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Cold Calling What to Send When They Ask for Something in Writing!
When a gatekeeper asks, “Can you send me something in writing,” most sales professionals quickly conclude they are getting the brush-off. That one wrong conclusion leads to a series of painful thoughts and unfruitful actions that leave the seller frustrated, full of self-doubt, and without a sales appointment. Misconstrue the gatekeeper’s request and you’ll go down a mental and emotional rabbit trail that does not lead you to where you want to go. What kinds of actions do cold callers take because the gatekeeper’s request was misunderstood? To begin with, the seller becomes disheartened and begins to believe he/she doesn’t belong. Congruent with that belief, the seller either sends something such as an annual report and then promptly forgets about that prospect, or never bothers to send anything at all because of the belief that the gatekeeper’s request is really a polite way of saying thanks-but-no-thanks. You may be surprised to learn that when the gatekeeper is asking for something in writing, this is in, fact, a signal that she believes what you have to offer will be of interest to the executive. So, why do gatekeepers ask for something in writing? They are fully aware that their executives have many demands upon their time throughout the day. To anchor the executive’s thoughts on the seller’s request for a meeting, the executive needs to see relevant information about your company’s products or service. One black and white type-written sheet will satisfy that need. Avoid the temptation to send your information by mail. Gatekeepers have several inches of mail deposited on the corner of the desk two and three times a day. Most of that ends up getting thrown away. Fax your materials to the gatekeeper. Include testimonials of what your happy clients have said about you and about your business. Better yet, have testimonials from happy clients who are in the same or a similar industry as your high-level prospect and you will be well on your way to having one more prospect turn into yet another satisfied client! ***** Forward this article to friends. They will thank you for it! For your mini-course “Jealously Guarded Secrets to Cold Calling Company Presidents” visit www.ColdCallingExecutives.com or call New Business Development Coach, Leslie Buterin (like butterin’ bread) at (816) 554-3674 9-3 CST (that’s Kansas City/Chicago Time) (c) 2008 Leslie Buterin. All Rights Reserved.
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Leslie Buterin, founder Top Dog
Consulting |