B2B appointment-setting services have become increasingly complex in an era where busy decision-makers employ multiple layers of gatekeepers to safeguard their privacy. This post provides some useful tips for effectively bypassing call screeners and gatekeepers.
Why gatekeepers and call screeners:
The top executives today are extremely wary of unsolicited calls or visitors dreading that they would eat into their productive time. As a result, they build layers of gatekeepers and call screeners to both safeguard their privacy and respond to important queries efficiently. Dealing with these gatekeepers and approaching the desired decision-makers without delay is a big challenge for B2B appointment-setting services provider companies.
Duties of a gatekeeper:
Salespeople come way down the priority list of present-day decision-makers who have a thousand fires of their own to put out each day. These gatekeepers and call screeners have the responsibility to protect the valuable time of their bosses by preventing any undesired call or salesperson from reaching them. B2B appointment-setting services must devise effective methods to slip past these call screeners without much ado while making their efforts more valuable.
Significance of gatekeepers for salespeople:
Gatekeeper is usually not a formal title. It is generally either the receptionists or some administrative assistants who perform this important job. You often find gatekeepers as bottlenecks barricading your way to the top executive, they constantly screen salespeople.
However, there is no point for appointment setters to treat them as hurdles. They normally have administrative roles and could prove to be an incredible resource. You should be able to leverage what they possess about the company’s functioning and plans, using them as springboards for your benefit.
Top providers of B2B appointment-setting services like The Global Associates perform the most difficult job of approaching important decision-makers and convincing them to explore our client’s offerings. The job of B2B appointment-setting services is made even tougher and more challenging due to today’s business realities, where decision-makers have a premium on their time, day in and day out.
B2B Appointment Setting Services: Useful tips for efficiently slipping past call screeners:
While Call Screeners often act as the barrier to connecting with the decision-maker, it is imperative to use them to your advantage and navigate the path to success.
1. Stay calm and composed
Initiate your conversation by taking a deep breath. Maintain calm and composure in both your thoughts and words. Make an effort to sound as if the call screener has been expecting your call. Never treat them as adversaries; instead, maintain the professionalism you would with the decision-maker. Always remember to express your gratitude when concluding the call.
2. Be attentive during the conversation
Many gatekeepers hold key administrative positions in the organization and influence the decision-making. They often possess crucial information about the company’s activities and happenings. Therefore, it is essential to remain focused during interactions as they may give valuable context for your conversation with the decision-makers. Always make a note of their names and try addressing them personally to make your conversation even more interactive.
3. Treat them as fellow professionals
Call screeners of course try to barricade your way, but that’s their job. Do not try to crash through the gate or adopt a confrontationist approach. Always be courteous, and never become upset or bitter. Remaining positive in your approach is important. You must try convincing them you have legitimate business and won’t waste the precious time of their superiors.
4. Always use a customized call script
Gatekeepers are experienced people, they would likely be tackling multiple salespeople and sales calls daily. B2B Appointment-setting services in India should avoid using generic call scripts as they would in all probability sound identical. It’s essential to do thorough research about the decision maker and the organization to know in depth their pain points, needs, and requirements. You must customize your scripts picking up the topics relevant to their organization. This would appeal to them more and make your job easier.
5. Do not discuss the details with them
It should be very clear to the sales representative that gatekeepers are not having ultimate decision-making authority. There is no need to elaborate on the details of your product, you’ll be wasting your sales pitch. Moreover, it could give them more opportunities to raise objections to cut you off. Just offer a concise value proposition, just enough to evoke their interest so that they let you in and allow a meeting with their boss.
6. Never forget to follow up with them
It is essential to be persistent. If you don’t have a good follow-up program in place, you tend to lose out on many opportunities for setting B2B appointments. However, you must also know when to move on and knock at some other door where a more promising opportunity is waiting. Trying more than three times is usually not advisable, focus on some other prospect if you face outright rejection.
7. Give them the upper hand sometimes
There is no harm in letting the gatekeepers help you or do some hand-holding for you sometimes. They know their organizational structure inside-out, and they would be aware of the best person you should get in touch with. Let them guide you to the appropriate decision makers, don’t always show you know all the details. This will help you grow your database and network of important people for sure.
About The Global Associates (TGA):
The Global Associates offers expert and premium B2B lead generation and B2B demand generation services. You can be assured of increased productivity for your sales team, and sustainable revenue generation working with us. Our teams of experienced sales and marketing professionals use a strategic 360º approach that relies on Account Based Marketing (ABM).
The Global Associates arms you with the right strategy, technology, and operations to engage well with your target audience! We offer specialized services like automated drip emails, scalable and technologically advanced platforms for marketing automation, direct email marketing, hyper-personalized emails to maximize impact, LinkedIn outreach, and conversational marketing.
B2B appointment-setting service providers must devise sound methods to tackle call screeners efficiently and save valuable time. Don’t dread the gatekeepers but don’t place them on a pedestal either, just develop a rapport with them.
