A: The challenge here is that the majority of sales people try to "get by the gatekeeper." It's like a game: come up with a variety of new and incredibly fancy techniques to stump the gatekeeper and reach the final target. You can play the game or you can try something different.
While most of us have been taught not to waste time and get to the decision-maker as quickly as possible, think about the information that you can gain by engaging the decision-maker's administrative assistant. That information can be vital in how you move forward in the account.
Also, these days, getting direct access to the decision maker is a lot easier than in the "good old days." For starters, you should have your Google alerts turned on for the person and the company you are targeting. Remember that you can't provide a solution until you have an idea of the problems that they face or you know something about what they are going through. You also have LinkedIn, Plaxo, Twitter, and Facebook giving you access to your industry thought leaders. You can join the groups that they participate in, follow them for a while, and then you can ask them directly for a meeting if you believe you have a solution for them.
I was just prospected by someone who contacted me directly through LinkedIn. He performed his search through the LinkedIn Search utility, checked my credentials, presented his case and asked for the meeting. What was his offering? A software product that allowed sales people to leverage their social networks, connect those networks with their CRM and give them the ability to effectively prospect through these networks.
If you do happen to get routed to the administrative assistant, ask for the assistance. The administrative assistant will have inside information on the company as well as the knowledge of the decision-maker's current challenges, issues and schedule. If you wanted inside information on your prospect, the administrative assistant is the place to get it.
Another point to remember is to identify what you are trying to accomplish. If your goal is to get to the decision-maker, then call in the early morning hours between 7 and 9 a.m., before the crew gets in, or call in the early evening hours between 5 and 7:30 p.m. Most managers, directors, and small business owners work outside of normal business hours to get things done. Most will even answer their own phone. There is nothing in the sales rulebook that says you need to call between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. If you have a viable solution for them, they will be more than happy to listen to what you have to say.
On the other hand, if you are looking to "get past the gatekeeper," then you will restrict yourself to activities that bring you into direct contact with the gatekeeper just so you can have the pleasure of "getting past them."
The primary goal of your initial contact phase is to get to the person making the decision regarding your solution. If you stay on track, then your efforts to reach the decision-maker will include activities like:
1. Calling outside of regular business hours.
2. Using the social networks to reach them.
3. Using networking groups and referrals to reach them.
4. Using direct mail techniques to lead in to a phone call.
5. Leveraging the power of the administrative assistant.
Here is one final thought. Once you have your audience with the decision-maker, you need to provide a relevant solution. If you aren't providing a solution that is relevant to their needs, then you will find yourself facing the administrative assistant at every turn because they will have been given specific instructions to "get rid of the time waster."
