I was at the bookstore today and grabbed a book off the shelf titled “Get more referrals” or something similar in that genre of titles. I opened to the middle - which is typical behavior for me in determining whether or not I like the book - and read a section titled “getting past the gatekeeper”.

Getting past the gatekeeper is one of those topics that every sales person is still trying to master. There are books, articles and seminars all over discussing this one roadblock to making sales. So, what is the master secret to getting past the gatekeeper?

I read through the author’s script of how to answer the questions that are always asked, such as “What company are you with?” in varying degrees of semantics. What I read irritated me to the point of slamming the book closed and deciding to leave the bookstore all together. They did not have what I wanted, and now I was irritated at the information my own customers are bombarded with when they go looking for answers.

The author talked about creating a false sense of familiarity with the person on the phone, or the company, or the person they are trying to reach. UGH! My thoughts were steaming as I wondered (out loud) to myself - Who really gets away with this? At some point, your cards are unveiled and your charade is discovered. Even IF these tactics work, you are bluffing your way in, and the recipient of your bluff knows it. Only now, you’ve lost any possible credibility you might have had if you earned the phone call honestly. As you’re talking, aren’t you now facing an uphill battle because everything you say now has to go through a filter of “if you bluffed there, where else will you be bluffing?” Can you be viewed as credible? Can your sales pitch be trusted? If you weren’t honest from the beginning, then how do I know you aren’t going to continue to lie to me?

Here is how you get past the gatekeeper: Ask somebody you already know to make an introduction to the decision maker. Most likely, between your Friends, Relatives, Associates, Neighbors and Customers, you have a connection to every potential customer you would like to meet. When you are introduced by a mutual acquaintance, the likeliness of closing the deal is greatly increased, especially if you have something to truly offer. Strengthen those relationships and they will help introduce you to the right people. Don’t play charades and do something that “sounds like” familiarity. Go out and actually create it. That sounds like a closed deal.