Gatekeeper asks "What's this call regarding?"

I have the the decision makers name. I ask if he's in. A good percentage of the time I go straight through but every once in a while the gatekeeper will say something like "Can I tell him what it's regarding?"

I've had very little experience with this. Almost never do they ask me what it's about. I say my name, and act like they should have heard of me.

In one long cold calling jag, I had 3 people ask "What's this regarding?' I said to each of them "Do you want to hear the whole story?". In 2 instances, they just got him on the phone. In the third, I got his voice mail.

I have no idea how well this would work in 100 attempts.

This is a great point. It's a subtle thing. My tone is relaxed and friendly, as if I am already a business partner. My tone of voice and inflection is that of someone they have done business with for 10 years.

Think of calls you get from salespeople you've never met. You make snap decisions about them in milliseconds. Your mind is moving much faster than the words are they are speaking.

You are making a judgement based on tonality, inflection, pacing and mood. If the salesperson is all hypey and hard sell, you make a decision about them immediately. No Soup For You! If they sound hesitant, like they don't really believe in themselves or the product, or they would rather being doing something, anything else, No Soup For You!

Think about conversations you have with loyal, long-standing clients. Each person is relaxed, confident and focused. The tone is business-like, but there is trust and familiarity.

Don't wait until a prospect is a customer to treat them like one. From your first contact, you are relaxed and professional, speaking from authority but without airs. I treat gatekeepers as if I worked with them at the company. How would you treat a coworker? You would probably ask about their weekend. Did they see that movie? How is their dog doing- is he still sick?

Now, you may never ask these questions, but your tone reflects the same attitude you would have if you worked together. Think of it this way. When they become a client, who will you be seeing a lot when you make calls on them? The gatekeeper! If you don't think the client talks to the gatekeeper about you, you are mistaken.

Nothing fazes you. No gatekeepers, no prospects, no CEOs--because you know your business better than them. In your world, you are the boss. They are relying on you. You are the prize. They need you. So relax. N'est-ce pas?

I liked it Rus

and humor for gatekeepers helps with the nerves!

What you've said here is true but I was looking for techniques to increase the odds of getting a pass through.

I've dealt with many tough gatekeepers who play hardball and I have to fold them or try again at a later date. But I've also been surprised to find out that if I engage the gatekeeper a little with humor and sincerity she folds and let's me through.

I don't think it's black and white even with an instructed by the boss gatekeeper. After all, gatekeepers are human too...

If you call small businesses, often times, it's not the gatekeeper you're getting on the phone but the owner or president.

Happens to me that I answer the phone and, realizing it's a telemarketer, I say what's this regarding? or tell them I'm not in.

But you never know when you get something good out of a random call, so, sometimes, I try to help them, without letting them know they're talking to the person they were trying to reach.

Often, they stick to their guns. They need to talk to the owner and no one else.

A week ago, I told someone that the owner was not in but he might as well tell me what he wanted, because I make the decision, the owner just pays.

She couldn't bring herself to tell me.

Today, I had another one: She wanted to talk to the person who makes marketing decisions.

Told her that person was not in but could I, maybe, help her?

And, it annoys me to no end when they say, it's a business matter for the owner or some such thing.

Anyone who answers the phones is instructed to hang up on anyone who says that.

I make decisions for my business and for one other business.

SEO peeps are the worst. They either won't tell me what they're about or tell me they can get me to be on page 1 for... I bothered a few days ago to tell one of them, Ahem, check this keyword... See #1, 2, 3 and 6, 7 and 9. Those are either pages from my website, my Google page, my facebook page or yelp glowing about my little company. Adjust your pitch.

They did not adjust. So, I had to hang up.

I do the SEO, but if someone can do it better than me for the same, I'd have no problem hiring them. So, far, it's been hard to get one to see that if they promise me things I've already accomplished, I don't need them unless they can maintain my visitor flow for less than it's costing me now.

Rambling... the point was, what you think is a gatekeeper might be a decision maker if you're calling on small outfits. The other point, be flexible, hear what is said, and the tone it's being said in. And adjust.