Cold Calling Tips & Gatekeeper Strategies PDF

Gatekeepers Tips for working with gatekeepers- including how to avoid them  Gatekeeper stats - Cold calling has a 2% success rate. That means, on average, it only works immediately 1 of every 50 times - It takes an average of 8 times to reach a prospect...

Gatekeepers Tips for working with gatekeepers- including how to avoid them  Gatekeeper stats - Cold calling has a 2% success rate. That means, on average, it only works immediately 1 of every 50 times - It takes an average of 8 times to reach a prospect - 80% of sales require five follow-up calls - -48% of salespeople do not make a single follow-up call - 92% of salespeople quit making contact attempts after contact attempt #4 - 82% of B2B buyers accept meetings with a salesperson - 80% of sales are made by 20% of salespeople - Up to half of a salesperson’s time is spent interacting with a GK - 72% of cold calls don’t get through to a human being Source: https://financesonline.com/cold-calling-statistics/  Best practices for approaching a gatekeeper (avoidance) - Avoid the gatekeeper with a warm intro - Try another department - Try another time during the day or day of the week. Stats say the best time to contact someone is from 10 AM – 2 PM, and Wednesdays tend to be the best days to contact someone - Call outside normal business hours - Write a letter to VITO - Attend networking events to meet your prospects in person - “Chat the Bot” - If you have a cell #, use it to bypass the GK  Best practices for approaching a gatekeeper (approach tips) - Treat the gatekeeper as a resource, and not an obstacle - Name drop. If you don’t have a name, call ahead to get one - Treat the GK with respect. Until you get past them. They are the most important person in that office - Humor always helps, as does being steady and calm - Smile before you go in, and watch your tone of voice - Be respectful of the GK. If they’re super busy, come back later. When you do come back, acknowledge how difficult their job can be - Be confident- what we do helps everyone - Be direct, but polite - Don’t assume the GK is a “nobody”. It could be someone very important - Be respectful to those that are in the office with you. GK’s often notice kindness, and will be more likely to help you  Best practices for approaching a gatekeeper (techniques) - Don’t lie, be (mostly) honest - GK’s are trained to weed out salespeople- don’t sound or act like one. - Avoid giving direct responses to screening questions - Ask the GK for information (“If you were me…”) - Don’t try to sell the GK! - Thank the GK if they were helpful- hand-written notes are always a good idea - Listen to wehat the GK tells you, and adjust your questioning accordingly - Practice in front of am mirror! If you’re hesitant, the GK will sense it - Be persistent! 80% of calls require 5 or more sales calls. But… 92% of salespeople give up after 4 attempts  Best practices for approaching a gatekeeper (techniques) (continued) - Show that you’re listening - Task the GK to do something. If they accept the task, they’ll like you more, and will be more willing to help you - If the contact isn’t available, ask when they might be available - IMPORTANT: Keep your ask short and direct - Use the contact’s first name, and NOT their last name - BRIEFLY explain how you’re going to help, but don’t give a sales pitch - Use LinkedIn to find your contacts - Send the contacts information prior to your arrival (Letter to VITO) Questions & Discussion