Fanatical Prospecting: The Ultimate Guide to Opening Sales Conversations and Filling the Pipeline by Leveraging Social Selling, Telephone, Email, Text, and Cold Calling (Jeb Blount)

by Jeb Blount

Change the game. Sometimes the best strategy is to sidestep the gatekeeper. This can be accomplished in several ways: Call early or late. The boss tends to be in the office earlier than the gatekeeper and stays later. Leverage social. Few people allow their gatekeeper to have access to their social inboxes. Sending a LinkedIn InMail, for example, allows you to move right past the gatekeeper. Meet them in person. Attend conferences, networking events, civic clubs, charity events, and trade shows where your prospect hangs out—no gatekeepers there. Send an e-mail. An e-mail may allow you to skip past the gatekeeper. Send a handwritten note. In today's digital culture, handwritten notes sent via snail mail get through. If your note is sincere and funny, and if you add something of value (note: a brochure is not value) or congratulate your prospect on an achievement, there is a very good chance that you will get a response.