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Sunday, February 17, 2008

IT Sales Means Getting Past the Gatekeeper

If you want to make IT sales, you have to connect to the person that can get you an “in.” But getting past gatekeepers to find this person is not simple.

IT Sales Cold Calls

Cold calls are not easy, and you are probably not going to get past a gatekeeper/call screener that just takes your name and number but says she/he is not interested. Your best bet is to try a new method of gaining clients. But if you have to make cold IT sales calls, you need to get beyond the brush off.

Techniques for Successful Gatekeeper Circumvention

1. Call before the gatekeeper leaves or gets in (the person probably works from nine to five, eight to six or eight to four).

2. Send an e-mail.

3. Send a fax.

4. Mail a letter.

5. Send a postcard (this works fairly well because it is already an “open” piece of mail and will have a better chance of being seen).

6. Send a Fed-Ex marked “personal/confidential.”
While these “gimmicks” can sometimes work, they have been around for a while, and a lot of people will see through them.

IT Sales: What’s Even BETTER than “Gimmicks”?

The best way to get attention and get past the gatekeeper to the important people is to make a name for yourself in your area. Get to know other professional services providers like accountants and deeply-niched solution providers. Speak at events, hold your own seminars, volunteer and invest real, quality time in networking.

When you earn a reputation in your local community for being good at what you do and paying attention, you will gain the “know,” “like” and “trust” necessary to make IT sales. Trickery is not going to get you the long-term relationships you need to build your business.

Added By: Joshua Feinberg