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Getting through the Gatekeeper
All of us know the frustration of being blocked,
screened, or weeded out by the
ubiquitous "gatekeeper" - that individual charged
with guarding and protecting the Big Executive you
need to get to. Despite our best efforts at
convincing this individual why we should be
among
the privileged few to be let through, more often than
not we are unsuccessful at doing so. What's a
salesperson to do in such a case?
Assuming you've been unsuccessful at selling this
individual on the benefits to her/him of letting you
through to Mr./Ms. Big executive, try approaching a
more senior individual in the company - the
President/CEO if it's a small to mid-sized company, an
EVP if it's a much larger one. This approach - to a "C-
level" individual - must stress the benefits that are
important to him or her (see the October
15th, 2003 issue's sales tip, selling to the
Executive level). If you make a convincing enough
case, you will likely be referred down to the
appropriate individual (who may or may not be the
person you were trying to get to initially). Such a
referral will virtually guarantee you a response from
the right person (note: this is a strategy with which
many successful salespeople initiate their
approaches
to an organization).
If, however, this too fails, try another indirect route:
call
on someone else inside the company - anywhere -
with whom you have a relationship, or a connection.
This could be someone from your alumni organization,
networking club, industry association, or any of the
many social networking organizations mentioned in
the
June 1st issue's sales tip. If you don't have
any
connections in the organization, develop some. Your
goal is to create a friend, or even better, an ally,
someone who, for whatever reason, decides after
speaking with you that he or she wants to help. It's
this individual who will confirm who the right person
in the organization is, and help you gain access to
that person.
ACTION ITEM
Make a list of the top 20 accounts you want to get
into over the next 12 months. Thoroughly research
each, knowing
what are the critical challenges they face and goals
they're trying to achieve. Then craft an approach
for a senior executive at each, designed to convey
your understanding of their challenges and goals, and
how you and your company are uniquely positioned
to help them deal with/achieve them. Then make
those calls. Simultaneously, start making other
connections at these same companies through one or
more of the above means. Develop these
relationships
to the point where you feel comfortable asking for
directions on where you need to go in the
organization, as well as in assistance getting there.
Following this approach diligently will open many
doors that would other wise remain closed, doors
that your competitors - relying on the traditional
frontal assault alone - will never get through.
Good selling!
Craig
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