Getting past the gatekeeper. The most daunting part of cold calling for many salespeople.
You dial the contact number of a decision maker from your prospect list, hoping to book a meeting. You heave a sigh of relief as the call gets connected. But, the person on the other side of the line—an executive assistant or a receptionist—isn’t the one you were hoping to speak to.
They are gatekeepers, and they decide whether or not you can reach the prospect.
Truth is, there's no sure-shot answer to the question ”How to get past the gatekeeper?” However, in this handy guide, we'll equip you with some proven steps and effective strategies to help you boost your success rate.
Who Is a Gatekeeper in Sales?
In sales, a gatekeeper is a person who controls access to decision-makers in a company. They can be office managers, executive assistants, or receptionists, who filter all incoming communications to ensure only relevant messages reach the decision-makers.
When it comes to sales, gatekeepers can be quite influential as they hold the power to determine whether or not your call will be transferred to the decision-maker. Successfully bypassing them can be your key to engaging with the target prospect and presenting your product or service.
How To Get Past the Gatekeepers: 9 Expert Tips
Gatekeepers are the initial barriers to reaching decision-makers. When dealing with them, you have 2 options: avoiding them entirely or convincing them to let you through to the prospect. We've got you covered for both.
3 Tips To Avoid Gatekeepers
The most obvious way to get past gatekeepers is to go around them and reach the prospect directly. However, it's not as simple as it seems. So, here are 3 proven strategies to avoid gatekeepers that you can use during cold calling:
1. Have Accurate Contact Data for Your Prospects
Having accurate contact data for your prospects ensures you're reaching out to the right person. Correct phone numbers, email addresses, and even direct dials increase your chances of bypassing gatekeepers and directly reaching the decision-maker.
"Gatekeepers would not understand the value of your solution," explains top-performing SDR, Nanditha Menon. Through her research, she tries to get the prospect’s direct contact details to circumvent gatekeepers altogether. As she puts it, “My task is to reach out to the right people, not the wrong people.”
So, scour through company websites, social media profiles, professional networking platforms, or even ask for referrals to bypass gatekeepers and connect directly with the right person.
Pro Tip: You can use a B2B contact database to get verified contact data of your prospects and reach them directly.
2. Call 1-2 Days Later To Catch Decision Makers Directly
Most gatekeepers tend to ask details right off the bat like your name, your company’s name, and the reason for your call. Quota-crushing SDR, Asatta Leggett feels giving the gatekeepers a lot of information could be unproductive, as they could claim to pass the message and mostly won’t keep their word.
As for gatekeepers saying they would pass the message to the decision maker, she’d politely decline and would call back in a day or two to catch the prospect directly instead of going through the gatekeeper.
3. Call Outside Business Hours
The best time to cold call your prospects, according to research, is between 4 and 5 p.m. However, sales expert Robin Burr recommends calling prospects when the gatekeeper might not be available. He says, "Your standard receptionist/switchboard operator will typically work 9-5, so try calling outside of those hours to reach MDs or Execs."
Additionally, prospects may be more relaxed and open to calls during off-peak hours, making it easier to engage with them and convey your message effectively.
CAUTION: To ensure compliance with cold calling laws, mainly TCPA and TSR, make sure you cold call only between 8 am and 9 pm local time. Don’t call outside of these hours in any situation, even if you want to get past gatekeepers. Also, remember to be mindful of your prospect’s time zone while calling to avoid inconveniencing them.
6 Tips To Make Gatekeepers Put You Through to Prospects
Avoiding gatekeepers altogether would definitely make it a lot easier to reach decision-makers. However, it's not always an option to completely skip past them. In such situations, you'll need some well-thought-out strategies to effectively engage them and convince them to connect you with the prospect. Check out these six helpful tips for doing just that:
4. Explain Your Position to Gatekeepers
For top-performing SDR, Ashley Dees, sounding kind and vulnerable is the key to getting past gatekeepers.
When gatekeepers refuse to transfer her phone call to the prospect, she explains her need to contact this person and asks for suggestions from them. She would tell them, “I wouldn't ask you to do that because I don’t want you to get in trouble. But, my boss is asking me to reach out to somebody from this account. What do you think I should do?” This will build trust between the rep and the gatekeeper.
Sales expert Colly Graham also suggests asking gatekeepers for their help on how best you can reach their boss. "Ask for their help and advice. The gatekeeper is often an expert on their boss’s preferences, schedule, and priorities. To win them over, you need to show them that you value their opinion and input," he explains. "Make them feel important and influential, and show appreciation for their assistance."
5. Exude Confidence While Speaking
Exuding confidence while speaking to a gatekeeper can be a powerful strategy to navigate past them. According to Sam Holeman, a quota-crushing SDR, projecting confidence in your voice is like already securing a meeting with the decision-maker.
“When I talk to gatekeepers, I talk like I know the owner. That’s the tone I have. I'm talking like I already have a meeting with this person,” he explains. This usually gets the gatekeeper to connect him to the decision-maker.
Additionally, this can encourage gatekeepers to share valuable insights about the prospect's preferences or opinions on a solution they're currently using.
6. Mention Referrals From Other Employees
If you have existing connections within the prospect's company, feel free to name-drop to get around the gatekeepers. Bring up a mutual connection or mention a colleague who recommended your product.
According to successful SDR, Nikita Solberg, if you've already contacted someone else at the company and run into a gatekeeper, you could say something like, “I recently reached out to so-and-so at this department. They said it was interesting and that I should reach out to this department.”
It gives you the social proof, making gatekeepers perceive you as coming from a trusted or familiar source within the company. This helps you establish rapport and trust, increasing your chances of getting connected with the decision-maker.
7. Ask Them To Inform the Prospect About Your Email
High-achieving SDR, Joel Thomas, suggests building rapport with the gatekeepers because they know the prospect's schedule best. So, instead of being disingenuous, just be honest and let them know it's a sales call. “Eventually, they’ll sort of at least drop a message with your decision-maker.”
Joel tells gatekeepers that he will send an email to the prospect with a particular subject line and requests them to notify the prospect. He also recommends noting down their name and email address in case you need to follow up using their name.
“My intention for them is to open my email. If the email content is relevant, probably the decision-maker would respond,” he explains.
8. Send Content in Advance
Gatekeepers are very good at protecting decision-makers from vendors or salespeople calling them every day. As such, you'll probably be asked to share more information or send an email.
This can lead to losing control of the conversation. To avoid this, sales expert Ray Makela recommends sharing the content in advance with your gatekeepers.
“I especially like the idea of sending them a letter," he says. "Maybe that's a handwritten note, or a copy of an article with our note on top so that when we're calling, we're saying, ’I'm following up on the letter I sent on September 15th that he should have received two days ago.’"
Now, since the information is already out there, the gatekeeper can't say no and will put you through to the decision-maker.
9. Accord Respect and Always Be Honest
It's important to show respect and honesty when dealing with gatekeepers to build trust and a good relationship with them. Remember, they are the ones who can help connect you with the decision-makers. Being polite, acknowledging their role, and acting professionally can boost your chances of getting through to the right person.
In his book, The Key to the Gate: Principles and Techniques to Get Past Gatekeepers to the Decision Maker, EksAyn Aaron Anderson explains: "You need to leave a positive, memorable impression that lets you stand out from all the other salespeople that contact him each day. The distinguishing factors come when you act with solid principles: treat everyone with respect and as a friend, act with integrity, and be genuine and gracious.”
“With the gatekeeper on your side, you may be surprised at how influential he can be in helping you to get an appointment with the right people,” he says.
Gatekeepers are more than just an obstacle in your way to a prospect. Just like you, they’re a real person who can sense when they’re being respected or deceived. So, whichever strategy you choose to deal with gatekeepers, let that be based on mutual respect and not manipulation.
5 Getting Past the Gatekeeper Scripts From Sales Experts
Whether you're dealing with receptionists, assistants, or other gatekeepers, here are 5 effective cold call scripts from seasoned sales professionals to help you get past any gatekeeper and reach your intended prospect always:
1. Asking for the Gatekeeper's Help
Sales expert Josh Braun recommends that instead of trying to bypass the gatekeeper, just ask for their help. They can steer you in the right direction or give you feedback on whether it's a good fit or not.
Here’s his script to get past gatekeepers:
"Hey Linda, this is Josh, maybe you could help me out for a moment? I was on your website and noticed that you folks have been looking for a VP of Sales for a while. My name is Josh with Bridges and that’s exactly the position we help SaaS companies like yours fill. Based on that I thought I’d start with Bob, but since I have you on the phone, would you be open to pointing me in the right direction?”2. Use the Right Tonality and Attitude
Speaking with authority and command while engaging with gatekeepers can help you build credibility. Sales guru Marcus Chan came up with this script after noticing that gatekeepers were more likely to connect direct callers who sounded authoritative with the right decision-makers.
"Be direct, form, and have short answers," he explains. Add “thanks” at the end of your short sentences so that you sound polite and not curt.
Here’s how his cold call script for gatekeepers goes:
SDR: “May I speak with [prospect's name]? Thanks”
[Gatekeeper asks who it is]
SDR: “It's [your name], thanks.”
[Gatekeeper asks where you're calling from]
SDR: “From [company name], thanks."3. Turning the Gatekeeper Into an Ally
Matt Macnamara suggests navigating the conversation with transparency to establish rapport and turn the gatekeeper into an ally. If you're not sure whether the decision-maker is the right contact, don't hesitate to ask the gatekeeper for their help in reaching the right decision-maker.
Matt’s script to get around gatekeepers:
"Hi, this is Matt Macnamara. Can you patch me through to [decision-maker's name]? I'm about to sound like every other pushy salesperson that calls your office and asks for something, but I'm with IBM and I'm not even sure if [decision-maker's name] is the right person to speak with regarding this.
But the reason for the call, [gatekeeper's name], is my company partners with companies like yours in the Silicon Valley area to help I.T. leaders within those companies reduce the time it takes to set up new devices for new employees. I notice you folks are growing like crazy. And I thought we might be a fit to help you out at some point, potentially. Is [decision-maker's name] the right person to speak with regarding that? And if not, would you be opposed to putting me in the right direction?"4. Direct the Gatekeeper To Bring Your Message to the Decision-Maker
Sales expert Trent Dressel suggests instead of asking the gatekeeper to connect you with the prospect, which is highly unlikely, just say you want to send them an email and direct them to bring it up to the decision-maker. This will help you leverage the gatekeeper and ensure the prospect actually reads your email.
Here’s the script he suggests to handle gatekeepers:
"Hi, [gatekeeper's name]. Great to be speaking with you. This is Trent from [company name]. How are you doing today? Well, the reason I was calling you is we help organizations just like yours improve engagement/retention/productivity. Is that a priority for the team today?
I'd like to speak with [decision-maker's name] to understand how we might be able to help provide value to your organization and further their goals. Being that this sounds like it's a priority for them today, what I'd like to do is send you a follow-up email explaining exactly what we talked about today. I'll CC [decision-maker] on that note. Could you do me a favor and make sure he sees it?"5. Sound Like a Customer
"I don't think that there was a gatekeeper that I was not able to get past," says sales expert James Shepherd. His secret? Acting like a customer as long as possible.
This is how his cold calling script goes for gatekeepers:
"Hi, my name is James Shepherd. How are you doing today? The reason why I'm calling is, I'm a local business owner. I wanted to just stop by your office and drop off my business card. Who would I talk to about that when I stop by?
Is he in? Should I call back in half an hour or should I give him an hour to finish what he is doing? Let him know I'll call back in a couple of hours. Also, tell him I really appreciate it. I’m looking forward to introducing myself to him as a fellow local business owner.”