkrafts
"Treat every day as a new adventure"

I am a lot like you! And WE are a lot like most OTHERS. Therefore, a little "stagefright" is normal (that`s what we`re really talking about). But heck! As I get older - the less I care!  Are these people (prospects) ever going to show up at my door saying: " Hey! That was a so-so attempt to circumvent my superior armor - what were you thinking! -  I am greater than you".      Answer: NO! 

Generic opening?  Well, if you`re selling COOKIES.   Rinnnng..Rinnng..Rinnng. ( Them:  Hello! - I Can`t be bothered with you Incorporated).  YOU: Free COOKIES are coming your way Lucky Lady!  (Them: They ARE?)  YOU: That`s right!  What is your name?  (Them: Mrs. Much More Pleasant than I would be without the FREE COOKIE TALK).

Think of yourself as Dr. Phil trying to creat an "AWAKENING" within  the heart of some pure & lonely PHONE DRONE!  Have fun with it.

I recently read a business book called `Never Eat Alone` by Keith Ferrazzi.
It`s about creating success through relationships. It covers all kinds of
subject from networking to small talk to email correspondence. In it is a
whole section on making the cold call and getting past the gatekeeper.
The book was alright, but the gatekeeper section was perhaps the most
valuable. It had great insight about getting in the door by way of
telephone. I`d recommend the book, if not reading just that section while
at a bookstore.

I can`t remember the book or database, but it lists the managing executives for just about any business, including the owner. If you could get, say, the name of the purchasing director (or related area), you could use the name in the phone call.

To the switchboard, "Hello, this is (your name). I`m trying to reach (that name)."

If you`re physically going to the shops, you could likely use the same ploy by first sending a written letter to the person in charge, requesting an appointment for a meeting?

Just supposing out loud here..... I`m not a salesperson. :-)

Here is a great article from a blog I happened upon a few months ago.  While it is not directed to Hospital gift shops per se, it does give one shop owner`s perspective on being approached by vendors.  I found it very interesting, because the auther is not only a shop owner but also a designer of handmade goods, so she understands both sides of the coin, so to speak.

http://rosylittlethings.typepad.com/posie_gets_cozy/2006/01/ wholesale_retai.html

I hope this helps.

ModJulie

Get the decision makers name.  Call after work hours and leave a message on the voicemail saying that you will be in area and will stop in the office at 10am the next morning.  Show up and say that you have a meeting at 10am with the decision maker.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn`t!

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Paul Miser, MBA
Miser Advertising and Marketing
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