One
of the biggest challenges you’ll face when calling on prospective
customers is getting past the gatekeeper. Who is the
gatekeeper? He or she is most likely the receptionist or the assistant
to the decision maker.
When
talking with the gatekeeper, be friendly, learn her name and use
it. Perhaps say something like, "Hi Sally, I wonder
if you could help me?" You want to get her on your side,
willing to give you the information you need. Ask if she can help
you get the name of the person you need to talk to or when would
be the best time to contact that person.
It’s
likely that Sally will say, “What are you calling about”?
Try responding with one of the following statements:
- I’m
calling about the frustrations Mr. Jones is experiencing with
the office cleaning.
- I’m
considering doing business with your company, but I need to
ask Mr. Jones a few questions first. Is he available?
- I promised
I would follow up on information I sent Mr. Jones. Is he available?
Note: use
this response after sending a brochure, flyer, or sales letter.
Be sure to mention in your sales letter that you will be following
up with a phone call.
Be
assertive and sound confident – like you have the
right to be calling the decision maker. If you come off sounding
tentative or begging, you don’t stand a chance.
If
Sally is a really tough gatekeeper, then you might need to find
a way to get around her. Here’s a tip for doing
that. Try calling the company shortly before hours or shortly
after hours, when Sally is not there to answer the phone. If you
call about 10 minutes before they open or 10 minutes after they
close, it’s likely you’ll be connected to the company’s
phone directory, where you can get the decision maker’s
extension. Chances are, the decision maker will come in early
or stay late, and if you know his name you should be able to connect
to him through the phone directory.
Copyright (c) The Janitorial Store
(TM)
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