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Sales Question:
Gatekeepers: How to Respond to…
“Can you tell me what a good rebuttal would be to use on a gatekeeper when she says; "He doesn't take these types of calls"?
Answer:
One of the biggest anchors salespeople carry around with them is the notion that they need to look for “rebuttals” to situations as opposed to looking at how to avoid a situation from happening to begin with. Isn’t that the ultimate “rebuttal”… eliminating the objection before it happens?
If you are getting "he doesn't take these types of calls" the very words you said before the gatekeeper gave you that response is the problem.
In fact your entire approach is most likely the problem.
You must understand that although the Gatekeeper is there for a reason, it’s still above their pay-grade to determine if whether or not what you have to offer is in the best interest of the company he/she works for…. Otherwise, the gatekeeper would be the decision maker.
But when you offer a poorly thought out and flawed opening value statement, you will give them more power than they should have and they will shut you down.
Four Steps to Avoid Being Shut Down By The Gatekeeper!
ONE: Know the name of the person you are calling before picking up the phone. No more "who's in charge of …?"
With tools like LinkedIn at your fingertips, there is no reason not to know whom you should be giving a call to. Sure, they may have someone else that is ultimately the person that you need to speak with, but there is no need for flying blind in today's sales world.
TWO: Have a well thought out / planned reason for the call before picking up the phone (No more Captain Wing Its / Flying By the Seat of Your Pants)
THREE: Give the Gatekeeper what they want before they ask you for it… Let them know who you are, what company your with and the resaon for the call before they ask. Not doing so simply turns the control back to them.
FOUR: If you are unable to uncover the decision makers name prior to the call, ask the gatekeeper for their help!
Example... Instead of Asking:
Salesperson: Hi, could you please tell who makes the decisions on ___________?
Try:
Salesperson: Hi. This is ________ with __________. I'm calling because I have an idea that might be able to help _________ sell/cut/reduce/avoid/add (________) but I would need to get a little more information first before I can be sure. Normally I speak with someone in the (______) and I was wondering if you could help me out or at least point me in the right direction of who that might be?
Gatekeeper: Oh, sure, that would be….
Cause and Effect
If you continue to have to deal with a negative response during your sales process, looking for a rebutal means you will always have to deal with the negative.
Fix what's causing the prospect to react that way and you'll need less and less rebutals while getting to the next step a whole easier and more often.
Michael Pedone
CSS: Chief Sales Scientist
SalesBuzz.com (A 2011 Sales Training Company Watch List Award Winner!)
REGISTER NOW:
8-Week B2B Sales Improvement Program
- Eliminate "No, Thanks", "Not Interested" & "We're All Set" Responses from Cold and Warm Calls
- Neutralize Gatekeepers & Get Voicemails Returned
- Ask Engaging Questions Instead of Probing
- Improve your Qualifying Skills
- Give Stellar Presentations & Handle Objections
- Close Follow-up Calls and Get Targeted Referrals
- How to Set & Achieve Your Toughest Sales Goals
- Improve Your Time Management Skills
Duration: 1 hour per week for 8 weeks
Where: Online @ your desk, conference room or home
Presenters: Michael Pedone
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