If you are new to sales or cold-calling, then you know how frustrating it is to get through the gatekeeper or be sent to voicemail all day long.  Maybe you’ve been told it’s a numbers game and to keep doing what you are doing.  Keep this in mind, the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.

When I first started prospecting on the phone in the late 90’s, I assumed every decision maker I called would talk to me. In the unlikely event I got an assistant, I assumed they would jump over backwards to get the decision maker to drop what they are doing and answer my call.  What I found out was that I had two main problems; getting shutdown by the gatekeeper and if I made it through, being sent straight to voicemail.

Let’s tackle the first problem.  If you are getting shot down by the gatekeeper it’s because you are coming off as too pushy, needy, annoying or unsure of yourself.  Gatekeepers sometimes answer hundreds of calls a day from people like you trying to get through.  It is their job to send only the relevant calls through and shut down the rest.

The most effective way to get through is to ask for the person by name with confidence.  Let’s say you are the gatekeeper and the decision maker is John Smith.  He is the CFO of a small company in Anytown, USA.  Of the two examples below, which one would you let through if you valued your job?

Example 1:  “Hi this is Steve Brown.  I’m with Acme Marketing and we have a wonderful solution for your company.  It’s very important and I need to speak with your CFO right away!” sante.