You can win gatekeepers in a sale but do you need to keep them after that? With prospect connected and made customerm it is tempted to bypass gatekeepers in future transactions. After all, now that you know the bossm why not go directly to the boss?
While salespeople may indeed do directly to the boss, sales professionals never make the mistake of neglecting gatekeepers. Even is a customer decides on the mex meeting, professional salespeople always keep the gatekeepers informed.
With gatekeepers feeling that something good has come out from meeting with their bosses, having gatekeepers on your side will mean that follow up, future appointments and flow of information with their help can become a matter of routine. Professional salespeople keep gatekeepers continually informed and exchange of information on the progresss made. This is to ensure that the gatekeepers are always on your team.
You should also emphasize the mutual benefits between the 2 companies. Sales professionals are grateful for the help extended by gatekeepers and they maintain their relationship with them bu continuously acknowledging not only the gatekeepers's role but also their unique contribution to foster better relationship.
To be continued...
Stay Tuned and feel free to visit my website www.EliteCloser.com for more sales ideas.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Win Over The Gatekeepers
However, this is not the end of the connection with gatekeepers. In fact, it is only the beginning. Assuring them that a product will bring benefits to the company is only part of the story. Having secured an appointment, sales professioonals now try to win over the gatekeepers.
In today's competitive world, even gatekeeper know that many products are similar. It is the personal enthusiasm of a salesperson that can make the difference to the gatekeepers. And winning over the gatekeepre with such personal enthusiasm could influence the gatekeeper's preference over others.
One of my friend whom I met in a conference suggests: Salespeople could invite the gatekeeper for lunch or perhaps delivering to the gatekeeper a small gift; a birthday card, for example, as a token of appreciation. However, winning over the gatekeepers goes beyond superficial aactions. It involves approaching them with the right attitude, so as to be the one truly preferred by the gatekeepers. Winning the respect of gatekeepers is the key to winning them. When you have become the gatekeeper's preference, they will prefer to call you first, tell you first and even warn you first.
In one of those programs I went to, in a sharing exercise, someone told me this: "I treat gatekeepers as advisors. For example, they may advise on the best time for appointments. We need to get their advice, but more importantly to gain their respect."
To be continued....
Until then, stay tuned and visit http://www.EliteCloser.com to grab your copy of sales tips...
In today's competitive world, even gatekeeper know that many products are similar. It is the personal enthusiasm of a salesperson that can make the difference to the gatekeepers. And winning over the gatekeepre with such personal enthusiasm could influence the gatekeeper's preference over others.
One of my friend whom I met in a conference suggests: Salespeople could invite the gatekeeper for lunch or perhaps delivering to the gatekeeper a small gift; a birthday card, for example, as a token of appreciation. However, winning over the gatekeepers goes beyond superficial aactions. It involves approaching them with the right attitude, so as to be the one truly preferred by the gatekeepers. Winning the respect of gatekeepers is the key to winning them. When you have become the gatekeeper's preference, they will prefer to call you first, tell you first and even warn you first.
In one of those programs I went to, in a sharing exercise, someone told me this: "I treat gatekeepers as advisors. For example, they may advise on the best time for appointments. We need to get their advice, but more importantly to gain their respect."
To be continued....
Until then, stay tuned and visit http://www.EliteCloser.com to grab your copy of sales tips...
Excite The Gatekeepers
With gatekeepers interested, sales professionals go one step further. The seek to excite the gatekeepers, gettting them to talk, hoping to learn more about the customers from the conversation with the gatekeepers.
I believe that the key to doing this is to recognize the gatekeeper's role in the company. Gatekeepers are expected to source information and offer advice to their bosses. Bosses want to secure the greatest possible benefits in their purchases, yet they seek to meet only the smallest number of people. Sales professionals can help gatekeepers to fulfill this role by providing the desired information.
If a sales person doesn't do this well, then the gatekeeper may not even be motivated to talk. Without the necessary information, what should the gatekeeper say to their bosses?
This is why we believe that things start moving when the gatekeepers believe that they have a piece of information that will not only bring benefits to the company, but also make the gatekeepers look good. Basically, you should tell the gatekeeper who you are, the valuable information you have for them and how their company will mis an opportunity if they do not pass the information to their bosses.
The gatekeeper's role is to sources for information for their bosses. We not only respect that but get them excited about this important role they play. This works both ways. By exciting the gatekeepers, sales professionals are able to exchange information about their potential customer with the gatekeepers. Even a casual conversation can deliver valuable information, such as the likes and dislikes of the customer.
The aim is to make the gatekeeper so intensely interested that they talk more. With more talking, salespeople learn more. Also, with engaging conversations, gatekeepers are likely to be more curious to know more. Often, in the desire to satisfy their curiosity, they will be tempted to push their bosses to see the salesperson. In this way, the first meeting is secured.
To be continued...
Stay Tuned and feel free to visit my website www.EliteCloser.com for more sales ideas.
I believe that the key to doing this is to recognize the gatekeeper's role in the company. Gatekeepers are expected to source information and offer advice to their bosses. Bosses want to secure the greatest possible benefits in their purchases, yet they seek to meet only the smallest number of people. Sales professionals can help gatekeepers to fulfill this role by providing the desired information.
If a sales person doesn't do this well, then the gatekeeper may not even be motivated to talk. Without the necessary information, what should the gatekeeper say to their bosses?
This is why we believe that things start moving when the gatekeepers believe that they have a piece of information that will not only bring benefits to the company, but also make the gatekeepers look good. Basically, you should tell the gatekeeper who you are, the valuable information you have for them and how their company will mis an opportunity if they do not pass the information to their bosses.
The gatekeeper's role is to sources for information for their bosses. We not only respect that but get them excited about this important role they play. This works both ways. By exciting the gatekeepers, sales professionals are able to exchange information about their potential customer with the gatekeepers. Even a casual conversation can deliver valuable information, such as the likes and dislikes of the customer.
The aim is to make the gatekeeper so intensely interested that they talk more. With more talking, salespeople learn more. Also, with engaging conversations, gatekeepers are likely to be more curious to know more. Often, in the desire to satisfy their curiosity, they will be tempted to push their bosses to see the salesperson. In this way, the first meeting is secured.
To be continued...
Stay Tuned and feel free to visit my website www.EliteCloser.com for more sales ideas.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Interest The Gatekeepers
Many salespeople treat gatekeepers as obstacles. Their aim is to get over them as fast as possible.
Not with sales professionals. Instead sales professionals treat them as the first level of selling. They don't just make the appointment. Instead, they sell the sppointment to the gatekeepers.
Therefore, instead of talking about bosses, their immediate focus is on the gatekeepers. they seek to interest the gatekeepers about the company and themselves. To these sales professionals, getting the gatekeepers interested is the first important step.
There are many benefits to this approach. The first appointments normally go through the gatekeepers. the first impression is very important. You just got to get their interest.
With interest, gatekeepers are likely to be more supportive.
There are other reasons for the need to interest gatekeepers.
If I am a salesperson then everyone is my customer. That includes gatekeepers. So I believe that you should not ignore gatekeepers because who knows if one day they may themselves become your customers.
To be continued...
Not with sales professionals. Instead sales professionals treat them as the first level of selling. They don't just make the appointment. Instead, they sell the sppointment to the gatekeepers.
Therefore, instead of talking about bosses, their immediate focus is on the gatekeepers. they seek to interest the gatekeepers about the company and themselves. To these sales professionals, getting the gatekeepers interested is the first important step.
There are many benefits to this approach. The first appointments normally go through the gatekeepers. the first impression is very important. You just got to get their interest.
With interest, gatekeepers are likely to be more supportive.
There are other reasons for the need to interest gatekeepers.
If I am a salesperson then everyone is my customer. That includes gatekeepers. So I believe that you should not ignore gatekeepers because who knows if one day they may themselves become your customers.
To be continued...
Monday, August 25, 2008
Partner Gatekeepers To Prospect Customers
Selling to gatekeeper is the 1st step in the selling process.
Professional salespeople do not just seek appointments through gatekeepers. They sell the need for the appointment to gatekeepers. Selling appointments to gatekeepers is where the sales begin. When selling appointments, the goal is to interest the gatekeepers, to excite them, to win them and to always keep them on your side with warm partnership.
If prospecting is hard, getting pass gatekeepers could be worse. This is particularly upsetting for young salespeople just starting out in the sales profession. Without connections and new to prospects, being refused by secretaries, assistants and deputies is hard to take. It is so near and yet so far. Gatekeepers appear particularly enthusiastic in keeping their bosses away from salespeople. To get pass them, some advocate sweet talk, promises of rewards; some try to gate crash, other just persist. Not easy, not effective, not productive.
Then, there are the major customers who just do not deal with any salespeople who comes their way. Their time is jealously guarded by the gatekeepers.In fact, the higher up he is like to be in an organization and the tougher are the gatekeepers.
Yet in order to even have a chance of making a sale, one must first be able to work with the gatekeepers.
To Be Continued....
Professional salespeople do not just seek appointments through gatekeepers. They sell the need for the appointment to gatekeepers. Selling appointments to gatekeepers is where the sales begin. When selling appointments, the goal is to interest the gatekeepers, to excite them, to win them and to always keep them on your side with warm partnership.
If prospecting is hard, getting pass gatekeepers could be worse. This is particularly upsetting for young salespeople just starting out in the sales profession. Without connections and new to prospects, being refused by secretaries, assistants and deputies is hard to take. It is so near and yet so far. Gatekeepers appear particularly enthusiastic in keeping their bosses away from salespeople. To get pass them, some advocate sweet talk, promises of rewards; some try to gate crash, other just persist. Not easy, not effective, not productive.
Then, there are the major customers who just do not deal with any salespeople who comes their way. Their time is jealously guarded by the gatekeepers.In fact, the higher up he is like to be in an organization and the tougher are the gatekeepers.
Yet in order to even have a chance of making a sale, one must first be able to work with the gatekeepers.
To Be Continued....
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