IT Sales Calls: Getting Past the Gatekeeper

Getting past the gatekeeper is the most difficult aspect of cold calling. You quickly learn that a secretary will happily take your name and number but when she finds out what you want, she'll simply say, "We're not interested."

Here are a few rather sneaky options to get around the gatekeeper: You can always call before or after the gatekeeper leaves. Chances are they’re a nine to five, eight to six, or eight to four kind of person. You can send an email. You can send a fax. You can send a letter. You can send a postcard. You can send a Fed-Ex marked personal confidential.

All those are great ideas and sometimes they work, but usually the gatekeeper has seen them several times before. So how do you get in? Get to know people in the community and get your name out there. Speaking at events, volunteering, and just old fashioned networking will go a long way to help you get past the gatekeeper, and maybe even get personal referrals.

Learn more about cold calling in the full article (link above).

Added by Computer Consulting 101 Professional Kit