Telephone Sales Tips — Reaching the Right Person
How To Identify Prospects With The Authority To Buy
Sep 22, 2009
Cold-call selling by telephone to businesses when the sales rep or telemarketer does not know the name of any person in the business being called poses a challenge. The telephone sales representative first has to get past either:
- A ‘gatekeeper’ — receptionist or administrative assistant; or
- An automated attendant.
The tips given here are drawn from the writer’s own telemarketing experience and advice given by sales trainers Mark Hunter and Paul S. Goldner, author of Red Hot Cold Call Selling.
Telemarketing to Gatekeepers
Gatekeepers perform an important service by screening out time-wasting calls for busy bosses who receive many calls every day. The sales representative faces an unknown amount of competition for the sales prospect’s time and must make the gatekeeper an ally.
The sales rep should address a gatekeeper with respect. A receptionist or administrative assistant will decide whether to transfer a call or identify a person on how the rep speaks more than what the rep says.
Administrative assistants usually know more about an organization than receptionists and can sometimes set appointments for their bosses.
Here are some tactics:
- Briefly explain to the gatekeeper the product, service or proposition just as to a person with authority to buy.
- Ask if the organization ever uses the type of product or service being offered. If the sales person has a well-researched list of prospective organizations, he or she should know that the organization could use the product or service. The advantage of asking is that it signals to the gatekeeper that the rep doesn’t want to waste anyone’s time, and it gets the gatekeeper to give a ”yes” answer.
- Ask how the organization fills its need for the product or service.
- Ask who has the responsibility to make decisions on the product or service.
- If the gatekeeper won’t give a name, ask which department uses or purchases the type of product or service.
- If the gatekeeper won’t identify the department, offer to send the gatekeeper information about the product or service so she or he can assess the product or service. This shows respect for her knowledge of her organization. After sending information, the representative has a reason to call again for her opinion.
- If a receptionist offers to put the call through without identifying the person, ask for the name “in case the call is cut off.”
- If the receptionist gives only a first name, ask which department the person is in. The next time the rep calls he or she can ask for the person directly; e.g., “Sam in purchasing.”
- If the the call is transferred to voice mail, leave a message, call the receptionist back, thank her for transferring the call, and ask for the email address to be able to confirm information in the voice mail message.
Tips on Email
Many people identify themselves on their voice mail boxes only by first name or say the last name indistinctly. Email addresses commonly include the person’s last name. Follow up every contact with email. Call after emailing to confirm the email has been received and not diverted to spam.
Getting Past Telephone Auto-Attendants
If the call is answered by auto-attendant, the rep needs to use the company directory, which will give information ranging from each person’s full name, title and/or department and extension number to first names and “press the pound key” only. The sales rep can choose the most likely name or any one at random, just to speak to someone.
Researching Sales Prospects
These techniques help the sales rep identify and reach sales prospects. If they don’t work for a particular organization, the research methods described in Finding the Right Person can help.
Further reading: Best Times for Cold Calls, How To Stay Motivated To Make Cold Calls.
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