Inside Small Business | Small Business & Home Business Marketing

From Gatekeeper to Door Opener

How to build relationships with the most misunderstood sales resource
Part 1 in a 3 part series

Monte Resnick, Founder Ambition Partners International

On his resume, Freddy* was a highly accomplished and decorated sales professional. He was recognized in the top ten percent of his sales team three of the prior five years and highlighted his long-standing track record of achievement. However, shortly after being hired by a new firm, his sales and productivity seemed to slow down considerably. During meetings with his sales coach, Freddy would often address “gatekeepers” at the root cause of his slowing pipeline of new business. “If I could only pole vault the gatekeepers, I’d close a lot more business”, Freddy would say.

It amazes me how many sales professionals convince themselves that in spite of their incredible sales talent (real or perceived), if they could just get around the dreaded gatekeeper, they would be a lot more successful. There have been countless books, articles and seminars devoted to learning the techniques and psychology to get around or “managing” the gatekeeper. This is the individual we perceive to stand between us from making an otherwise easy sale or connection with the prospect. The question I pose to all the “Freddy’s” out there is, “If the gatekeeper is so powerful, why do you insist on dismissing them as a tremendous resource to your business?”

The fact is, Gatekeepers are often the most misunderstood and underutilized resources available to the sales/business development professional. In the real life scenario depicted above, Freddy has convinced himself that he is good enough to build a relationship and close business with the decision maker, but has created a perception that the gatekeeper is more powerful. Sounds ridiculous, but I observe these scenarios more often than you would think.

When I was in my early twenties I began a laborious interviewing process for my first job in pharmaceutical sales. I had several interviews with both the district and regional managers and had also taken an exam to test my ability to learn and retain the critical knowledge I would be asked to share each day in my sales role. I passed the exam with flying colors. The district manager indicated he was prepared to make me an offer. However the regional manager was on the fence. It seemed he was concerned with my less than perfect college GPA. After much consideration, he had shared with his DM that he thought they should pass on me. The next day while attending a business conference, the regional manager received a call from his administrative assistant (the gatekeeper). She had told him that she was having the worst Monday after an emotionally upsetting weekend. However, she continued, I just called to let you know that I received a personal note from Monte Resnick – and he just made my day (Everyone I meet gets a personal “thank you” note). Guess who called me to tell me I was hired the very next minute? (And guess who later shared with me that my new regional manager was far from perfect in college as well!)

The people we empower to shield us from the people we want to meet are not gatekeepers. They are “door openers” in disguise - if you take the time to genuinely connect with them. This does not mean you patronize them or shmooze them. It means you incorporate the very same process you would with your prospective client. You treat them, just as you would a prospective client. You recognize that they have problems to solve as well – and you can provide them with solutions, just as you would your prospective client.

Author
Monte Resnick is an entrepreneurial business executive with a 20-year track record of demonstrated success in consultative sales, sales management, sales training and new business development. He has worked with pedigree firms such as Johnson & Johnson and Sanford Bernstein, as well as new business start-ups and boutiques. Mr. Resnick founded Ambition Partners International in 2005. He can be reached at monte@ambitionpartners.com.

           

Posted on Thursday, February 22nd, 2007 at 11:50 am and is filed under Marketing, Sales. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.