At the entrance gate of an office building you are greeted by a guardsman
who requires identification for entry.

You step into your neighbor's yard to return a borrowed item and are greeted by
a very protective bull dog with razor sharp teeth. He too, requires proof and assurance
you are a welcome visitor.

We can easily understand the security guard and watch dog are doing their jobs when we confront them. Yet, as salespeople, when we meet resistance from a busy receptionist or an office manager, it is easy to get angry, discouraged and frustrated. Screening intruders and interruptions of office production and business activities are important parts of a "gate keepers" job!

Following are a few of the most effective methods getting through the gatekeeper. These ideas will arm you with a professional and direct approach in reaching the decision maker on the telephone, in the office or by mail.

Breaking down Barriers: Tougher than ever!

Since many companies use the telephone, cold calls and the mail to obtain new business, office personnel have become very adept in deflecting you and your prospecting efforts. In addition, the flood of salespeople and competitors make it difficult for you to differentiate yourself, your company and the unique benefits of your product. Yet, you must penetrate these barriers to do your job and earn a living. Top sales pro's recognize the people and circumstances that "protect" a prospect will always be there and they prepare in advance. In fact, they see gatekeeper resistance as an advantage because it keeps out most of their competition!

Let's get Personal!

The number one mistake salespeople make, in prospecting via the telephone, in person or by mail is failing to personalize their contact. "Personal"ize by adapting your contact to fit the expected interests and goals of the customer. Consider why your product would be of interest or benefit to that particular prospect. Of course, understanding specific customer needs is ultimately done at the sales presentation. However, a preliminary visit or call could be made to collect important information about the client which pertains to your product. The more specific information you learn and apply in your presentation, the better your results will be. Office personnel is usually an excellent place to start. While cold calling, observations made during your office visit reveals volumes about the prospect's commitment to quality, image and overall standard of care.

Getting to know the staff is also an excellent way to learn more about your potential customer. They often reveal the practice or office culture and personality. This is also a great way to begin building these important relationships necessary to help you gain access to the decision maker. You will dramatically improve your prospecting and sales efforts by customizing your approach with a little homework to personalize your contacts.

Finding the Bulls eye: A Matter of Purpose

Don't bother to open the door, pick up the telephone or lick the stamp unless you have clearly identified a purpose for contacting a customer! The best way to create a purpose for your sales call is to learn from history-- yours. Use your experience as a guide. What is the average or typical sales progression of the people you now call customers? Be honest, these figures are not for a sales contest! What information did your customer need at a similar time in the sales process? What questions did he ask? What was needed to move the sale forward? Anticipate these questions and prepare for them. Planning a specific and realistic goal before each contact will dramatically increase your effectiveness and accelerate your sales results.

Pave a trail of benefits to your goal

The most important way to unlock the doors that keep you from your customer, is to share specific ways your product or service can help each person you talk to. It will take much more persistence, free goods and flattery compared to a little planning and preparation to get you through the door! Determine the benefits, in advance, for those you will encounter getting to the decision maker. The office manager may look for benefits that save time...since she is responsible for productivity and the office schedule. An assistant, on the other hand, might be more interested in convenience or ease of use.

Often sales representatives make the BIG mistake of not matching the important product advantages for each person they talk to. Office members will become your ally and help you make the sale if they understand and believe in the benefits of your product for them. Resist the temptation to lead with a "special price" or promotion as your most important benefit. Everyone knows promotions are temporary and most salespeople use price to attract attention. Besides, saving money is usually of limited interest to everybody but the buyer. Resist price, sell benefits--even the lowest price of a product or service of no other value is too much! An office manager, the receptionist, the assistant, a purchasing agent or supervisor are all on the road to your success in getting the sale. Pave a trail of benefits to each person you encounter and your road will be paved with strong success.

Keepin' Your Feet on the Ground

Before a sales call, what results do you expect? What do you want to accomplish? You shout, "To make the sale, of course!" Yet, is that really an appropriate goal based on your relationship with that client? Do you even have a relationship or is this your first contact? Healthcare providers are bombarded with sales representatives who arrive unannounced expecting to see and talk to the doctor. Medical and dental offices receive hundreds of telephone calls from reps who call to 'speak to the doctor.' Yet, when you consider today's significant time and responsibility demands on the average healthcare worker, we quickly realize the chance of their availability is slight.

A good reality check is to consider your average selling cycle. Does your past experience indicate it is realistic to close a sale at your first meeting? Perhaps, an introduction or a request for an appointment would be more appropriate. Find out when a typical break time is or call early in the morning or before lunchtime. Another way to stimulate interest is to provide a product sample then schedule a follow-up appointment to collect customer comments on the results. This approach gives the prospect a chance to evaluate the product and you an great opportunity for a presentation.

Interested Makes Interesting!

Everyone likes to feel special. The best way to make people feel special is to demonstrate genuine interest in them. Customers don't want to feel like just another account on your call schedule. The fastest way to a sale and making customers feel special is to become interested in them. That is not done by "smiling and dialing" through volumes of telephone contacts until somebody talks to you. Your approach and interest must be genuine. Office staff often complain, sales people make two big mistakes of being over-friendly or too pushy. Just remember: People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care!

"The man who rolls up his sleeves seldom loses his shirt." Thomas Cowan

If a prospect is not interested in your product or service today, doesn't mean they will not need it in the future. How many times have you considered an item well before you eventually bought it? The biggest difference between the company that gets the next order and the company that doesn't depends heavily on you, the representative. The old sales proverb holds true, "He who is available at the time customers are ready to buy, is the one who gets the sale."

How well do you follow-up with prospects after a demonstration, sample or presentation? Top reps know, warm leads pay higher rewards and invest their efforts in consistent communication with prospects and customers. Establishing a habit of consistency and good follow-up separates champion performers from their average counterparts.

Finally, higher quotas, growing competition and the increasing cost of doing business requires your sales and prospecting efforts are super sharp. Try out these ideas, and get to your customers with less effort, more polish and higher sales!