How To Sell Past the Gatekeeper

Post in Online
September 28th, 2010
 

Ahhh, the gatekeeper. They should offer a college degree for this field, maybe even a doctorate. Maybe I’d go back to school and become one. It’s not an official position, but most of your prospects have them, and they are good at what they do. It’s a science that these people have perfected. The gatekeeper can be your best friend, or your worst enemy! If you can make friends, you’ll have an instant advantage. If you feel yourself become a fast enemy, you are going to have your work cut out for you.

What do they do and who are they anyway? Oh, those gatekeepers, they are tricky souls. They come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Most anyone can be a gatekeeper. You can be friendly, a little rough around the edges, introverted or extroverted. Sometimes they are the receptionist at the front desk. Professionals at weeding out the people who advance to the next level to see the decision maker. Sometimes they are managers who present themselves as the decision maker, until it is time for the decision. That’s when they reveal their true identity and make it known that someone else has to sign off on the decision. But don’t worry, they’ll “be sure” to forward your information on and get back to you as soon as possible. Don’t hold your breathe.

Here is your mission should you choose to accept it. Ultimately, you need to get to the decision maker. However, there are rules to be applied to this mission. Rule #1: Do not rush down the gatekeeper and make a run for the CEO’s office. This is a No No. You might as well keep running right out the fire exit. Rule #2: Don’t just leave information for the decision maker with the gatekeeper and wait for a response. You’ll be old, gray and still waiting.

Let me tell you what you can do. Woo the gatekeeper. I don’t mean to completely kiss their derrière. I mean treat them with the same respect as you would the decision maker.  Ask them questions. Use them to do your research on the company and the decision maker. Most importantly, listen. Not only can they provide you with useful information, but they will respect you much more if they know that you take the time to listen. Use the to find out what their needs are and how you might be able to help them. Use your skills in communications and human relations to earn the respect of the gatekeeper. Use your skills in business and your product knowledge to win them over.

If the gatekeeper respects you, trusts you and understands your product, they will deliver you to the decision maker. Should the gatekeeper allow you to advance to the decision maker, you may find the rest of the selling process to be a breeze and the sale will soon be yours!

Old School Sales Techniques Are Out of Here!

Post in Online
August 24th, 2010
 

Taking clients out to lush and lavish dinners, sporting events or nights on the town. Working 4 hour days and spending the rest of the afternoon on the golf course with your favorite client. A little wooing and the client would be wrapped around your finger and your goal would be met for the month. Ah, those were the days.

It may exist somewhere, but good luck finding that job. Times have changed. More competition and tighter budgets make the sales process more challenging. Clients who are too busy during the day to golf and would rather be home at night with their families than at a baseball game with you.

It used to be that if you had a gregarious personality and plenty of confidence, you were guaranteed success in sales. While these qualities will still help you tremendously, being successful in sales takes so much more.

Take a look at these suggestions and you might just find that making some of these changes to your strategy will help you grow your sales in an economy that hasn’t seen much growth!

First, be aware of your competitors, their products and their prices. This will allow you to start off with a more competitive proposal. Leave room for negotiation, but know that if you aren’t competitive to begin with, you might not have a chance to negotiate. Price and value DO matter!

While the dinners and sporting events might be a rarity with customers, do attempt to create a personal relationship with your clients. Just be sure to add a personal touch to moments that they will remember. Send a small gift for your client’s wedding or birth of a child. A card on their birthday. A little thoughtfulness will go a long way in building a relationship. It simply isn’t going to guarantee the sale.

Include added perks in your business proposal. Do not simply sell them the product they are looking for, but show them some VALUE. Include something extra. For example, I work in publishing and I might try to bundle together some print advertising with web advertising and throw in a list rental to show them the overall value. My spouse works in business technologies and may throw in a free used fax machine or printer to enhance the value of his proposal.

Finally, be sure to provide continued service to your customers. Often times, even with the best of intentions, we get busy and once the sale is done, we do not speak to our clients again until it is time for them to buy. If you need to flag them in your calendar to stop in once a quarter, do that. Do whatever it takes to keep you organized and keep you in the forefront of your client’s mind when it comes time to buy again.

With a little more work, research, organization, and aggressive selling practices, you’ll be just as successful as ever.